Day 090/19. Time for a clear out....and Newts

Today was the first day that really felt like summer....and today the small top pond got a clear out.
We clear our ponds every few years, mainly to empty them of oak leaves that seem to last for ages without rotting but just sit clogging the ponds. We have had newts in both ponds since we moved in. This is the Common Newt, not the protected Great Crested (before anyone panics). The grandsons were around (and both daughters) and we all had great fun. No newts were harmed in the making of this entry.
Smooth newts, or common newts, are olive green or pale brown with a bright orange, black spotted underside. They are widespread throughout mainland Britain.