Jeremy Biggs
@jeremybiggs.bsky.social
CEO at Freshwater Habitats Trust and a Director of the Newt Conservation Partnership; co-author of Ponds, Pools and Puddles: https://www.harperreach.com/products/ponds-pools-and-puddles-collins-new-naturalist-library-jeremy-biggspenny-williams-978000870300
The pond in the pic above is right next to a very small quarry dug in that limestone, with a second, groundwater-fed, pond. That pond, in the pic below, is one of the two Oxfordshire Haliplus furcatus sites - so a very odd place! BTW Its all hooching with nitrogen.
October 28, 2025 at 7:15 PM
The pond in the pic above is right next to a very small quarry dug in that limestone, with a second, groundwater-fed, pond. That pond, in the pic below, is one of the two Oxfordshire Haliplus furcatus sites - so a very odd place! BTW Its all hooching with nitrogen.
Just echoing your point Martin - a very shallow pond with Agabus uliginosus in Oxfordshire on the edge of free draining arable desert on limestone. You'll probably recognise the recorder I was out with on a very wet January day a couple of years ago.
October 28, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Just echoing your point Martin - a very shallow pond with Agabus uliginosus in Oxfordshire on the edge of free draining arable desert on limestone. You'll probably recognise the recorder I was out with on a very wet January day a couple of years ago.
Hi Martin - what's the place on the right? 'Man-made' or a natural origin hole in the ground? As you'll be aware we (FHT) have long felt that the origin of hole is not the be-all and end-all, though obviously important for old fens😊
October 28, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Hi Martin - what's the place on the right? 'Man-made' or a natural origin hole in the ground? As you'll be aware we (FHT) have long felt that the origin of hole is not the be-all and end-all, though obviously important for old fens😊
Nice - wonderful pingos!
September 3, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Nice - wonderful pingos!
Last one - I promise! I'm curious how people were able to tell when meadows were last reseeded. I would have assumed that was a pretty difficult thing to find out. But definitely nice to know.
August 5, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Last one - I promise! I'm curious how people were able to tell when meadows were last reseeded. I would have assumed that was a pretty difficult thing to find out. But definitely nice to know.
Good year because of the drought?
August 5, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Good year because of the drought?
Thats a bit crazy - I didn't know that this was in UK. Last saw it (quite a while ago) in south of France Mediterranean temporary pond!
August 5, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Thats a bit crazy - I didn't know that this was in UK. Last saw it (quite a while ago) in south of France Mediterranean temporary pond!
Is it what we call Castor Hanglands Main Pond? i.e. the one with very long invert list which by some margin is the richest in the National Pond Survey - see p125 in the New Naturalist - I deliberately wrote out the list so people could see what a really long pond list looks like!
July 25, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Is it what we call Castor Hanglands Main Pond? i.e. the one with very long invert list which by some margin is the richest in the National Pond Survey - see p125 in the New Naturalist - I deliberately wrote out the list so people could see what a really long pond list looks like!
Hi Sarah - what's the Pond Leg at Castor Hanglands? BTW We've been helping Stewart with PR a bit re the developments. Nice to hear about the Small bur-reed.
July 25, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Hi Sarah - what's the Pond Leg at Castor Hanglands? BTW We've been helping Stewart with PR a bit re the developments. Nice to hear about the Small bur-reed.
I'd love to take you up on that! But probably not this summer as pretty packed schedule! But I'll be back in touch.
July 24, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I'd love to take you up on that! But probably not this summer as pretty packed schedule! But I'll be back in touch.
Ahhh....that explains it. I've heard about the site but never visited. I've added it to my list of great places to visit! Thanks Jim.
July 22, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Ahhh....that explains it. I've heard about the site but never visited. I've added it to my list of great places to visit! Thanks Jim.
Hi Jim - saw your post via @astridbiddle.bsky.social - these look like a lovely spots. Where are you in the country roughly? With best wishes - Jeremy
July 22, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Hi Jim - saw your post via @astridbiddle.bsky.social - these look like a lovely spots. Where are you in the country roughly? With best wishes - Jeremy
Looks lovely! It would almost be a priority pond (freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/our-work/con...) if it was a little bit smaller 😂😂 - on the OS it looks about 2.5 ha, though I know the OS isn't always a good guide to size. Maybe we should stretch a point slightly!
Priority ponds - Freshwater Habitats Trust
A priority pond is a habitat of principal concern. Identifying priority ponds helps us protect ponds and the wildlife they support.
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk
June 13, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Looks lovely! It would almost be a priority pond (freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/our-work/con...) if it was a little bit smaller 😂😂 - on the OS it looks about 2.5 ha, though I know the OS isn't always a good guide to size. Maybe we should stretch a point slightly!