An exciting discovery!

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You guys!!!!! I'm SO EXCITED!
Today is sunny and 62 degrees, so I decided to clean out the skimmer basket and do a little maintenance. I had the waterfall turned off and decided to grab a few leaves out of the upper splash pool. It is probably an 18" area, with a layer of smallish rocks in the bottom. Very turbulent water there.
This space has a resident!
When I moved a rock (carefully) a little SALAMANDER flipped around and swam under some other rocks.
I'm beside myself with the Joy of Nature!
YAY!
 
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That's so cool!! Every time I happen to see a salamander in the pond I get absolutely giddy with excitement. Not sure what exactly it is about those little guys that is so endearing, but... I love them!
YES! I know my love of salamanders comes from being a kid and vacationing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We did ranger walks/talks and other programs. A favorite was exploring streams and learning how to carefully and respectfully see what kind of creatures lived in the waterways. One time we found oodles. In fact, I have a book about the Salamander Ball -- I think it was a fundraiser for the national park. LOVE THOSE SALAMANDERS!
 
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Back at my old pond at my old house in fairly busy neighborhood in the middle of a city, my 3 foot by 10 foot ”pond” had a newt visitor. Only saw him two or three times swimming up to get air. Never saw him again. No idea how he got there but my mind was blown.

now I live in the middle of nowhere out in the country, bigger pond, surrounded by creeks and lakes...but no newt visitors yet.....:(
 
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Great News :) is it unusual for them to turn up in garden ponds? We only get newts here in the UK, depending on location I don't think we get too many turning up in people's ponds
Both are really cool animals though and great to see
 
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Great News :) is it unusual for them to turn up in garden ponds? We only get newts here in the UK, depending on location I don't think we get too many turning up in people's ponds
Both are really cool animals though and great to see
I haven't had my pond all that long, so I'm not sure. Most of the salamanders I've found have been terrestrial, living in wet leaves. But I do know they live in streams and rivers, too! I think they are some of nature's neatest creatures!
 
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I haven't had my pond all that long, so I'm not sure. Most of the salamanders I've found have been terrestrial, living in wet leaves. But I do know they live in streams and rivers, too! I think they are some of nature's neatest creatures!

We only see them here in zoos or private collections, it must be cool to see them in the wild
 
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That's really interesting! I wonder what is different between the two countries that allows them to live in one place but not the other? I don't think we have newts, but maybe we do... Newts are like fully aquatic salamanders with gills, correct? Or rather, feathery, gill-like thingies sticking out from the neck, right?
 
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I’ve only seen one newt in the stream behind my house in the twelve years I’ve lived here, and just saw my first crayfish a month ago after a week of rainfall.
We have an abundance of skinks, and on my property a healthy population of salamanders (black/yellow and orange — I need to look up their identification).

I am also giddy when I see them (and frogs or turtles).
 
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That's really interesting! I wonder what is different between the two countries that allows them to live in one place but not the other? I don't think we have newts, but maybe we do... Newts are like fully aquatic salamanders with gills, correct? Or rather, feathery, gill-like thingies sticking out from the neck, right?
Newts are a type of salamander.
Here in NC we have many different types of them, but they're pretty hard to find/see. I've seen terrestrial salamanders in the gardens (usually under logs & mulch) as well as gotten the occasional glimpse of a newt in my pond. Always so exciting!
 
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That's really interesting! I wonder what is different between the two countries that allows them to live in one place but not the other? I don't think we have newts, but maybe we do... Newts are like fully aquatic salamanders with gills, correct? Or rather, feathery, gill-like thingies sticking out from the neck, right?

Yes I believe some species have the feathery gills, I think some species have them when they are younger and loose them as adults

I know In Britain we have 3 species of Newt - the smooth newt, the palmate newt and the great crested newt which is endangered and a protected species
I believe there are a lot more species across the world though

I suppose with the USA having more of a variation in diverse habitat it is able to support a greater number of different species
 
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I’ve only seen one newt in the stream behind my house in the twelve years I’ve lived here, and just saw my first crayfish a month ago after a week of rainfall.
We have an abundance of skinks, and on my property a healthy population of salamanders (black/yellow and orange — I need to look up their identification).

I am also giddy when I see them (and frogs or turtles).

They're always exciting to see especially when they've set up home in an environment you have created. always rewarding
 

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