Journal Lockdown wildlife pond

[Kezzab]

Proof of life.

 

[Paul27]

looks like its been there for years rather than months!.

Just shows how quickly wildlife moves in and takes over.

Awesome job

 

[Kezzab]

Nettles and Docks dont take long to grow....

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

looks like its been there for years rather than months!.

That was the problem with the <"first iteration of our pond">, it went from <"bare pond"> to full pond <"to swamp"> much too quickly.

cheers Darrel

 

[Paul27]

Proof of life.

Was talking about the plants aswell but more so the newt you found, can imagine there is other life in there to aswell as other visitors like birds etc

 

[Paul27]

Hi all, That was the problem with the <"first iteration of our pond">, it went from bare pond to full pond <"to swamp"> much too quickly.

cheers Darrel

looks great in both links, do quite like the swamp look if im honest

 

[Kezzab]

I think the best was probably a tiny hitch hiker on the hornwort from my parents pond. But he obviously doing ok which is a good sign!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

do quite like the swamp look if im honest

That was what I wanted. I'd guess that this was peak pond (2012) in terms of biodiversity.

But succession didn't stop there and by 2018 it was just solid plants (mainly Equisetum fluviatile & Eleocharis palustris) with no visible water. I was in New Zealand during the 2018 summer <"and it dried right out">.

cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

But succession didn't stop there and by 2018 it was just solid plants (mainly Equisetum fluviatile & Eleocharis palustris) with no visible water.

I've just found a photo from 2015.

The pond is front centre & right of the picture, but all the open water had already gone.

cheers Darrel

 

[Kezzab]

All weathers...

 

[Tim Harrison]

It might be an idea to break the ice every other day or so to allow gas exchange
Chucking a football in works quite well to delay ice formation.

 

[zozo]

In pond shops they sell styrofoam floating domes/things to create a hole that doesn't freeze to prevent the dreaded lack of gas exchange Tim refers to.

But since it styrofoam, you can make it DIY... it actually only is a floating piece with a hole in it and this hole is covered losely with an other piece of styrofoam. Not air/gas tight but secure enough it doesn't blow off. The air area in the covered hole remains warm enough due to the styrofoam insulation properties not to freeze the water surface bellow the cover.

These things are designed to prevent people from breaking the ice with smashing a hammer to it. This can/will cause shockwaves in the water that can be fatal to wildlife.

 

[mort]

Old poly fish box with a few holes poked in works well.

 

[Jaseon]

All that from some old pieces of carpet....great job.

 

[Kezzab]

Spring is sprunging.

 

[Kezzab]

The pond is only really just starting to come to life now because it's been so cold up here through May.