04/04/2013

Where is all the frogspawn?


It's even too cold for the frogs at the moment. Apart from the spawn above, left on the 28th March, there is no more to be seen, and my ponds are usually swarming with it by now. In fact, I've usually got hundreds of tadpoles by now!


But the frogs are there. At least 4 courting couples on my last count. I hope the temperature improves next week as the forecasters have promised, and the laying begins. Nothing fascinates me more than watching the  eggs transform into tadpoles and eventually, baby frogs.

32 comments:

  1. I love to see it too and to watch the birds in the spring. We have blackbirds nesting in our garden this year.
    Judith x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How fantastic Judith. We have them feeding in the garden, but not nesting, I bet they're lovely to watch.

      Delete
    2. Can't see much at the moment, I just know where the nest is, trying to keep away while the female is there. Just hoping the magpies don't find it!!

      Delete
    3. Oh yes, those magpies will eat anything!

      Delete
    4. Sadly found today that the nest is empty and in tatters so something has attacked it, such a shame after all the hard work that went into buildig such a perfect structure.

      Delete
    5. Oh Judith, how sad. I wonder what attacked it.

      Delete
    6. I don't know Paula, we have lots of magpies here and also jays and squirrels, I'm assuming one of them is most likely. I was really looking forward to seeing the adults busy feeding the chicks. We don't often have nests in our garden so this was special.

      Delete
  2. Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I expect it's just too cold for the frogs to do their thing at the moment. Hopefully, they're just a bit late this year, along with many other things. This cold weather has a lot to answer for.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It certainly does! It's snowing here at the moment, so I am really looking forward to next weeks milder weather.

      Delete
  3. Many thanks for visiting my blog Paula, its always good to hear from someone new! We had frogspawn laid in the pond during March but since then we have had freezing temperatures each day and night and it has all been frozen. I'm hoping that it is just the top layer that has been frozen and that any underneath will be ok.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was my fear too Pauline, so I've been watching it carefully to make sure it doesn't freeze over. I don't remember ever having to do this before.

      Delete
  4. I expect that it's the same in my plot neighbours pond which has been mostly frozen lately. I must remember to keep an eye on it as I usually forget.
    I've seen a finger nail sized frog and a full grown one on my own washing up bowl pond in the past, and hope that I see more this year in the recent replacement pond. Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you get more too, they are so interesting to watch. All of my wildlife ponds are either very large plant pots or storage containers, I never thought of a washing up bowl ;-)

      Delete
    2. I recently had to replace the washing up bowl as the rim cracked when I moved it. The other pond on the plot is an upturned plastic dustbin lid which I've seen wildlife from honeybees to a fox drinking from.
      I think that a pond is a must for every garden and allotment. xx

      Delete
  5. We have frog spawn and tadpoles in our wildlife pond behing our allotment site...but you're right, the cold weather has left everything hiding.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that more appear in the next couple of weeks. I hope yours do well :-)

      Delete
  6. I hope it isn't too long before you hear the patter of tiny tadpoles Paula :)
    My pond is new last year. I was given some pond water from a friend complete with Tadpoles - they grew into frogs. I do hope they come back this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pond started with some spawn given to me by our local nature reserve. I was sad when the baby frogs upped and left initially, but so many of them came back and now they breed here. I'm sure yours will return soon :-)

      Delete
  7. We've never spotted any tadpoles or baby frogs from our frogspawn. Perhaps this year will be a first. Just hope it's not too cold for them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh dear, and you have so much spawn in your pond as well. Fingers crossed for yours this year.

      Delete
  8. I remember being fascinated by frog spawn, tadpoles and frogs as a youngster (I loved playing in ponds). By the way, you have a lovely blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your visit Kelli, I love your blog too :-)

      Delete
  9. I'm a little bit envious that you have frogs and tadpoles. I'm thinking about building a small pond to encourage them, but they would have plenty of predators here. Hopefully this cold weather will pass (don't we keep saying this?) and your frogs can benefit from some warmth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure your garden would benefit from a little wildlife feature Wendy. My garden was swamped with baby frogs last year, some of which I'm sure would have been eaten by predators. I like to think the majority of them would have survived to return this year though.

      Delete
  10. Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting Paula, This last week we have ended up with a mass of frog spawn but unfortunately we have fish that love eating it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Such a shame isn't it Sue. I have a separate fish pond, so luckily mine are safe...I have to watch out for the heron though!

      Delete
    2. We have had a heron problem to so now we have black string stretched across which fortunately is fairly camouflaged

      Delete
    3. I've got netting over my fish pond Sue, but it's too fiddly to do it for the wildlife ponds. I am always on heron watch trying to protect the frogs, although I'm not sure who's more scared when I go out to chase the herons away, me or them...they're huge, lol!

      Delete
  11. "A frog he would a-wooing go,
    Heigh ho! says Rowley,
    A frog he would a-wooing go,
    Whether his mother would let him or no.
    With a Rowley,
    powley, gammon, and spinach,
    Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley."

    Hopefully the frogs will be coming out to play soon when the milder weather materialises. Thanks for your recent visit to my blog Paula and for your comment. Look forward to getting to know you and your garden :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow Anna, I haven't heard that rhyme in a very long time, it bought back memories :-)

      Delete
  12. Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting, I'd love to sign up as a follower on your new blog, but you haven't got the follower gadget on your blog. perhaps something to add?

    Will be back to see how your frogs babies are doing once we get some warmer weather!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the return visit Helene :-) I'll certainly look into adding a follower button.

      Delete

Your comment will appear after moderation.

Thank you so much for your visit and for taking the time to comment. Please leave a link to your blog if you have one, as I'd like to visit you back.