Newt?

Hi. Can anyone identify this.

I think it's some kind of newt. I just found it in the garden. Strange really as we have no pond and nor do neighbours.

The nearest pond is in the park that is 2km away.

  • I did put it back where I found it. Though I only found it initially when I was removing some creepers, brambles that are growing from the foundations of the house and have been left to take over what used to be a paved and greenery free area for a number of years. :o

    Obviously I didn't complete the job.

    For reference it's barely 1.5 inches long.

    I have been looking at photos of the newt you describe and I can't find one (or any other) that look similar - with the line on the back.

    I'm still baffled to how it got there, especially as April and May were so dry and as I said, there's no obvious water source nearby.
  • **Females can also have a thin orange stripe along the centre of the back.**
    This was extracted from a website on Great Crested newts by Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group (SARG)

    surrey-arg.org.uk/SARGWEB.php

  • Hi. An update on this (over 1 year later).

    Back in August 2020 when I stopped the overgrown shrubbery clearance I cut into 4 an old fence post and laid 2 of them on the ground in 2 areas close to where I found the newt.

    I returned to the property earlier this month (October 2021) to finally clear the overgrown area.

    I was quite chuffed to see that under both of the 2 fence post pieces there was a small newt hiding out in both (one in the gap I had cut and one was just under the 2 "logs".

    So I was able to move them to a better area of the garden where I have created a better log/wood stick pile from a dead tree and also last summer I dug a hole under a shady area and made a small "hibernacula" incorporating a shop bought Frogilo and plant pot "mini caves" (though I can´t know what´s in there as I would have to destroy it somewhat to have a look).

    Anyway, here´s one of the newts that was hiding out under the 2 logs when I went to take a look. I don´t know if it´s related to the Great Crested Newt from lads summer.

    Either way it´s a RESULT for the nature garden. Slight smile

  • Wow great job go you! We need more like you around :D