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Let's hear it for GCN

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will View Drop Down
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    Posted: 08 Apr 2014 at 9:45pm
I spent an enjoyable hour or three watching around 20-30 GCN in the shallow rectangular pond at NT Hidcote Gardens in Gloucs today - along with dozens of smooth newts.  On offer was courtship, egg laying and even a naughty male GCN trying to swallow a small female smooth newts.  Photos not good - I should have bought a polarising filter, I know!

GCN display:


GCN display 2:


male GCN and male smooth newt:


GCN ova on water lily leaf, not concealed:


smooth newt (top left) grabbed by male GCN (lower right, honest!)

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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: 08 Apr 2014 at 9:51pm
Excellent Will. Spent many happy hours watching newts in clear ponds on nice days. It's like watching real life dragons.
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will View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote will Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2014 at 10:09pm
sure is, Gemma, thanks.  Almost as much fun eavesdropping on the comments of others - such as:

'look - fish!'

'no, they're not fish - they're those things that become frogs'

...pause 'tadpoles!'

'yes, that's it'

'no - they're newts - [well done, but now it all gets spoiled...] - yes, newts - like lizards - look, just like iguanas!'Confused
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2014 at 7:55pm
Lol, brilliant Will, the things people say. I once overheard my neighbour telling his guests that I was an idiot for thinking I had lizards in the garden when they were really newts...

I couldn't help thinking at the time it can't be that hard to Google who I am...
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will View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote will Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2014 at 8:50pm
I guess there's a way to go yet in terms of 'herpeducation'...
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