During May this year the following charming observation was made by Margaret Wilkins of Crowborough (East Sussex but not far from Kent).

"We have 2 adults and 3 young (about 1" long) palmate newts living on our patio. They have taken up residence in an old cat litter tray which collected rain water after being cleaned and left outside. There is a lot of debris, leaves mainly, in the bottom and over the last week the water has gone very green.” The digital photograph shows a young newt in the cat litter tray.

Margaret’s observations may be a first for palmate newts breeding in a cat litter tray but they are known to breed in rather shallow water bodies and these have included tractor wheel ruts in fields.