Pond life - beauty and the beast
Saturday, 10. May 2008, 00:02:26
I managed to get a short time at Falmer Pond today. Hence the first part of today's blog title.
The ducks were sleepy
But these young coots were ready for lunch
Feeding
The beastly part of the story took place in the garden pond this evening. I was watching the newts and noticed that one was remaining near the surface and seemed to be having some sort of fit. It would twitch its body rapidly before coming to rest for a few seconds, and then hurl itself around once again. This went on for about 20 minutes. On looking closer it appeared to have something attached to its face and the movement seemed to be an attempt to dislodge it. Or eat it! I can't be sure which.
Newt with nymph attached to its snout
As far as I can tell the newt eventually dislodged (or swallowed) the nymph, though it had far from an easy time of it. The nymph is one of the numerous damselfly nymphs that have emerged in the pond. This next shot shows the newt at the end of the sequence. You can see a nymph just to the right. Nymphs are among the most voracious predators in the pond but I hadn't expected to see one take on a newt! Or for the battle to be so prolonged.
Camera note: first duck photographed with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens; the rest of the water fowl were captured with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS. The newt attack was photographed with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens.
The ducks were sleepyBut these young coots were ready for lunchFeedingThe beastly part of the story took place in the garden pond this evening. I was watching the newts and noticed that one was remaining near the surface and seemed to be having some sort of fit. It would twitch its body rapidly before coming to rest for a few seconds, and then hurl itself around once again. This went on for about 20 minutes. On looking closer it appeared to have something attached to its face and the movement seemed to be an attempt to dislodge it. Or eat it! I can't be sure which.
Newt with nymph attached to its snoutAs far as I can tell the newt eventually dislodged (or swallowed) the nymph, though it had far from an easy time of it. The nymph is one of the numerous damselfly nymphs that have emerged in the pond. This next shot shows the newt at the end of the sequence. You can see a nymph just to the right. Nymphs are among the most voracious predators in the pond but I hadn't expected to see one take on a newt! Or for the battle to be so prolonged.
Camera note: first duck photographed with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens; the rest of the water fowl were captured with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS. The newt attack was photographed with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens.
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