Abbey Meadows

Abbey Meadows

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Great Crested Newt






Walking along the track over the newly reclaimed Stobswood opencast is always productive with many plants colonising the grassy expanse. On a previous visit last week a magnificent Marsh Harrier was quartering the area behind Middle Stobswood farm. A bit too far away for picture really. Yesterday evening was a bit late for looking for birds and plants but the highlight for me was a Great crested Newt walking across the road near Ulgham park farm. It is many years since I saw my last one. I believe the orange in the tail suggests that it is a female. There was a small moth on the road beside it but I don't know what it is. Nearby is a superb established pond with mature Reedmace on the Southern shore where Swallows were flying in to roost.



3 comments:

Stewart said...

Looks like the moth has been stood on Nigel! May be an Agonopterix heracliana, but hard to see...Have you thought more about a trap?

Ragged Robin said...

Well done on the Great Crested Newt - lovely photos. I don't think I've ever seen one. ps Hope you don't get this comment twice I am having problems with the word verification!

abbey meadows said...

Thanks Stew...the moth did fly away but Bennyboy may have trod on it when he went to investigate the newt!
I think the moth trap will be a christmas present and hopefully next year I will be trapping in the garden.
Heather has put some solar lights in the garden and there are loads of moths flying around them in the evenings.
Thanks for the comment RR I did receive it twice but deleted the other comment.