People give me things

I am lucky enough to live in the sort of community where it is not necessary to lock your door when you go out.

This is a very good thing because it reduces the chances of locking yourself out of your house. Yesterday I was called on by my landlord who had managed to lock himself out of his own house and would I just mind giving him a leg up while he climbed through the window. 🙂 he is 83.

People who call on me while I am out will often just let themselves in and leave me things. The last animal was a fledgeling Blue Tit. So when I got back from my butterfly hunting this morning I wasn’t too surprised to find a Newt in my kitchen.

It had been left on my kitchen table in a bowl of water and worrying that it might be tap water I decided to let it go ASAP. We have big ponds in the garden and beyond so I left it close to the water.

This is a female Smooth Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris also called a Common Newt. I don’t think that  she needs to be in water, the breeding season is over and they become terrestrial after that but I am just leaving her close to water in case I am wrong.

(I did just have a quick look at her ventral surface before I put her down, It’s okay, I am a naturalist)

See you later little water animal, watch out for the Owl and the Pussy Cat 🙂