On Aug 27, 6:36*pm, "Interloper" wrote:
"harry" wrote:

I have grass snakes. All my sticklebacks do seem to have disappeared.

Sticklebacks - fascinating fish; I haven't seen a stickleback for many
years. They have a wonderful defence against predators determined to eat
them. They rigidly erect their spines which stick into the predator's mouth
tissue, making it something of a challenge to swallow them. This usually
results in the stickleback being spat back out to swim again.
--
Interloper

I have vast shoals of sticklebacksor had. There is a lot of weed in
the pond so they may be lurking. Cod Winter? Grass snakes?
I have been encouraging our numerous grass snakes with nest sites and
hibernation pits.
We had lots of toad tadpoles but few frog tadpoles this year.
Our once numerous population of voles seems to have crashed. Haven't
seen heard one this year plus no little tunnels in the grass. Cold
Winter?