Frog/Frogspawn and Newt watch 2011

Mothman · 24-02-2011 09:27PM

TRNIALL wrote: »

Hi Mothman,did you introduce the Newts to your Pond or have they just Evolved over Time.

From many accounts, newts seem to find new ponds very quickly even if far from nearest neighbouring water.
I've never moved newts and they bred in my new pond last year, bred in my Brother's new pond and I saw them in flooded wheel tracks.

TRNIALL · 24-02-2011 11:36PM

Thanks for the Reply Mothman,my ponds consist of 2 corner bath units one flowing into the other, the only thing that Breeds in mine are Snails and Shrimps also a few Stickleback that produced young last year,shall wait for the Newts, maybe next year.

Feargal as Luimneach · 24-02-2011 11:46PM

TRNIALL wrote: »

Thanks for the Reply Mothman,my ponds consist of 2 corner bath units one flowing into the other, the only thing that Breeds in mine are Snails and Shrimps also a few Stickleback that produced young last year,shall wait for the Newts, maybe next year.

Sticklebacks would be big predators of newt larvae. Put in another pond would be a good idea if you want newts.

TRNIALL · 25-02-2011 12:14AM

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Sticklebacks would be big predators of newt larvae. Put in another pond would be a good idea if you want newts.

Have to get me another Bathtub so.

kerash · 25-02-2011 05:48PM

frog spawn in the pond at the end of the garden - there are 11 frogs there afaik but they all hid when I got the camera:D

R P McMurphy · 25-02-2011 05:52PM

Across from my house there is a lot of surface water and each year there must be hundreds of frogs crawling around in there. As you approach the path you hear a loud amount of croaking but as you pass all goes silent. Then you hear them starting up again as you leave. Water is jumping with them all moving around.

Feargal as Luimneach · 28-02-2011 02:17PM

I wonder is spawning finished in my place:( Frost in the last two nights has led to no frog activity/spawning. No frogs to be seen in Garden this afternoon eventhough sunny. On thursday has 25+ frogs in my 2 ponds

(from what I could see). A big increase from last year. I have a wheelbarrow full of spawn all together. Only 5 years ago there wasn't a sight of a frog in the then sterile garden.

emo72 · 28-02-2011 02:22PM

ok i just placed some spawn in a preformed pond. what next? i will put a little ramp in so they can get out when ready. theres no plants in this pond. what will they eat? each other? i hope not. i have some goldfish pond food. any advice lads?

Feargal as Luimneach · 28-02-2011 02:41PM

emo72 wrote: »

ok i just placed some spawn in a preformed pond. what next? i will put a little ramp in so they can get out when ready. theres no plants in this pond. what will they eat? each other? i hope not. i have some goldfish pond food. any advice lads?

I no expert on frogs/ponds, but here's some ideas:

Get some pond plants to put in pond, use only native plants. You will need some oxygenator plant. Try and get some plants from local native ponds, if possible. The more native species you use the cleaner your water will be. Don't pull bullrushes into pond they will take over a small pond.

Ramp is good idea, try and use sand(clean) to make ramps around the edges. You want a gentle slope into pond. You don't want little creatures like pygmy shrews or hedgehog falling into pond and not being able to get out.

Get some water from a clean wild pond. Put couple of gallons (the more the better) in your pond. This will seed your pond with vital micro organisms. They will help keep it clean. Also if you get plants from a natural pond you will also be seeding your pond with these micro-organisms (from mud around plant roots.

Tadpole eat algae, so no need to put any food in. Don't put in goldfish food. Don't put in goldfish they will kill your future tadpoles.

emo72 · 28-02-2011 03:04PM

hi fergal i live beside the liffey in lucan. would that water do?

Feargal as Luimneach · 28-02-2011 03:26PM

emo72 wrote: »

hi fergal i live beside the liffey in lucan. would that water do?

Try and get from a pond would be better. You would get different micro-organisms in flowing water than you would from a still pond. If it won't be a huge trek for you. I would recommend pollardstown fen beside Kildare town. You can't take plants from there (nature reserve), but that's were I got the water (20 litres) to seed my ponds.

I don't know the area in Lucan great unfortunately, so I would not know of any wild ponds.

