There's a something at the bottom of our garden....

[cpjitservices]

Hi everyone,

 

Doing the usual Sunday clearout of the garden, however I have un-covered this strange thing at the bottom of the garden - does anyone know what it is, it's under our blossom tree.

 

Photos:

 

 

But wait there's more.... I have found some sort of lizzardy creature in there.... The 'hole' is full of - well you can see by the photos.

 

Anyone any ideas ?

 

Thanks in Advance.

[6Foot2]

We have something similar in our garden [now covered with a paving slab and a Belfast sink on top]

 

The one in our garden is an upturned section of concrete pipe and it appears to be somewhat deeper than the one you have shown at about 12 to 18 inches.

 

At the bottom there is a small plastic cap. Upon removing the cap we found an drain interceptor [no longer used and I suspect a remnant of building that used to stand here: A fireworks factory] Not saying that it what you have there though.

 

We covered ours up when we found that a hedgehog had got in and could not get out.

[hardtailstar]

Looks like a dog poop bin, We used to have one in our garden.

 

You stick all the poop in it along with things to help it decompose and then you got a good fertilizer for flowers etc.

[plexer]

Damn I was expecting fairies or the poddington peas

 

Ben

[laserblazer]

It looks like a bucket mine to me. They were buried by subversive Lancastrians in the War of the Roses.

[3s-gtech]

I have found some sort of lizzardy creature in there

 

Legs? Probably a newt. No legs? Probably a slow worm. Both have protected status - they are good things to have in the garden and should be encouraged.

[CESIL]

Only the Great Crested Newt is fully protected in the UK. The Smooth and Palmate are only protected with regard to trading in them.

[elsiegee40]

It could actually be a lizard... I would expect most newts to be heading for ponds to breed by now.

[cpjitservices]

No idea what the hole is... too big and thick to be a bucket I think... I'm actually pretty sure it was a lizzard, the yellow underneath with black spots says its not a newt, on the internet anyway. Will upload a pic of it later.

[witch]

The Slow Worm is a lizard and baby ones are often quite brightly coloured as I recall.

There are only three lizards found in the UK - and one of them is only found on heathland in the South.

[CESIL]

The smooth newts in our school pond have very bright yellow/orange bellies with black spots. They are particularly brightly coloured around now as they are attracting mates.

[cpjitservices]

The smooth newts in our school pond have very bright yellow/orange bellies with black spots. They are particularly brightly coloured around now as they are attracting mates.

 

This describes the one we found!!

[elsiegee40]

And as for the hole, you haven't specified the diameter, but it could simply be something that was sunk in the ground to restrict to the root growth of a shrub that has since died.

[CESIL]

Anything like these?

 

These are from our pond last year.

[cpjitservices]

Yes exactly like that!! Guessing they are harmless then ?

 

 

 

Anything like these?

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]23877[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]23878[/ATTACH]

These are from our pond last year.

[CESIL]

The only advice I have had was to avoid handling them as contact with human skin is not good for them. I have also read that they can carry salmonella so if I am showing them to kids at school I wear gloves and handle them as little as possible.

 

Is there a pond or stream nearby as there will probably be more of them in there and they are very relaxing to watch.

[cpjitservices]

Thanks for the advice.

 

I used gloves to put it in a tub, and took it round behind my house were there is a beck and set it free.

 

didn't see any more of them. I'm not sure what the attraction was to my garden as we don't have a pond or anything - but will keep my eyes open for them and take them round to the beck.

 

The only advice I have had was to avoid handling them as contact with human skin is not good for them. I have also read that they can carry salmonella so if I am showing them to kids at school I wear gloves and handle them as little as possible.

 

Is there a pond or stream nearby as there will probably be more of them in there and they are very relaxing to watch.