We have a small circular pond in the garden, which brings us pleasure way out of proportion to its size or complexity.  We have no ornamental fish in there, no fountain – though there is a pump which circulates the water down a gentle rill from elsewhere in the garden creating enough of a watery sound to be soothing but not enough to cause any sudden urges to dash indoors.

 

 

We’ve never actively populated the pond with any form of wildlife but somehow, a bunch of newts have found their way in there and other passers by sometimes stop and enjoy the sunshine.  One year we had a mass of dragonfly larvae and usually we have a clump of frogspawn and the odd frog or two, but this year they appear to have deserted us.

 

 

Usually, on a sunny day, one of us can be found drinking our coffee, taking in the glorious view and simply enjoying the comings and goings.

But last week, the pump stopped working.  Not only that, but it blew all the house electrics when we tried to get it going again.  Time to bring in an expert who drained most of the water out to see what’s what.

 

 

Revealing another inhabitant we didn’t know about, who had been quietly sitting underneath the pump.

Guess who was a little jumpy when she went out there this morning to drink her coffee?