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An Essex Wildlife Garden Update!

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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2018 at 10:20pm
As far as I know Tim, was so busy playing with new camera set up tonight didn't look for her or any newly arrived males tonight, best get my torch and my coat on. Wink
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2018 at 10:33pm
Still just her and the smooth newts Tim. I'm kind of hoping in a way that no males turn up and she is carrying fertile eggs. That would be an observation, I might finally be famous in the literature lol. I think it is at least plausible GCN would use that tactic to colonise a new pond, rather than it happens when a male and female just happen to both turn up at the same time. Much colder out than just a couple of hours ago, light snow falling here, glad most of the frog spawn is in a washing up bowl in the house.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Liz Heard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 10:06am
If, as i've read, common frogs can detect the algal blooming typical of a newly-constructed pond and home in on it, i wondered if newts to some degree or other, have similar olfactory'abilities which helps them.
Also, since it's common to find groups of newts together under a particularly suitable log or stone away from breeding ponds, do they not get there by following each other's scent trails, rather than by happenchance?

On another note, i don't know that the technology is as yet of a standard high enough (though it might be) to see newts under water (you could likely observe them surfacing), but in theory couldn't Suzi beat the Draconian, impractical, new record/species distribution understanding-discouraging, and largely unenforceable 'no unlicensed torching' WCA rule by using an image intensifier or other form of 'night sight'? Assuming she could afford it that is!

Infra-red would be out though as amphibians can, iv'e learned, detect it - how well i'm not sure.

Well done Gemma. But be careful not to accidentally add any Fairy Liquid!   
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 8:28pm
No worry about the Fairy Liquid Ben, spawn now transferred to newly bought shallow trays. No doubt I'll end up raising it indoors once again!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 9:37pm
Ben I've watched for GCNs surfacing with no luck at all. They might not have been in the pond at the time of course.
Suz
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 10:53pm
Torching is the convenient way to find GCN. I've always questioned if it was really disturbance, have footage of our GCN coming to the edge of the pond to see what I was doing when filming the other week so she didn't seem very 'disturbed'. Sadly though always had to keep to the argument that deliberately setting out to torch a pond for GCN requires a licence. Whether I agree it should or not, not being the point, just the way it is interpreted under the legislation so can't give any other advice. Shame because I would really like to compare notes with Suz on her visiting GCN, we seem to have really similar circumstances and it makes me ask questions like are they just random visits, are they moving in, were they attracted by a smooth newt population? Would be fascinating to study it first hand at both our ponds. Bit like moving spawn, never really seen a problem with it fairly locally, can't see how it can spread a disease that is endemic locally, it is already there and infected adults can move about and spread it any way.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 11:21pm
Spawn farm, all were round dot embryos yesterday when I brought it in, most now coma shaped, central heating!


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Mar 2018 at 11:44pm
I feel mine are getting short changed in a cold greenhouse! At least it takes more than three degrees of centigrade frost to start to freeze water in my greenhouse, so hopefully they'll be OK. Unfortunately I don't have anything but a clean builders' bucket which is black so I can't see mine. In the morning I might have to do some decanting into other containers.
The snow is settling now but it's only just in negative figures outside, so the pond might be OK for the other spawn.
Suz
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 12:53am
We've had snow all day, pond still unfrozen though. I guess we had plenty of sunshine before so the ponds are hopefully fairly warm still. Frogs have definitely headed for the depths though smooth newts were still moving about slowly earlier this evening. Just didn't dare take the chance after last year with the spawn, so the cold weekend was just a timely prompt to get some indoors and look after it this year. Was a little concerned that with it all stuffed in a washing up bowl in the house the water would deoxygenate as the embryos always develop really quickly with the central heating indoors, so mad rush this morning to get the trays. Don't think there would be the same problem with your bucket outside in low temperatures though Suz. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 10:10am
Just been out to see the pond. Some ice forming now, interestingly on the other side from the spawn. I can't say the frog's knew what they were doing, but it hints they are probably very good at picking the most favourable spot for the spawn in a given season. If they had spawned in the same area as last year, spawn would now likely be at least partially ice damaged. 

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