Newts
It was just a regular day walking around the Harlaxton grounds when I remembered how people had told me there were newts all over the woods. I decided to give it a shot. I walked to a small stream and started looking around. I picked up a rock and there laid a small newt! I was so excited. I really did not expect to find one so I was a little off guard. I played with him/her and got a few pictures. I then let it go. That night I was getting a little antsy so a college student and I went and we caught six more. We let each one go after we caught them. I went home, but at around eight I was starting to go crazy because I could not stop thinking about the newts. I went out with a flashlight (called a "torch" in England) and I immediately found out they are nocturnal. I caught nine easily. I brought them all back and my mom found a bowl for them. Then I looked up some things about them. All the sights made it sound like I had smooth belly newts. The smooth newt is the most common newt in the UK. The smooth newt is known for their smooth orange bellies. The next day I went back and looked a little more. I was getting a obsessed with the little critters. I walked back to the stream and checked a few more things out. I did not find newts, but I did find newt tadpoles that were so cool. Just like frogs, newts have tadpoles. The tadpoles that I found were only about 1/50 of the size of the grown-up newts I found. You could tell they would be easy prey, but that is why there are thousands of them. A lot might be eaten, but a lot would not. That is the newt way of life. Now the newt way of life is get out of the pond alive, grow into a newt, GET CAUGHT BY ME, get placed back in the wild, and then grow up. Newts beware, Brock is here!
It was just a regular day walking around the Harlaxton grounds when I remembered how people had told me there were newts all over the woods. I decided to give it a shot. I walked to a small stream and started looking around. I picked up a rock and there laid a small newt! I was so excited. I really did not expect to find one so I was a little off guard. I played with him/her and got a few pictures. I then let it go. That night I was getting a little antsy so a college student and I went and we caught six more. We let each one go after we caught them. I went home, but at around eight I was starting to go crazy because I could not stop thinking about the newts. I went out with a flashlight (called a "torch" in England) and I immediately found out they are nocturnal. I caught nine easily. I brought them all back and my mom found a bowl for them. Then I looked up some things about them. All the sights made it sound like I had smooth belly newts. The smooth newt is the most common newt in the UK. The smooth newt is known for their smooth orange bellies. The next day I went back and looked a little more. I was getting a obsessed with the little critters. I walked back to the stream and checked a few more things out. I did not find newts, but I did find newt tadpoles that were so cool. Just like frogs, newts have tadpoles. The tadpoles that I found were only about 1/50 of the size of the grown-up newts I found. You could tell they would be easy prey, but that is why there are thousands of them. A lot might be eaten, but a lot would not. That is the newt way of life. Now the newt way of life is get out of the pond alive, grow into a newt, GET CAUGHT BY ME, get placed back in the wild, and then grow up. Newts beware, Brock is here!
Excellent entry Brock!
ReplyDeleteYou know me well enough by now to relate to my excitement about the wildlife, and I am glad you posted pictures as I have not yet seen the newts in person.
Did I mention to you that, like the bats, there is a rare species of newts living on the Harlaxton grounds? I believe it is the crested variety, but you may be interested in researching it for yourself!
Thanks for sharing - I really enjoy your style of writing; Your enthusiasm shines through your words!