Frogs Galore

Okay, so the photo on the right bears only a very tenuous connection to today’s story. But it’s the best I can do.

The vital bit of the picture is the particular pool via which I‘m waving at you (pond would be too grand a word for this over-large puddle up on the moor). Now bear with me - it’ll make sense in a minute.

On Thursday, a friend was lamenting that the frogs who annually grace her garden pond had not yet put in an appearance this year. Lo and behold, the very next morning, as I was scrambling down the bank to this pool, dozens of frogs leapt for cover.

They’re camera-shy, these fellas and lasses; so there’s absolutely no chance of me getting a picture of them without a great deal of stealth and a very different lens to any I possess. So you’ll have to imagine the scene: little back legs up-ended in the air, splashes and droplets flying left, right and centre. Then stillness. At least visibly. Audibly, the air was busy with what sounded like the hum of a motorbike (and, Joanne, I never would have described their croaking that way if you hadn’t pointed it out, but that’s exactly what they sound like!).

I went back today hoping for another glimpse but they must have heard me coming. No sign. Except for the masses of frogspawn around the edge of the pool.

But I’m tickled pink to have seen these harbingers of spring and hope I get to enjoy more of their antics. And I sincerely hope Joanne’s mini motorbikes turn up soon.

Comments

[Emily and Joanne]

Hi Helen,
I love the picture !Since Thursday there has been frogs visiting our pond.Me and my mum have counted them and there is 10 frogs so far !They are 2 weeks late and usually there is about 40, so where are the other 30 members of the motorbike club?Though the frogs are here there is no sign of any frogspawn,so it might be a quiet year for us.Our frogs are shy too,as soon as we open the front door the motorbike gang take cover and swim down to the bottom of the pond. X X X :-)

[Dixon Hill Girl]

Oh, I'm so glad they're back! I've just found frogs (four very large ones) and tons of frogspawn in the ditch at the bottom of our field tonight. When the frogspawn turns to tadpoles and the tadpoles turn to frogs, I'll encourage some to hop in your direction! :)