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Welcome back to a long - almost lost friend

great

By great

23 comments


Its been a while, but finally got around to doing a blog.

I went out in my garden the other evening and was amazed to see an old friend back in my garden. There nearly extinct in these parts so I called my girls to come and see him (or her). They ran excitelty to the back door and gazed at the site of a little creature hiding under Biscuit hutch. “Oh my God” cried my daughter “I thought they were extinct!!”, “wow” cried the other, then remarked “we haven’t seen one of those for at least 10 years in our garden”. “Is that what you called us for?” said my third daughter un impressed and quickly went back to the telly!

I saw a stag beetle!!!!! A rather large stag beetle and ran off to fetch my camera.

Sadly these creatures have all but vanished from most parts of London. I went to bed happy that night thinking my garden is finally getting all the wildlife I crave. I also thought that if the stag beetle has come back maybe just maybe the slow worms would return…..Oh bliss

I have been thinking a lot about conservation this year, more than any other year. It must be my advancing years or something lol. I have planted up my pond particularly for frogs, toads and newts as well as dragon flies. I had a visitor to my pond early in the afternoon on a scorching hot day. I was like a child; I jumped up and down (sad I know but very true!) I saw my very first dragonfly come to MY pond and perch on the yellow flag iris that I was kindly given by a GOY member. I was absolutely delighted!! Guess what… yep! I ran off to fetch my camera.

It is really hard to see I’m afraid; but if you screw your eyes up and look to the bottom right hand side between the two broad leaaves you may just see a hint of blue!! or not as the case may be. I have been waiting for the dragonfly to come back to get a better photo but alas I haven’t been lucky ahhhh

At least I now know what you’ve all be telling me, the wildlife will and have, at last, found my pond. I am very hopeful that more and more creatures will come and make my pond and my wildlife area their home. It’s like Oddbillie told me; the wildlife area will grow, die and grow again. It will knit together and evolve. I am now safe in the knowledge that its happening, it’s really happening, I can see it a little bit more each day. All it takes is time. Yes, yes, I hear all of you saying I told you so lol.

The plants in my tiny pond seem happy. The lily has new leaves, the arrowhead has its first mauve flower, the yellow flag iris has flowered and the water mint is about to flower any day now. The oxygenating plants are growing nicely as well, so there are now places for little creepy crawlies to hide. Thanks to Ian and Jane.

Arrowhead plant flowering

Lily with a new leaf

It is begining to look like a real pond, slowly maturing, like me!! Its becoming a little overgrown, but that will encourage I hope the creatures to take up resisdence and stay, safely looked after by yours truely.

More blog posts by great

Previous post: Pond Update/Viist to the wildlife Trust Centre

Next post: Bats in the Garden 1.2.3



Comments

 

Great where have you been?? I have sent messages and I wondered if your computer was on the blink ! Anyway your back now, its lovely to see your pond and well done on finding a stag beetle, they will enjoy your log pile and hide in there for years, did you know they take at least five years to mature, bless, no wonder we dont see many!! Look at your plants, my, how they have grown? Look forward to having chats on here with you again. x

17 Jul, 2010

 

havnt seen a stag beetle for a long time either.... yout pond is coming along nicely.......

17 Jul, 2010

 

Lovely to have another blog from you :o)

17 Jul, 2010

 

Nice to see you back with us Great! Your pond is looking really good, well done you! I've never seen a stag beetle in my life, so thank's for showing the pic....:o)

17 Jul, 2010

 

hi Great.....we told you they would find your pond.....glad the oxygenators are doing their job...should help keep your water crystal clear ! The Stag beetle is wonderful !!

17 Jul, 2010

 

Thanks so much everyone.
Grandmage I sent you a PM a while ago. Lots have been happening not all good I'm afraid but im still here with you all, and still loving it...........OMG that sounded like a McDonalds advert lol Stag beetles are meant to love rotting wood arent they?? my little friend is often seen with the brochoili. Prehaps he/shes a posh beetle!!

