Frog Central

This morning I feel lots better than yesterday - my throat is a little sore still, but the earache is almost gone, apart from the occasional stab if I yawn too wide! I'm glad it didn't turn out to be anything I needed antibiotics for - I was giving it until Monday before going to the doctor's but if it keeps improving as it is, I should be OK.

This morning I dealt with some mail and got it in the post, then Bri suggested  going to the castle to take photos. The plan changed when I said I'd like to go to Morrison's, and we decided to go to Hartsholme instead as they were closer together. 

There is a little stream near the smart housing estate that the park backs onto. We had seen frogs in there at this time of year before, so we decided to park near there and check it out. We were not disappointed! 

There were a great many Common Frogs doing what frogs do at this time of year (i.e. frog orgies!!) Lots of frogspawn too of course. Many of the tadpoles will get eaten, (Herons like them, apparently...) so there needs to be lots to guarantee that some survive to adulthood.

We have also seen frogs in one of the Arboretum ponds, though they are underwater and not so easy to see. The frogs only seem to be in the pond or this stream at mating time. Then there are tadpoles later. And then... Where do they go from there once they are fully developed frogs, until it is time to mate again? 

After taking frogs porn photos, we walked around the lake before heading back to the car. A quick shop in Morrison's and then home for lunch!

Almost forgot to say - we saw a few butterflies in the park too - mostly Brimstone, possibly a white one of some sort and Brian saw a Red Admiral which I missed whilst trying - and failing - to take a photo of a robin!