Spring is nearly here!

[pollygog]

Picture of frogspawn bonanza in my wildlife pond from 3 years ago, a whole lot more spawn than in previous picture of smaller overflow pond, almost solid from end to end.
The pictures were taken on 9th March 2014, a local pond was filled in during winter in the back field so I think I possibly got the surplus frogs that year!
Don't forget to left click on picture for full view as these are posted long ways.
Now I'm waiting for Colin to match this!

[roselanekoi]

After reading Phil's post I went and had a look in my own wildlife pond this morning and this is what I saw.

frogspawn 2017.jpg (207.32 KiB) Viewed 13891 times

The first frogspawn of the year hopefully with more to follow. I had intended to give the pond a good cleanup over the winter but it looks like the frogs have put paid to that.

[roselanekoi]

Forgot to mention, congratulations to Phil as his 'Spring is nearly here!' has now had over 50,000 views since it was started on the 28th of February 2013, quite an achievement.

[pollygog]

Thank you for the praise and recognition Colin , it's much appreciated. I just wish more folk would post comment on here, it would have a more varied output for sure.
P.S, I took the plunge and splashed out on a brand new Nikon D.S.L.R. with 18-55mm lens, now I'm saving my pennies for a 50mm wide angle lens and 70-300 zoom lens for my holidays.
Tuesday is the fourth anniversary of my first post, so I'm pleased at 50,000 + views, so, keep it up you folk out there but give us a clue what you would possibly like other than our precious Koi?

Here is a reminder below of that winter of 2013 you mentioned recently Colin, the icicles are a chilly reminder of that cold winter and what prompted me to put the first post,
yes,

Spring is nearly here!.

[roselanekoi]

You call that snow!

This was my back yard in March 2013

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There was 14 inches of snow on the pond cover

[pollygog]

Yeah, ok, I'll give you that, your snow's deeper, but, my icicles are longer!
We got slightly deeper snow later in March but still not as much as yours Colin.
Still Hamish the dog enjoyed it even though he was up to his credentials in it, increasing by the minute and still snowing as you can see!

[roselanekoi]

What a strange mix of weather we have in the UK. Yesterday morning walking the dog I heard and saw the first lapwings of the year. They return every year to one of the fields down the lane, spring must surely be on the way.

This morning the forecasted rain is actually falling as snow. I'm looking out of the window at the moment to see large snowflakes settling on the ground turning everywhere white.

[pollygog]

Hurricane Doris caused more damage to the Black Poplar trees this past week ripping another ancient veteran out of the ground in exactly the opposite direction to the last tree and about a hundred yards away.
This time it crashed onto the open grassland on The Common. Its such a shame as the huge dark brown buds are swelling ready to burst open on it.
Note the Ash tree with the giant wooden bat hanging from it to left hand side of picture, this is same branch/tree I photographed Buzzard on a few weeks ago.
There were other trees blown down by Doris along the river but none as large or rare as this one.

It's looking more like a frogspawn bonanza year this year as the frogs continue to congregate and fornicate each day with unabated vigour. I have removed 18 amplexus frogs from my Koi pond this last two days. Fortunately, my next door neighbour has, through this past mild winter, built quite a large wildlife pond.
It looks to be four or five times the size of mine and been constructed just about twenty feet away from my wildlife pond.
Hopefully it should start to take some pressure off my oversubscribed little pond!

My Apricots have finished flowering and coming into leaf as my peaches reach full flower this week, the cherries are close behind so flowering any day soon.
Fly fishing with Nigel on Wednesday this week at Penmaenmawr I noticed the distant Snowdonia range completely white with snow as I passed Conwy.
It was still completely white the following day when I returned to Conwy, to the Signatures Restaurant situated at the Conwy caravan park to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
If you haven't tried it, I would highly recommend it, simply, superb food!

It has tried to snow again this morning but just too warm to stick except that is on the tops of the Clwyd's.

[pollygog]

After yesterdays all day downpour put paid to dog walking we got out and down to the river this lovely sunny morning. The Elwy was running quite high as there was a lot of snow melt in with yesterdays soaking, this despite last nights frost. The Clwyd's were unburdening yesterdays snow with the climb in temperature this morning. the frost had gone, melted off by 8.00am on our back lawn by an ever warming sun.
I sterilised the frogspawn in the two ponds yesterday between the showers with Potassium Permanganate, hence pink colour you can see in the picture I took at 12 noon today, the grey spawn is some laid last night after dosing.
This is overflow pond next to Koi pond. The wildlife pond has nothing like 2013's mass deposit, this I think is due to next doors new and much larger pond on the other side of hedge.

[pollygog]

The Dippers are back again nesting under the metal footbridge next to the stone road bridge at St Asaph this week.
Below is picture of one I took this week, carrying moss up to the gap immediately above its head that they nest in each year.
More good news also, the pair of Grey Wagtails have returned to their nest-site in a hole on the far side of the stone bridge again.
We saw them twice this week flying in with nest building materials, try as I might though I couldn't get a decent pic of them!
I also saw a Nuthatch carrying nesting material into a nest box on a tree alongside the viewing platform on The Common today but again, no chance; just as I'm trying to get a snap, a noisy yappy dog and even noisier child and parent turned up to throw sticks into the river for the dog!

Into each life a little rain must fall; even on morons--!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!