Anthony Campbell wrote, On 16/03/2007 11:01:
Until a couple of years ago our small pond in our north London garden
was regularly populated with common newts breeding in spring. For the
last two years there have been no newts. Does this reflect the
widespread loss of amphibians that has been reported? They are certainly
missed.

I've never had newts, and for the last few years no tadpoles either. Our
pond is in North Essex, and neighbours get lots of wildlife.

We used to get frog spawn. Then one year the pump inlet was moved over
winter and when tadpoles hatched they got mashed. Now we get none.

I expect that the water movement is too fast so frogs and toads don't
bother spawning, but are happy to sit around the pond catching flies.
Either that, or they can smell death in our pond and know not to lay
there

Have you made any changes to your pond filtration or plant cover?

--
DavidM
www.djmorgan.org.uk