By Bernie Bell
Today, the pond is heaving with frogs, all busy making more frogs! And, as I type, a male blackbird is having a good old splash in the shallow end, while a thrush was hopping about in the meadow on the other side of the pond.
The sun is shining, life is returning to the garden – including the heron turning up again a few days ago – remember him/her, from last year? Maybe s/he knew the frogs were due!
Celebrate Spring!
The heron – from last year………..
https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/04/09/where-the-wild-things-are-2/
Hello Kate Middleton
I’m not on Facebook, so I can’t answer you there, so…I’ll answer you here! This pic was taken of the frogs and spawn in the pond in our garden, in Rendall parish, Orkney.
https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/08/14/bernie-bell-i-can-hear-the-grass-grow/
It is early – we don’t usually get frogs and spawn until late March – this year they turned up early, as did the heron. This morning, there is a thin layer of ice on the pond, as it was frosty overnight – this has happened other years though, and it doesn’t appear to matter to them – hardy little Orkney frogs!
There’s another pic due in TON tomorrow – of a different kind of frog. We usually have three kinds:- the big, light brown ones, smaller, dark ones with knobbles on their backs, and some about the same size as the dark ones, but greenish – not quite green, but greenish.
There is even more spawn now – the pond is literally heaving with frogs, every day, laying like mad. I wish I could get the sound, too – it’s great to hear.
Then, they’ll disperse – some will stay in the pond over the summer (if the neighbour’s ducks don’t get them!), and we see the rest, here and there in the garden, especially in the soggy bits.
Then, next spring, they all gather and go mad again. The cycle of life, in the garden. I love to see it.