I had a pond for a year, and nothing arrived, so I got a jar of tadpoles from a friends pond. Last year, one year on, I counted 13 frogs sitting around the pond on a warm day. This year, two years on, and I've got frog spawn for the first time, and some have already hatched into tadpoles. It's interesting watching the pond develop over time. I don't think I'd get newts. They won't be able to jump over the 6 foot high fences!
You'd be surprised what small gaps newts can wriggle under - when we had a smallholding we had a resident colony of Gt Cresteds - every winter some of them would somehow get under our back door and try to hibernate under our doormat - we usually found them after several people had wiped their feet and they were flat as pancakes (I didn't sweep under the door mat every day ).
No wonder the poor things are on the endangered list.
“I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh
Well pond dipping was a waste of time- didn't find a thing, not even a worm lol. I've never seen the natural pond so quiet. No frogs either and it's raining here today. Maybe it's a bit early yet.
I don't know anyone around here with a pond so there's noone I can ask about pond stuff other than you guys. Thanks for your help.
Be patient and wildlife will turn up, it's still quite early in Spring for pond life, it's will be cooler in the water. Try not to introduce pond life from other ponds because you can spread viruses. : You can try looking in your pond at night with a torch and you might catch a glimpse of a male newt *dancing*.
Cheers everyone, I've made my garden as wildlife friendly as I can with upturned pots and logs etc strewn about by the pond. The grass is growing longer by the pond edge and is providing cover.
Guess I will just have to wait and see what turns up in the next few months.
Posts
I had a pond for a year, and nothing arrived, so I got a jar of tadpoles from a friends pond. Last year, one year on, I counted 13 frogs sitting around the pond on a warm day. This year, two years on, and I've got frog spawn for the first time, and some have already hatched into tadpoles. It's interesting watching the pond develop over time. I don't think I'd get newts. They won't be able to jump over the 6 foot high fences!
You'd be surprised what small gaps newts can wriggle under - when we had a smallholding we had a resident colony of Gt Cresteds - every winter some of them would somehow get under our back door and try to hibernate under our doormat - we usually found them after several people had wiped their feet and they were flat as pancakes (I didn't sweep under the door mat every day
).
No wonder the poor things are on the endangered list.
I don't know anyone around here with a pond so there's noone I can ask about pond stuff other than you guys. Thanks for your help.
Worth bringing pond dipped water in for the microscopic life.
Dragonfly larvae and the like are often in the sediment at the bottom. Stinks a bit but soon settles.
If they're in the area GCNs may just move in given time. They did here
Be patient and wildlife will turn up, it's still quite early in Spring for pond life, it's will be cooler in the water. Try not to introduce pond life from other ponds because you can spread viruses. :
You can try looking in your pond at night with a torch and you might catch a glimpse of a male newt *dancing*. 
Guess I will just have to wait and see what turns up in the next few months.