Pond Dipping at Hall o'the Heath Farm

As a practice for research that will be undertaken at Winterley Pool, Julie Molyneux provided a practical session in pond dipping at two of the ponds at Hall o'the Heath Farm.
Pond 1

Located to the SW of the farm yard in an area that has been protected from farm animals until this season.  The pond does not hold any special conservation status, though examples of ?? grass which are rare in this area have been found close to the pond on the E slope.  A seeded wild flower meadow is on part of the land that supplies the run-off into the pond.  The pond was mechanically dredged in November 2011 see the Blog entry for November 2011, the water is max of 2ft deep over a clay/brick base.  Although summer waterlevels can be low it has never dried up in recent years.  The pond was partially shaded when the dipping took place between 18:40 and 19:20.  Samples were taken from the N and E bank of the pond.

• Stone Fly larvae
• Blood worm
• Rat tailed maggot
• Dragonfly Nymph
• Water Boatman
• Smooth Newt
• Whirly Gig Beetle

Sample tray. Note Water Boatman top right, immature newt bottom centre.
Found a newt on every other dip, large number of water boatman and Rat tailed Maggots, higher density and variety of species than at Pond 2.

Pond 2.

Located in a field to the SE of the farmyard.  The pond and surrounding field do not hold any special conservation status. Contains large numbers of dense bull rushes and Rosebay Willow-herb.  The area is surrounded by an electric fence to minimise intrusion of cattle.  The pond appeared to be a maximum of 4ft deep, we had witnessed it being dredged in 20??.  It is located on one of the highest points on the farm, was it an old marl pit, how is the waterlevel maintained given the surrounding land is lower?  Dipping took place between 19:30 and 20:10.  Samples were taken from the E and S bank of the pond.

• Water Boatman (large numbers)
• Great Crested Newt ?
• Smooth Newt

Initial conclusion that there did not appear to be a great a variety as in pond 1, this may be due to the fact that is was nearly fully covered in vegetation prior to the dredging in 20??.