Parc Natural de l'Albufera de Mallorca

A #pandemicpond post.

The bog-barrels that I added last summer have done an absolutely incredible job at keeping the water crystal clear and almost completely algae free this summer.

Only the much warmer stream between the ponds has more algae than I really like.

I also added the bigger pump at the same time which likely helped a little but the added flow also raised the level of the top pond just above the liner in some spots. So yesterday when I topped it up, I took away the flat border stones to inspect where it was leaking. It turns out, almost everywhere!

So I added some handfuls of pebble taken from the #poolpond filter since I know there is extra there..: and stuck it under the liner to raise it an inch or two all the way around.

Here is a before and after. The first pic with the purple lilly
pads is last year with the algae that was common in the summer before the big filters. The second pic is a few weeks ago when the pond was full, clear, but overflowing, notice the water overtop the flat stones. The last two pics are today after raising the liner a little under the stones.

And a pic of the happy dual-barrel bogs (which are just small versions of the giant filter I just finished in the backyard). The marsh marigolds have not bloomed in the bog barrels. Not sure if they will this year. It is quite shady for them.

Oh and a lilly is about to bloom!The fish are also very active and happy.

Enjoy my short #photos #slideshow of the #JapaneseGardens in Esquimalt Gorge Pavillion Park

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/X5NQGPJ6tBY

Stitched together 3 vid clips to show folks a bit more of the #JapaneseGardens at Esquimalt Gorge Pavillion Park. You can enjoy some of the gardens, vicariously

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/pkF6tEp1sMg

#EsquimaltGorgeParkPavilion

This #building features remarkable #JapaneseInspired #architecture to complement the scenic Japanese Gardens. The building boasts a stunning second floor banquet/reception hall with breathtaking cedar beams & panoramic views of the Gorge Waterway.

#SilentSunday

This is my fave #bench in Esquimalt Gorge Park. I've enjoyed many books & eaten several lunches, at this spot. It's tucked away, off the main loop around the Japanese gardens & it's a really nice shady resting space. I adore all the ferns & trees that hug this rest stop.

#JapaneseGardens at Esquimalt Gorge Park & Pavillion.

It is so nice how the #pandemicpond is maturing now. This is its 5th summer! Can't believe it. The bog filter has made a massive difference for the water clarity and keeping down the algae. The first pic below is from this time last year and you can see the algae clouding and sliming everything.

Two years ago I started planting some moss around rocks in the stream and it has filled in really nicely and naturally. It also served to trap seeds I think and grass and other "weeds" but I like that it just looks more and more like a normal stream. We even have a marsh marigold at the top of the stream (last pic) that we did not plant that came from one that was in the top pond and was eaten by deer.
#diy #ponds #gardening #fish #ecosystem #portalberni

Stumbled onto a comment on reddit that serves as a good reminder that pyrethroid mosquito sprays (Mosquito Shield, Mosquito Joe, Mosquito Squad, etc.) are highly toxic to fish. Labels always say "never spray near water" but applicators often ignore. #fish #mosquitoes #pyrethroids #virginia #pesticides #insecticides #ponds #koi

Any idea what this algae or plant is? It forms green films on top if a nearby pond. Under the scope it forms largish clumps or sacks of cells- maybe 50-100 um or so across. Seems too large for most algae and too small for plants like duckweed. I've never come across it before, and I'd be curious to get an ID if anyone knew!

The warm dry spring has brought out the allotment pond damselfly emergence earlier than usual. Suspect this is a small red. I'm not an expert, but would be great as they are nationally scarce. If anyone out there can help out with ID that would be wonderful. Also resident in the pond are two frogs. Get hours of pleasure watching all the activity.
#allotments
#wildlife
#ponds
#damselfly

Further to my recent post about frogspawn, I'm happy to report that it has all hatched out. Hundreds of juvenile tadpoles have wriggled free of the 'jelly' and can now be seen feeding on it. They have been joined by a pond snail which is also tucking into this nutritious substance. The red caterpillar-like things are catkins from the silver birch and poplar trees that overlook the pond.
#frogs #tadpoles #pond #pondlife #ponds #gardening #wildlifegardening

The container pond’s life has begun. #Gardening #Allotment #Ponds #Wildlife