I have always wondered about the geology of Coleshill, our village being surrounded by springs and seeps. Some of them are a problem, New Road on a freezing morning, and some a boon, our fine big pond in the centre. Can a resident geologist enlighten us? Also there is the little seasonal stream which runs from the Common Pond down the Common and into sink holes.
The Common Management Team has the Village Pond and the Common Pond to consider and they are quite different. The Village Pond is large, open, quite deep in the centre, only vegetated along the bank close to the shore, the water becomes murky as the year advances and only rarely dries out. We are trying to manage it to be better for local wildlife - as it once was. The Common Pond is smaller, only open to the south, muddy, almost completely vegetated, the water is quite clear until it dries out.
This Spring in the Common Pond I trapped a rare species of newt, a female Great Crested Newt, the developers’ friend. I also trapped a few Palmate Newts. I suspect that breeding colonies might struggle to thrive this Spring as it has been so dry as the water level of the Common Pond dropped rapidly and the Heron I saw there one evening was treated to the Heron’s equivalent of ‘shooting fish in a barrel’. I doubt that many survived the hungry predator nor have any offspring been able to develop in time. We’ll have to develop the pond to hold water longer and maybe provide some places under which the newts could hide, apart from the pipe carrying the electricity cable…….
But, the Great Crested Newt’s presence, though just a vulnerable single female, does mean that they are living somewhere in the village. Older villagers remember them being in the Village Pond when it was more healthy and well vegetated. So maybe they have always been around somewhere. I wonder where? I would like to find out where there are any significant ponds, natural and artificial in the village.
So of the 7 species of native amphibians in Britain we have found 4 so far; Common Toad, Common Frog, Great Crested Newt, and Palmate Newt. There are more than 7 non-native introductions though! We are only likely to add one more to that list, the Smooth Newt. It would be good to be able to help the ones we have to breed successfully.
Also seen on the Common this Spring were some Grass Snakes, not seen by me, unless I disturb them where they shelter, but by some children taken down to the Common by their parents. They were very excited when they told me.
For the Village Pond I have bought and planted a few specimens of a few species of wetland plants: marginals - Hemp Agrimony, which is very attractive to butterflies and other flying insects, also Marsh Marigold, Purple Loosestrife, and indulgently a Wild Angelica. Then, the open water plant, Broad-Leaved Pond Weed (Potamogeton Natans) which is also an oxygenator. I have also transplanted an open water plant, Water Starwort from the Common Pond (not illustrated).
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The seasons of Work Parties are over but we will be keeping the paths free from nettles and brambles and we will try regular ‘pre-emptive strikes’ on the invasive plants with our strimmers to weaken them.
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And, last but not least is the good news that our Village School will be using the Common for their Forest School activities this Summer.