17 Jul, 2010

 

Have been checking my pms, so will look again, I have really missed you. Love your Mc.D ditty, Lol, you dont have to be mad to be on here but if you are it helps!! LOL. Re. Stag B, put more logs in piles next to your fence and they will love them, they munch the wood !! Maybe yours wants his five a day !

17 Jul, 2010

 

P.S have not got your pm yet ? (6.15)!

17 Jul, 2010

 

Grandmage sent it on the 11 july hun. you may need to go back a bit lol

17 Jul, 2010

 

Your pond is looking more mature now and it's good to hear you so upbeat about it :) Good things come to those who wait :))

17 Jul, 2010

 

told you wild life would come. it is fantastic for you Great. keep looking and always take the camera out with you :o)

17 Jul, 2010

 

It doesn't take long for wild things to find good habitat. When I bought my house 4 years ago we had one frog species breeding in back. Now, along with Cope's grey treefrogs, there are spring peepers, American toads, green treefrogs and eastern narrowmouth toads. The narrowmouth toads are really abundant this year! I didn't do anything special to attract them - I just didn't mow most of the back. It has gone to meadow. I'd like to put in a pond or bog area eventually.

17 Jul, 2010

 

I agree Aster, although as you know I don't like waiting lol but it has been worth it

17 Jul, 2010

 

SBG I know, I know, thanks for all your help and the plants.x Regards camera Nearly lost it the other day fell out of my hand just caught it before it fell in the pond!! That will teach me to wear the wrist strap ha ha
Lauram you have all that wildlife and NO pond!!!! wow thats amazing

17 Jul, 2010

 

Looking brilliant Great and so pleased that you chilled and watched it grow in front of you. Give it a year and it will be different agin and for your perusal, I have posted a snap of my pond this week after 10 months or so in the garden. I have no frogs but I check every night for any wildlife and one thing I did spot last week......a baby water snail. I had 5 originally and now there's a baby one in there so all in good time......BUT I WANT A FROG!!!!!!

Great to see you back here:o))

17 Jul, 2010

 

Nice to see your pond flourishing , and all the creatures you're getting there. :o)) Good luck

18 Jul, 2010

 

So pleased your pond is doing so well, and lots of wildlife is starting to come.

18 Jul, 2010

 

Your pond is looking great, Great LOL. It's amazing what you can achieve with a small space. So glad it's coming along and you have lots of new friends.

19 Jul, 2010

 

Thanks Doctorbob1, everyday I look at it and notice something different. Thanks for the PM

19 Jul, 2010

 

hi hun u ok now c how u have bin missed . love ur wild life. i 2 saw my 1st dragonfly as well 2 day. but i think if i saw that bettle i wud have run lol . xx

19 Jul, 2010

 

well, I've sort of cheated because I put out a few unused stock tanks every year for the treefrogs. They breed there in huge numbers and the babies are just so cute. The frogs were already in the vicinity but it's amazing how they seemed to find my place after I began letting everything just revert back to meadow.
The narrowmouth toads will breed in shallow pans of water. Having lots of turtles and such I always have empty rubbermaid tubs and plastic shoeboxes lying around & it is difficult to stay tidy. My mess is the toads' gain because, it turns out, my sloppy storage area collects water and gives them safe breeding spots. I rarely see them but they have a distinctive call & they have been incredibly abundant this year.
I'm so glad your pond is attracting critters! In my opinion, one of the best things we can do for the environment is create habitats and microhabitats for wildlife....could be as obvious as a pond or as simple as an unmowed strip of lawn or an area with natural plantings.
It's not just frog populations that are increasing at my place. I've been hearing lots of whipporwills during the summer, more hawks & owls, & I'm seeing more birds - winter visitors and also migrants during spring and fall.

19 Jul, 2010

 

Thanks Christina I didn't know so many people cared and missed me.

20 Jul, 2010

 

I agree totally Lauram creating habitats and microhabitats for wildlife is what we should all be doing

20 Jul, 2010

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