Spring

Another glorious Spring day with billowing clouds and intermittent sunshine. The birds are chirping away and tadpoles (below) are emerging. Few tadpoles will make it to become frogs as these small ponds often dry out in Spring leaving just a tiny puddle of water for the lucky ones.

Newly hatched tadpoles struggle to find their own space in the frog spawn.

 

Update 090518 ... Just three weeks later and as predicted the pond did dry up so sadly all the tadpoles seen above will have perished. No frogs from this pond then this year and looking at other places I have visited in this area in the past it looks to be the same everywhere. This is unusual because from 2006 to 2012 every year there was enough water to support a few tadpoles. It could just be an exceptional year or may even be due to climate change.

A deserted track through the forest at midday.