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e n j o y i n g y o u r
w i l d l i f e p o n d
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Grey heron
(Photo: Alex Draper)
Here are some ideas to help get you going:
Pond-dipping:
you can
buy nets or pond-dip packs
from many online shops
or you can make your
own using wire, a bamboo
cane and netting. Carefully
collect water in a plastic
kitchen container (white is
best). Put the net into the
water and sweep it slowly
backwards and forwards.
Gently empty the contents
into the container full of
water and see what you
have caught. Make sure
you carefully return the
animals to the pond soon
afterwards.
Classify the creatures
you find
using a wildlife
book or a Field Studies
Guide (www.froglife.org/
frogalogue). Classic pond
invertebrates to look out
for include water boatmen,
pond skaters, dragonfly
nymphs and caddisfly
larvae.
Sit and watch your
pond,
up-close or from
a window, even for five
minutes a day, to keep
up to date with the latest
visitors. How long before
you see your first frog in
the pond? When do the
tadpoles start to grow
legs? Keep a wildlife
notebook - it might one
day be useful for helping
others learn about the
changing climate.
Frogwatch:
count all the
frogs, toads and newts
you see each year in
your garden, and their
goings-on. Submit your
sightings at www.froglife.
org/frogwatch. Your
information could have
national significance for
amphibians in the future.
Keep track of when
frogspawn arrives every
year and watch out for
yearly changes.
Keep a pond diary:
ponds
change dramatically with
the seasons, with new life
turning up throughout.
Consider keeping a diary of
this transition. You could
make a scrapbook (with
photos) or even make your
own blog, to inspire others
about the magic of ponds.
Make a pond-hide:
bird-
hides are a really effective
way of seeing birds up
close. Why not add one
near your pond? This
is particularly effective
if there’s a bird-feeder
hanging nearby. Patience
is the key thing!
Get snap-happy:
develop
your patience and
reactions by trying wildlife
photography, capturing
your garden wildlife
visitors on film. There are
a number of competitions
you can enter if you get a
good shot.
tell us about
your new pond
We’d love to hear how you get on
making a pond for wildlife in your
garden! Send us your photos, let us know
what turns up and pin your location on
our pond plotter - for more details see
www.froglife.org/justaddwater or
email photos to info@froglife.org.