no newts isn't good news

Ever since the rain started back up a couple of weeks ago, I've been looking forward to the return of the red-bellied newts. They usually start roaming the hillsides soon after the first rain, but this year I hadn't seen a single one. Until today.

Bodhi and I took a walk this morning and found five of them up by the spring. They're amphibians and they like to be around water, so it made sense to find them there first.

When we first started coming up here in 2000, they were so plentiful in the winter that we had to watch our step when we were out on hikes. Climate change and pollution have reduced their numbers, but it's good to know they're still here.

Newts are delicate little creatures and their presence is a good indicator of the health of the ecosystem. I'm glad ours is still healthy enough to support them.

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