Who Put A Newt in My Pond?

[seandelevan]

I have a small garden pond, probably 10ft by 5 ft with the deepest part being 3 feet. It's almost 3 years old. When I first made it i wanted it to be fish less and have only frogs and newts etc. I didn't have a filter and had it loaded with plants. After a year nothing but bugs was inhabiting it. So I eventually put a filter in and threw some goldfish. Became a cool little pond, but lo and behold last summer a frog appeared. This summer he is back and so is a eastern newt! Now right before winter I drained the thing, found 3 goldfish, the frog, and some snails. Took the lining out, gave it a good rinse, retuned everything. There was no newt. So today I drained half the pond, cleaned off the filter, and planted some plants. While I was filling it up a newt swam to the surface for air and swam back down! My jaw dropped! How in the world. Cracks me up that when I stop trying to get herps to my pond they somehow find me. But I live in a city, I am surrounded by some woods. But in all my years of living here I've never seen a newt and there is no pond nearby. There is a small lake about a mile away but countless homes and neighborhoods in between. So how in the world?

 

[Teeglor]

That's awesome though! They always find a way.

My tiger salamander was quite small when I found him in my yard in a very busy suburban area. So I think he may have recently morphed and wandered into the yard. Thing is, there are no bodies of water for miles. The only thing I can think of is there was a puddle that lasted through the the entirety of summer, but even then, how did tigers who could mate find it? Yet they find a way. Craziness. Awesome, amazing craziness.

I'll definitely have to make a pond in my yard one day and see what lovely creatures come to visit.

 

[Chinadog]

Most likely you have a near(ish) neighbour that has a population of newts in a more established pond in their garden. Amphibians in a terrestrial faze, like red efts will travel a surprising distance from water if the conditions are right.

 

[Otterwoman]

What kind of newt is it? That is so cool.
Last year I got tadpoles in my rain barrel and raised them up.

 

[seandelevan]

What kind of newt is it? That is so cool.
Last year I got tadpoles in my rain barrel and raised them up.

Eastern spotted newt.