1st: Fungi
One of the Goblets in the allotment is still going strong - the others are looking a bit battered. If ever a fungi suited its name, it has to be this one!!
Such a beautiful shape.
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2nd: Frog spawn!!
Mega excited - first frog spawn of the year - and in a pond that this time last year didn't exist!
This is Chaser Pond, named after the Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly who were the first dragonflies to find it, and who we watched laying copious amounts of eggs in the summer.
There look to be a good dozen clumps here, laid in the shallows just beyond the logs.
There should be plenty of food for the resulting tadpoles and in turn, many will provide food for all those dragonfly larva and others.
Fingers crossed for a balanced eco-system here.
As spring turns into summer this pond should be thriving. We expect our heron will visit more often and fingers crossed, even our kingfisher. (There is a perching area further along)
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3rd: So many newts
The palmates and the smooth newts were out in huge numbers this evening - we got to over 40 and lost count!!
There seemed to be similar numbers of each, though it was hard to tell - we have read that usually one species will dominate another if they both choose the same pond?
These were all in the garden pond (about 2-3 square metres) which contains fish (not introduced by us). The newts however seem to thrive as we get more and more each year. We will be happy if they don't all find the newer, larger ponds on our land so that the frog spawn will stand a chance (we have newts in several already mind) - but having other ponds will hopefully give ALL the four species of amphibians we get, a good chance of establishing healthy populations (and encourage others).
Elsewhere on the land we rescued frog spawn from both Poultry pond (found on the grass) and Goat pond (found on the receding shoreline - we put it in deeper water). We also found the remains of a frog complete with a belly load of spawn all ready to be laid and fertilised!! A fox, heron???
And then there are the late winter/ early spring flowers - crocuses and snowdrops - a total joy during these very grey days,
Still, things really are starting to happen as February gets going - growing acorns, mating and laying amphibians, an increase in birdsong. You just have to look and listen and it's all there.
Male and Female Smooth Newts (we believe)
Male and Female Palmate Newts (we believe)
Frog spawn found on the grass by Poultry Pond and garden Snowdrops
Brave crocuses in the middle of the stable lawn and one of many, many large acorns putting roots down in Oak field
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