In the spring a young frog's fancy ....

There have been so many signs of spring recently, I thought it might be worth walking across the field to look at this wet patch. This is where hundreds of frogs gather to have a truly Roman orgy at spawning time.

Local lore says that the frogs come down from the hill on 14th March each year in order to get on with it! And signs of Spring or not, they are sticking rigidly to their timetable. But I will return soon, and if the moderators can stand it, I will blip some hot action.

For those interested here are a few frog facts. Note particularly point 4 - typical male, some will say. But it would be better not to be a passing goldfish obviously.

* One blob of frogspawn contains up to 3,000 eggs.
* One study suggests that the UK is home to up to 8 million frogs.
* During the breeding season males produce a purr-like croak that sounds a bit like heavy boots walking in thick snow. Males also develop a bluish tinge to their bellies.
* During the breeding season males will latch onto anything remotely frog-shaped. Occasionally this can include ornamental fish.