Pond Life Stirring

Harold Smith · #1 (**permalink**) 19-02-2009, 09:08 PM

Just went out (07:45pm) to put some rubbish in the dustbin when I heard a plop from the pond. I got my torch and had a look. I counted 10 newts and two frogs swimming about. Considering my pond was frozen for over a week or so during the ice and snow it's amazing that anything survived. To me its a good sign that spring is arriving. I shall start looking out for frog spawn now the frogs are active.

Has anyone else noticed activity in their pond?

Harold.

james bennet · #2 (**permalink**) 21-02-2009, 10:46 PM

The pond in my local reserve is absolutely frothing with frogs; you can hear their purring calls from quite a way off. No sign of frogspawn yet though.

aeshna5 · #3 (**permalink**) 22-02-2009, 03:57 PM

At least 18 frogs in my garden pond today + 1 clump of spawn that's been present since at least early yesterday.

Stomperone · #4 (**permalink**) 23-02-2009, 01:57 PM

I am pleased to say that I have four really large clumps of frogspawn in my pond which I only dug last year..

This may seem a silly question but do frogs spawn if there are no males present?
I only ask because I have not seen many frogs in the garden and was wondering if the spawn will be fertile or is it a case of wait and see.

Another question my pond has recently gone green despite the pump/filter.. The spawn that is there is sort of covered in a thin layer of green sediment for want of a better description... Will this be ok or is there something I need to do?

MarkyPooPoo · #5 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 12:37 AM

I have a raised pond (about 2ft high & about 4ft deep) and I have seen my first frogs tonight - 2 males, last year I had 4 lots of spawn in the 1st week of march. hopefully I will get a lot more this year

dampflippers · #6 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 11:40 AM

The green in yond and on the spawn is probably just an algal bloom, and as tadpoles eat algae, this shouldn't be a problem.

In NE.
First frog croaking 17 Feb.
Last night with torch saw at least 4 pairs of frogs, but no spawn yet.
2 male smooth newts in another pond last night, and this morning saw one in main pond.

Note to everyone else- go out with a torch tonight, but tread carefully! You may ned to wait a few minutes for frogs to resurface if you disturb them.

leifus · #7 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 11:50 AM

loads and loads of frog spawn in our pond

Harold Smith · #8 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 07:55 PM

Following my first post; today (about 11am) there were two males and a female in the pond. Vigorous mating was certainly going on so hopefully spawn will appear in the next day or so.

Harold

Queen bee · #9 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 10:06 PM

I saw the first whirligig the other day, but still no frogspawn.

Stomperone · #10 (**permalink**) 25-02-2009, 10:17 AM

I had a nose this morning and we now have about 2 large bucket fulls of spawn in the pond.. I am really hoping that it amounts to something as I will be disappointed if it doesn't.