Visitors to my Koi pond

[Disgirl]

Look what I netted out of my Koi pond recently. The night before, the toads had been making such noise outside our windows we could hardly stand it. These are all Southern Brown Toads and the small males are on top of the large fat females! They stayed that way as I netted them and relocated them to a nearby riverbank. Two lone males were looking for mates but unlucky that night. I sure didn't want millions of toad eggs in my pond!
Barb

[scottthomas]

That is cool. I have at least 3 species of frogs and many tods living in and around my pond. The other night I went outside and shined a flashlight on the ground--literally hundreds of toads hoping around the pond. So loud at night but I guess I'm used to it. I sort of like the sound.

[ericatdallas]

I bet tadpoles make good fish food :)

[calihawker]

That is cool. I have at least 3 species of frogs and many tods living in and around my pond. The other night I went outside and shined a flashlight on the ground--literally hundreds of toads hoping around the pond. So loud at night but I guess I'm used to it. I sort of like the sound.

I can't stand it. It's so loud i have to keep the doors shut. I pay the kids to catch and relocate :)

Hey barb, let's see a pic of your your koi pond!

Steve

[Disgirl]

Here is a pic of part of my pond. Thanks Scott, Eric and Steve for your comments!
Barb

[Darrell Ward]

Nice pond! Do you have problems with herons down east?

[Disgirl]

Yes, there are lots of herons and egrets around this area, see them all the time. But I dug the side walls of the pond almost straight down and it is about 3" deep, so the birds can't wade into the water to catch and eat my big koi. Hopefully I don't get any dive bombers trying for them. I planted a Japanese Maple tree over most of the pond so that should help keep the fliers from swooping down on the pond. I have 2 huge bullfrogs that live in the pond too! Raccoons and possums and squirrels visit it too. Our backyard is a real nature preserve and bird sanctuary.
Barb

[calihawker]

Beautiful Barb!

Steve

[Second Hand Pat]

Nice Barb, keeping the sides deep was a good idea. Do you have a picture of the whole pond?

[Disgirl]

I will get one of the whole pond soon Pat. With the bad drought going on here now I have no flowers around it this year and the shrubs don't look so good. Fish are great though.
Barb

[David Rose]

Looks like a thunderstorm is coming our way today.... hope you get some rain soon Barb!

[brewmaster15]

After several years of having KOi in my pond, I was cleaned out by a Great Blue heron and a great egret....That was 2 years ago...so I adapted...Its now a frog and salamander pond...I throw in some minnows for mosquito control. We've counted as many as 50 green frogs there and its only about 6X10 ft. We get grey tree frogs that breed in it...and this year for the first time we had a bunch of either spotted or marble salamanders breed in it...I have a group of their offspring I am raising to see which it is... these usually breed in vernal pools so I am psyched.

My wife and I love the sound of the frogs at night....the more the merrier.

-al

[ZX10R]

Those toads look like they are doing the nasty if you know what I mean ;)

[Disgirl]

Yep, that is exactly what they were doing! Al, most of our frogs in the yard make interesting sounds at night and they are nice to hear. But these brown toads have a non stop high pitched whine that goes on hour after hour and it is very irritating to the ear. Can you post some salamander pics? I don't know if we have any, have never seen them, but I bet they are out there.
Barb