Mothman · 04-03-2011 11:28PM

Frogspawn everywhere!
I retrieved a full bucket, about 20 clumps from under the trampoline :eek:

The trampoline is in a hole in ground, so it doesn't blow away and a side net is not needed. Well with all the rain in Feb, the water table had got high enough to have a pool in this hole. This is quite a bit of fun when jumpimg

...I digress..the frogs likes the water as well.
The vehicles tracks are drying out and there are bucket fulls of spawn in these.

Meanwhile I have tadpoles in the pond..Spring is progressing

Antiquo · 05-03-2011 01:18AM

I can't get over how early some of your frogs got spawn making. I live in NCD and must admit was getting some serious spawn envy with the early reports in this thread and we had no sign of a frog never mind spawn.
I even began to doubt my memory of the usual spawning time from last few years and took a good walk around the fields a week or so back and could see no sign.

Then last week they appeared overnight (just as the high with increased temps hit us) I was out with the dogs one evening and spawn everywhere although not on the same scale as last year yet.
My own ponds got hammered with the ice I found approx. 15 dead mature frogs when I cleaned them out. I was delighted to see a few in the top pond this evening although there were very few big frogs amongst them.

Mothman · 05-03-2011 08:31PM

A quick count under torchlight of my little pond. 21 newts.

There is a black cloud of tadpoles. Will upload photo later if any good.

Mothman · 05-03-2011 09:59PM

Tadpoles

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trebor28 · 06-03-2011 04:57PM

found these in a drain.
water seemed to be running a bit low, better rain for their sake.

trebor28 · 07-03-2011 03:46PM

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two lots in the same drain, about 100 yards apart.

BargainHunter · 07-03-2011 07:51PM

My frogspawn has hatched today!
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Im very pleased, as I thought it was dead due to its appearance over the last few days.

Traonach · 08-03-2011 08:17PM

Hope all the frost (more to come this week), won't kill my frogspawn. They haven't hatched yet.

Mothman · 25-03-2011 12:19PM

Many pregnant looking newts in the pond.

The tadpoles are doing well.

homerhop · 25-03-2011 01:12PM

Been keeping an eye on local drains and not a sign of any yet

Alun · 25-03-2011 01:32PM

The only frogspawn I've seen is up in the Wicklow Mountains and there's not a sign of anything remotely like a tadpole appearing just yet.

Mothman · 25-03-2011 04:01PM

1 new clump of spawn in pond today, the first for weeks!

It looks like the tadpoles already there are trying to eat it

wildlifeman · 25-03-2011 08:38PM

I hope you let the IWT know about your Newts for the Countrywide Newt Survey 2011. all Info appreciated. I'd love a visit if you are planning it like last year.

BargainHunter · 26-03-2011 04:42PM

Found a dead frog sitting my pond today. I dont know what killed it, old age, excessive nutrients in the water, or a farmer ploughing up grassland next door.

I cant remove the algae and pond weed from the pond because the tadpoles get caught up in the net. So Im worried the algae is consuming all the oxygen.

gilloricho · 05-04-2011 11:56PM

hiya, im just wondering would there be anyone out there willing to donate some frog spawn to me for my pond? I have a five year old daughter who absolutely adores frogs and would love to have some in the pond. im in navan co meath, thanks for reading!!

wildlifeboy · 06-04-2011 03:37PM

But its illegal except for research Blah..I'd say there is lots along the Boyne in pools and boggy areas. but alas most of it has hatched now anyway so the best you could hope for is a few in a glass jar.

IrishHomer · 09-04-2011 11:11PM

I was checking some ponds today found no spawn nor tadpoles

Wonder is it too late to see frog spawn?

Fishy1 · 09-04-2011 11:54PM

I posted a pic in the "Some pictures I took recently" thread of a frog sunning himself in our small garden pond a few days ago (post 724)
Earlier on today we spotted this tiny one. Pictures are a bit grainy, apologies.
For 2nd pic we dropped a 1c coin into the pond to try and show the scale. The frog is hiding under the stone, to the bottom left of the coin. Hope you can make it out!

I presume it's a frog from last year's batch of frogspawn. I think they take up to 3 or 4 years to mature fully?

Whispered · 20-04-2011 07:55AM

Tadpoles and tiny frog seen up in the mountains near donard. I've posted pics in the picture thread from last saturday. I'll be going back up to "check on them" this weekend.

Frog/Frogspawn and Newt watch 2011

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