Eco Club pupils and their parents joined experts from the Black Country Amphibian and Reptile Group for a nocturnal wildlife survey of the pond area, to see what impact the restoration work has made so far.

It was very exciting to spot loads of smooth newts!  The data collected this evening suggests that the newt population has gone from “small” (less than 10) this time last year, to “medium” (between 10-100). This is currently their breeding season, so it bodes well for the future that we saw lots of both male and female, and we saw at least one pregnant female. The experts thought that with the clearer water area, they would have a much better chance of breeding and survival.

We also saw bats and owls flying over us.

An unusual Friday night experience, but it was a lovely evening, the pond looked fantastic under the stars on a clear night, and a year 7 student had baked cakes for everyone