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top wildlife pond
The first ponds we had built, by an 'expert' from Yorkshire, were a total
disaster as the idiot couldn't even get the banks level - let alone see
that the ponds were dug out so that it was physically possible for water
to fill them. The centre pond would have had to have overflowed at one
side before the opposite side was full (because of the slope!). What laughs
we had!
Anyway, we had them all re-done by somebody with a few ounces of common
sense.
The top pond is about 100 yards from the house, at the bottom of Home
Field. This area was, originally, essentially a boggy area of reeds that
was fenced off so that sheep couldn't get into it.
Sadly, and surprisingly, the (new) pond builders had their weeks of really
fine weather ruined when Pembrokeshire had two months worth of rain in
two days at the end of October 2005. On the plus side, both ponds, fed
from collected, detoured rainwater, filled very quickly. There are Welsh
slates around the bank, so that you can sit and rest, and a couple of
'pebble beaches' for the kids to explore from. This pond extends to a
depth of 5-6 feet.
Currently, we have mallards, Canada Geese and heron visiting - that bodes
well for the future. We also have masses of frogspawn collecting by the
thousands all around the front edge of the pond.
At Easter 2006, we stocked this pond with fish - Rudd, Tench and Crucian
Carp - and planted it extensively with marginals, water plants and bog
plants. We have also had the bank turfed so that it's easier to walk around
it, and this will be kept mown during the summer months. We estimate
that there are around 1,000 fish in this pond.
As it has a clay bottom, it is very clear indeed during the Winter months
when the fish are dormant, but, during the warmer weather, it tends to
be very cloudy from their constantly rooting about for food and you can
only see the smaller fish that feed nearer the surface. Guests are welcome
to go fishing in this pond although we haven't a clue whether you'll catch
anything.
The wildlife ponds are ongoing projects and will be changing all the time.
