At the eastern end of Sandgate Park, at the Badgers Holt entrance, is a large pond usually called Badgers Pond but which, I believe, has also been called the Lower Pond and Stacey Pond (after a local property owner in the 1920’s).
Badgers Pond is fed from a larger pond, which is hidden amongst the rhododendron, just to the north of it.
You can easily spot fish in the pond, especially in the summer and when the light is at the right angle, and there have been reliable reports of kingfishers being spotted around the pond. Ducks are also regular visitors.
The pond does suffer from becoming over-shaded and from vegetation falling or being thrown into it. This results in the oxygen levels in the pond becoming low and during hot, dry periods algae blooms start to develop.
The working party on this Saturday was tasked with clearing vegetation around the pond and removing trees and branches from within the pond, in order to help ensure that the pond remains a healthy environment for it aquatic inhabitants and the birds and other species that feed on them.
The photographs below tell their own story!