Newt

Wildlife in gardens can sometimes be a challenge, as selected blog posts will clearly demonstrate. However, sharing our garden will always be at the very heart of our gardening philosophy. As much as we enjoy the planting schemes, outdoor living spaces and general sense of well being that the garden provides, it would be immeasurably diminished without the diversity of wildlife which will visit on occasions.

It was a pleasant surprise, therefore, to discover the upper pond is now home to newt(s). The little creature was discovered when I was raking out some of the surplus oxygenators. It swiftly returned to the safety of the pond and I did not get another glimpse until yesterday.

Although not the most distinct of photographs, the newt (which I suppose to be a palmate newt, if its throat is a pale colour?) can be seen in the water just a little deeper than the tadpole. I must confess to being mesmerized by the little fellow for quite some time!  Of course afterwards I had to do a little research and found some particularly interesting facts.

Newts are members of the Salamandridae family, and there are over 60 species. All newts are salamanders, but not all salamanders are newts....

Newts are small semi-aquatic amphibians that look like a cross between a frog and a lizard. Newts possess several interesting characteristics. For example, though they may look cute and harmless, they can be dangerous; toxins secreted through the skin as a defence mechanism could kill a person. Newts also can regrow lost limbs and organs. That ability makes them important subjects in medical studies on regeneration. Also, some newts have flown on space missions
Livescience.com

However, not all stakeholders in the Pennine garden are quite so fascinated.

Hecate looks for something else of interest