Frogspawn!

OK, might not look much to you, but I've been waiting two years for this moment. And when I saw this frogspawn I did the pond owner's equivalent of wetting my pants with excitement. 

Having dug the pond in 2010 and borrowed some frogspawn from a fellow allotment holder's back garden in spring 2011, I watched the surviving froglets march off into the undergrowth that year with some anticipation. What a disappointment when none returned in spring 2012. Of course they wouldn't... frogs only become sexually mature in their third year.

The signs have been good for my own frogspawn in 2013, with bullfrogs croaking away from under the log pile since winter. And hey presto! There on cue is Allotment Heaven's own baby frogs! Still a great surprise though.

I consider the pond now fully christened, the frogspawn joining two newts spotted a week ago, dragonfly larvae, water snails, water boatmen, water beetles, pond lice, pond skaters, stink bugs & all the other wildlife and wild plants jostling for position. Gives me endless pleasure on warm days, sitting watching the latest happenings while I down a cup of coffee and a few digestive biscuits (if I can fight the chickens off long enough!).

If you'd like to view fortnightly images of the digging and development of the clay lined pond in its first year click Allotment Heaven: Making a Clay Lined Pond.