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I have a fair few photos from the past month and thought I’d share some in this thread.
With UK outdoor temperatures now close to freezing it’s hard to believe that a month ago it was t-shirt weather. In September I took a stroll round Savernake forest and found some nice aquatic habitats. I will certainly have to make another visit during the newt breeding season. Reptiles were out in force making the most of the Indian summer. Grass snakes patrolled ditches and streams like this but they were too quick and elusive to take good images of.
In sunny patch on a forest footpath a slow worm was basking. I very nearly stepped on it.
On damp, frost free evenings it’s still possible to see juvenile newts in terrestrial phase in my garden. This was snapped a few weeks ago but I have seen them even during this recent cold snap.
My newt room is cooling down nicely and with the window open a jar the temperatures have already dipped below 10C at times. This temperature change has already had an effect on some of the inhabitants.
Male ribbed newts have donned their nuptial pads and are enthusiastically grabbing females whenever they get the chance. It won’t be long before their tank is littered with eggs.
The Japanese firebellied males have come into breeding dress and are busily fanning anything that moves.
The marbled newt males are starting to crest and one has even become aquatic already – the earliest I’ve ever seen. The females are making exploratory trips in to the water but don’t seem keen to stay just yet. Even this juvenile male is attempting a crest – ahh bless.
The Pyrenean brook newts are practicing their “high fours”.
But with the cooling temperatures they seem happiest hunkered down under a stone, half submerged.
The N.kaiseri have become less active at night but still feed well.
And now some of this years’ offspring. This is a cricket tub housing tiny Japanese firebellied newts. Some morphed only recently as you can tell by the 1.5cm fella climbing the walls.
And the Alpine newt morphs are all getting fat. They have finally learnt to avoid their parents who are quite indiscriminate about what they chomp on.
Anyway, that’s probably enough for now….
With UK outdoor temperatures now close to freezing it’s hard to believe that a month ago it was t-shirt weather. In September I took a stroll round Savernake forest and found some nice aquatic habitats. I will certainly have to make another visit during the newt breeding season. Reptiles were out in force making the most of the Indian summer. Grass snakes patrolled ditches and streams like this but they were too quick and elusive to take good images of.
In sunny patch on a forest footpath a slow worm was basking. I very nearly stepped on it.
On damp, frost free evenings it’s still possible to see juvenile newts in terrestrial phase in my garden. This was snapped a few weeks ago but I have seen them even during this recent cold snap.
My newt room is cooling down nicely and with the window open a jar the temperatures have already dipped below 10C at times. This temperature change has already had an effect on some of the inhabitants.
Male ribbed newts have donned their nuptial pads and are enthusiastically grabbing females whenever they get the chance. It won’t be long before their tank is littered with eggs.
The Japanese firebellied males have come into breeding dress and are busily fanning anything that moves.
The marbled newt males are starting to crest and one has even become aquatic already – the earliest I’ve ever seen. The females are making exploratory trips in to the water but don’t seem keen to stay just yet. Even this juvenile male is attempting a crest – ahh bless.
The Pyrenean brook newts are practicing their “high fours”.
But with the cooling temperatures they seem happiest hunkered down under a stone, half submerged.
The N.kaiseri have become less active at night but still feed well.
And now some of this years’ offspring. This is a cricket tub housing tiny Japanese firebellied newts. Some morphed only recently as you can tell by the 1.5cm fella climbing the walls.
And the Alpine newt morphs are all getting fat. They have finally learnt to avoid their parents who are quite indiscriminate about what they chomp on.
Anyway, that’s probably enough for now….
Do you have any new pics of Desmognathus species?
