An exciting discovery!

[bagsmom]

You guys!!!!! I'm SO EXCITED!
Today is sunny and 62 degrees, so I decided to clean out the skimmer basket and do a little maintenance. I had the waterfall turned off and decided to grab a few leaves out of the upper splash pool. It is probably an 18" area, with a layer of smallish rocks in the bottom. Very turbulent water there.
This space has a resident!
When I moved a rock (carefully) a little SALAMANDER flipped around and swam under some other rocks.
I'm beside myself with the Joy of Nature!
YAY!

 

[Jhn]

Very cool find.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

That's so cool!! Every time I happen to see a salamander in the pond I get absolutely giddy with excitement. Not sure what exactly it is about those little guys that is so endearing, but... I love them!

 

[bagsmom]

That's so cool!! Every time I happen to see a salamander in the pond I get absolutely giddy with excitement. Not sure what exactly it is about those little guys that is so endearing, but... I love them!

YES! I know my love of salamanders comes from being a kid and vacationing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We did ranger walks/talks and other programs. A favorite was exploring streams and learning how to carefully and respectfully see what kind of creatures lived in the waterways. One time we found oodles. In fact, I have a book about the Salamander Ball -- I think it was a fundraiser for the national park. LOVE THOSE SALAMANDERS!

 

[seandelevan]

Back at my old pond at my old house in fairly busy neighborhood in the middle of a city, my 3 foot by 10 foot ”pond” had a newt visitor. Only saw him two or three times swimming up to get air. Never saw him again. No idea how he got there but my mind was blown.

now I live in the middle of nowhere out in the country, bigger pond, surrounded by creeks and lakes...but no newt visitors yet.....

 

[addy1]

I love those little things, I very seldom see them in MD did see one when I moved some rotten wood.

 

[pondering_life]

Great News is it unusual for them to turn up in garden ponds? We only get newts here in the UK, depending on location I don't think we get too many turning up in people's ponds
Both are really cool animals though and great to see

 

[bagsmom]

Great News is it unusual for them to turn up in garden ponds? We only get newts here in the UK, depending on location I don't think we get too many turning up in people's ponds
Both are really cool animals though and great to see

I haven't had my pond all that long, so I'm not sure. Most of the salamanders I've found have been terrestrial, living in wet leaves. But I do know they live in streams and rivers, too! I think they are some of nature's neatest creatures!

 

[pondering_life]

I haven't had my pond all that long, so I'm not sure. Most of the salamanders I've found have been terrestrial, living in wet leaves. But I do know they live in streams and rivers, too! I think they are some of nature's neatest creatures!

We only see them here in zoos or private collections, it must be cool to see them in the wild

 

[bagsmom]

That's really interesting! I wonder what is different between the two countries that allows them to live in one place but not the other? I don't think we have newts, but maybe we do... Newts are like fully aquatic salamanders with gills, correct? Or rather, feathery, gill-like thingies sticking out from the neck, right?

 

[Variable Potpourri]

I’ve only seen one newt in the stream behind my house in the twelve years I’ve lived here, and just saw my first crayfish a month ago after a week of rainfall.
We have an abundance of skinks, and on my property a healthy population of salamanders (black/yellow and orange — I need to look up their identification).

I am also giddy when I see them (and frogs or turtles).

 

[BKHpondcritters]

That's really interesting! I wonder what is different between the two countries that allows them to live in one place but not the other? I don't think we have newts, but maybe we do... Newts are like fully aquatic salamanders with gills, correct? Or rather, feathery, gill-like thingies sticking out from the neck, right?

Newts are a type of salamander.

What's the Difference Between a Salamander and a Newt?

They look a lot alike, but there are subtle differences between salamanders and newts.

www.mnn.com

Here in NC we have many different types of them, but they're pretty hard to find/see. I've seen terrestrial salamanders in the gardens (usually under logs & mulch) as well as gotten the occasional glimpse of a newt in my pond. Always so exciting!

 

[pondering_life]

That's really interesting! I wonder what is different between the two countries that allows them to live in one place but not the other? I don't think we have newts, but maybe we do... Newts are like fully aquatic salamanders with gills, correct? Or rather, feathery, gill-like thingies sticking out from the neck, right?

Yes I believe some species have the feathery gills, I think some species have them when they are younger and loose them as adults

I know In Britain we have 3 species of Newt - the smooth newt, the palmate newt and the great crested newt which is endangered and a protected species
I believe there are a lot more species across the world though

I suppose with the USA having more of a variation in diverse habitat it is able to support a greater number of different species

 

[pondering_life]

I’ve only seen one newt in the stream behind my house in the twelve years I’ve lived here, and just saw my first crayfish a month ago after a week of rainfall.
We have an abundance of skinks, and on my property a healthy population of salamanders (black/yellow and orange — I need to look up their identification).

I am also giddy when I see them (and frogs or turtles).

They're always exciting to see especially when they've set up home in an environment you have created. always rewarding

 

[GBBUDD]

We only see them here in zoos or private collections, it must be cool to see them in the wild

PUT SOME ROTTING LOGS IN YOUR YARD AND keep them wet salamander heaven