Wakering & District
Natural History Society

Pond Dip at Millers Pond

Report by Richard Kirton

Monday 23rd June 2003

A group of enthusiastic members turned up for the annual pond dip on this beautiful Monday evening in June. The pond was covered in blanket weed yet this did not deter our members from some nostalgia and taking their minds back for a few hours to their childhood days with their nets and jam jars.

John demonstrated a rake with a long extension pole which he had prepared earlier and spent a lot of the evening taking some of the weed from the pond.

George also had an extension to his netting pole which give him that extra reach without leaning over too far and falling in. George introduced his son John and grandson George who appeared really happy all of the evening. They actually caught a tiny slow worm.

Barry and I wandered into the darkness of John's bird hide which overlooked the pond and saw some tit chicks in his nest box, waiting for their next delivery of food.

Coming back out of the hide I noticed that Cliff was in a world of his own with his extra large net and I have to say that I only ever saw him landing lots of black mud all evening and then playing with it. I bet he was popular when he was a boy.

The evening's catch was distributed between four plastic containers and to prove that we did in fact catch something, I have included photographic evidence. Our collection included sticklebacks (some small ones with eggs?), water boatmen, great crested newt, newt eggs, dragonfly larvae and snails.

Gill offered the weary pond dippers and myself some tea and biscuits. This was most welcome but she had to be coerced into parting with more than one biscuit. There were no casualties and nobody went home wet.

I have to admit that I spent the evening talking, viewing and taking some photographs and I really enjoyed the evening as I am sure did the other members who turned up that evening. I am not sure if John eventually checked his fruit trees for any signs of scrumping but I did not notice any bulges in Cliff's pockets as he left to go home.