Frogspawn has arrived

Over the last week Frogspawn has started to be laid. It’s very late this year.

Instead of been laid in the Dew pond as usual, it is been laid in the seasonal pond in the hollow near the Stone Bridge.  As the pond dries out quickly it will be a race to see of the tadpoles can hatch and get their legs before the pond dries.

This pond near the stone bridge, dries out quickly in the summer

Large clump spawn at one end of the pond

Spawn in the pond, will it hatch before the pond dries out?

This spawn laid in the shallows will unfortunately soon dry out

However its very odd, that many clumps of spawn are been laid on the slopes that lead down to the pond, and not in the water.  I counted 15 clumps high and dry, in just a couple of minutes looking.

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Not sure why, but this behaviour been reported at other local sites also

Wot no spawn?

For the past 20 years plus, Frogs have laid frogspawn in the Dewpond above the fork in the main track.  In past year the amorous Frogs have got together around Valentines day, with many clumps of spawn laid.  Unfortunately in many years the pond dried out before the Tadpoles were developed.

However this year there is none.  No Frogspawn.

One possible cause is the increase in past years of the voracious predator Common Newts.  These have been using the pond more and more in the past years, and laying their eggs several weeks after the Frogs.  Or maybe its the drier summers, or cold winters having an effect?

The Dewpond is currently quite full for the time of year … but no signs of Frogs

Not a single sign of Frogspawn

Reflections in the Dewpond

We will keep watching …