We're Making a Wildlife Pond

Update: nothing much happening...... spring is slow to arrive here this year. A couple of Mallards dropped in for two days with the female remaining for a whole morning. She was checking it out but the pond is so new there is not enough to eat to support her and a clutch of eggs for an incubating female Mallard....hopefully next year. A pair of Grey Wagtails have been seen at the pond which I am delighted by! And Goldfinches and Blue and Great tits are bathing regularly. No sign of any amphibians but insect life can be seen. I think as soon as the water warms up things will really take off. Plus I need to plant more over the next month or so.

 

That all sounds very hopeful, @Redwing so far. I can imagine, looking at the location, that the pond will soon become a real haven for wildlife when the temperature rises and the plant life begins to increase. A great spot for a bench, too!

 

Thanks, got the bench!

 

It's getting exciting. Ordered some pond plants; they came today. Will pot up tomorrow after they spend a night in the sink.

 

In case anyone is interested I found this good ebay seller of pond plants, clean and well grown plants. They are not expensive and he sends them out first class post. Mine arrived very quickly. He has lots of wildlife friendly plants. Here's a link:
Various POND MARGINAL PLANTS water bog aquatic SALE 40+ Plant Varieties | eBay

 

Thank you for that, @Redwing. I will be looking for water plants in the foreseeable future, and the selection looks good.

 

May update

I thought it time to update this thread. Lots has been happening with the wildlife moving in; hundreds of damselflies whenever the sun is out and three species of dragonflies, all mating and laying eggs and many unidentified species of insects. Birds, including Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer, House Sparrow and various tits and thrushes, are regularly coming to drink and bathe. Best of all Swallows are collecting water for their nests. Here are some pictures.

Ragged Robin is flowering nicely now.


This shingle beach has been particularly successful for the birds to use, drinking and bathing from the edge; they seem to really like it.

Bog Bean on the left, purple iris in centre and waterlilly on right....they'll grow!

A friend gave me the native water lilly, numphaea alba. It has a mass of roots and I took @ARMANDII s advice and planted it in an old laundry basket lined with membrane. I think the pond is large enough to take it. Thanks for the tip A.

 

It is breathtaking, @Redwing. It looks like such a tranquil spot, and is already well established. It is really interesting to hear how much wildlife is regularly using it. I hope you have a summer of pleasure from it, sitting on the bench and enjoying the pond as much as all it's other visitors do!

 

Lovely especially like the shallow bit with the stones.

 

Looking stunning, @Redwing !

A question I found myself thinking... what is the size of the gravel on your gravel beach? I've got small pebbles, but am thinking maybe gravel would be better....

 

Thanks @Sian in Belgium . The pebbles are flints, the largest being about 5cm down to about 1 or 2cm.

 

Interesting, @Redwing , a similar size and form to us, then... maybe ours are a little bigger, but not much in it...