We got right back to finishing it.
We returned just 2 and a half weeks later.
The pond looked much as we'd left it - it hadn't evaporated much and it hadn't turned green with algae.
We got right back to finishing it.
5th day
First we finished the edging and then we began filling it.
We needed to make certain that the spot we'd chosen as the low spot for overflow was indeed where it would overflow!
And it did. Now we began building a berm around the rest of the pond.
A berm will protect your pond and divert runoff from storms from entering your pond.
Runoff could contain pollutants if a neighbor used pesticides or if runoff had oil from street traffic,
or even just mud in case of a flooding type rain.
We only had that last issue as a worry - that and snow melt.
Here are some views of the pond at this stage.
6th day
The pond looked great the next morning.
We decided it was completely level and properly bermed.
Now it was time to trim the liner. Our EPDM liner was easy to cut with our kitchen scissors.
Next it was time to work on the spillway.
To piece together the spillway, you place the most outside piece under the piece closer to the pond.
7th day
Next it was time to work some more on the 'bog' - half our bog will be VERY wet soil and within the pond's perimeter.
The other half will be a bit drier and it is immediately outside the pond's edge.
We dug this area extra deep, placed liner in the hole with an overlap where the bog can drain,
and then mixed soil and composted leaves together to refill it.
We also amended the soil around the liner where the beach will be.
After lunch we amended the soil around the liner in other areas and did a final trimming of the excess liner.
Ah, yes, it was dirty work!
Now it was time to begin the edging. We started with rocks we had previously collected for this purpose.
We were accomplishing so much this day.
Our next step, since we live adjacent to a National Forest, was to collect some logs for edging.
The logs we chose were leftovers from a logging operation (from their cull piles).
If you are in the city, you may have to pay to get edging like this,
but it makes a pond look much more natural to have multiple edge treatments.
And logs make nice 'seats' for dangling one's toes into the pond on hot days!
8th day
The view from the upstairs window the next morning showed the pond to be already looking serene.
And during breakfast we watched as dozens and dozens of birds came in for drinks.
The middle image shows ~22 Pine Siskins sipping...
But it was time to work on the beach now.
Next we unloaded the sand and river rock we had also collected. We are nothing if not frugal!
But by using local materials, we are also creating a pond that looks like it belongs there!
We finished this busy day by placing more soil and rocks around the pond.
Even a plant or two were added!
9th day
That evening there was a fierce wind storm. Nearby some trees were toppled,
but all it did to our pond was coat it with dust.
When we awoke, it was only 25 out and the pond had a layer of not only dust, but also ice on it.
I'd read that if you put a basketball in your pond for the winter,
then the wind's moving it about keeps an area of the pond ice-free, so I decided to try it.
The Jays were curious about it, as they are the same color.
But when one Siskin landed on it,
we got a real laugh as it started turning under its weight and the bird had to keep walking to stay still!
Other birds were baffled by being able to 'walk on water' (ice!)
It was time to leave again. It had been quite fulfilling - for us besides for the pond! :-)
The pond as we left it is below. Now it needs to mature and next spring we hope to add more plants.
We can hardly wait to see what critters visit it!
Here's an updated list of the pond's visitors that we've noticed these first few weeks of the pond's existence:
| Birds: | Mammals |
| 1.White-crowned Sparrow | 1.Least Chipmunk |
| 2.Fox Sparrow (MANY!) | 2.Yellow-pine Chipmunk |
| 3.Mountain Chickadee | 3.California Ground Squirrel |
| 4.American Goldfinch | 4.Douglas Squirrel |
| 5.Golden-crowned Sparrow | Insects |
| 6.White-headed Woodpecker (pair) | 1.Darner Dragonfly |
| 7.Stellar's Jay | 2. Familiar Bluet Damselfly |
| 8.Audubon's Warbler | 3.Backswimmers (a hundred of so!) |
| 9.Dark-eyed Junco | 4.Diving Beetles |
| 10.Cassin's Finch | 5.Yellow Jackets |
| 11.Spotted Towhee | 6.Water Striders |
| 12.Pine Siskin | 7.Potato Bug/Jerusalem Cricket (2 have drowned!) |
| 13.Red-breasted Nuthatch | 8. |
| 14.Evening Grosbeak | 9. |
| 13. | 10. |
Links to pictures we've taken of
these critters and others that have visited our McCloud pond can found at this link:
Shasta Critters
The year ends with the pond frozen over - December 2006
Click here to see the pond as it matures during its first year (2007)
Back to Dragonfly Roost's First page
To Kathy & Dave's FIRST pond, Bigsnest Wildlife Pond
