Stones Road Pond

Also within

Surrey County

Condition (Natural England)

Description

Area, 0.5 ha. 1.2 ac. Description A large, deep pond which is an important breeding locality for the great crested or warty newt Triturus cristatus. The site is situated in an urban area on the edge of a former playing field and adjacent to allotment gardens. The pond is surrounded by a strip of semi natural vegetation including bramble Rubus fruticosus agg., nettles Urtica dioica and some trees and shrubs, including willows Salix species and poplars Populus species. Emergent and marginal vegetation includes stands of great reed mace Typha latifolia and lesser reed mace Typha angustifolia and water mint Mentha aquatica. The adult warty newt population exceeds 400/500 individuals during the breeding season, making this one of the largest known colonies in South East England. The site also supports a substantial population of smooth newts Lissotriton vulgaris with at least 1000 individuals being recorded at a recent count. Outside the breeding season the animals disperse widely over the adjacent land. Apart from the rough vegetation immediately surrounding the pond the most important nearby terrestrial habitat includes the allotment gardens and railway embankments. Migration between the pond and these latter areas has been observed.

Species mentioned