A sign of spring?

I took some time out today to clear out some of the debris that had collected in the garden pond over the winter. The pond is located under beech trees, which tend to shed continually for some reason. The pond had also become somewhat choked with weed, to say nothing of having been frozen solid during the cold spell in January. So this evening I was pleased to see that at least this chap had come to no harm.

If you – like me – are wondering how they survive in such adverse conditions, it's because they have internal anti-freeze. Well according to this article in Scientific American they do.

One frog doesn't make a spring, but while I was peering into the water I noticed some other welcome survivors of the winter. There were several damselfly nymphs hugging the pond walls.

There's one other regular pond dweller. She was there last night (early hours of today). She's not one for getting her feet wet though.

Nature Blog Network
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 40D andSigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens.

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This Post Has 13 Comments

  1. cakkleberrylane

    8 Feb 2010

    Wonderful and very photogenic signs of spring!

  2. gdare

    8 Feb 2010

    She looks like she was talking something to you 😆

  3. RobinL

    8 Feb 2010

    Somehow, she doesn't look all that pleased!
    The frog and the nymphs are great. Seems only yesterday you were snowed under. I like the first signs of Spring, gives one hope of what's to come.

  4. SittingFox

    8 Feb 2010

    Spring photos! Here we have a few ever-hopeful daffodil shoots but really, winter has never left us. And it's been snowing for most of the day; hasn't settled too much, but a lot more is forecast :right:

    Thankyou for reminding me what our spring wildlife looks like 😆

  5. Words

    9 Feb 2010

    Thanks Crea!

  6. Words

    9 Feb 2010

    Darko, I think she is saying, 'Keep away' (not really!) 😉

  7. Words

    9 Feb 2010

    Adele, we've had light snow for the past couple of days as well. Not much settled here either, but you never know. Real winters! I'm not used to them.

  8. Words

    9 Feb 2010

    Lois, thanks! Spring didn't last long. We've light snow at the moment, with more promised!

  9. gdare

    10 Feb 2010

    😆

  10. Words

    13 Feb 2010

    Thanks Erwin :cheers:

  11. Ukwildlife

    20 Feb 2010

    Oh excellent, im hearing more and more reports of frogs about all west of here so they hopefully will be out and about in my neck of the woods soon. An the damselfly nymph is great

    great photos btw

  12. Words

    22 Feb 2010

    Neil, they seem to have vanished again, but with any luck the wet weather will warm things up a bit. It has to be good for something!

  13. Wulpen

    19 Oct 2012

    Great Pict

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