The Pond Diary

December - 2003

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1 December - No photographs, but during a pause in today's rain I spent time skimming Duckweed off the big pond - I came across just one newtlet. The weed is in a large container now, with plenty of water, and I will check through it again tomorrow.

In answer to a query I have added pictures to the Tech section of the tank(s) I use to get my 'underwater' photographs of pond creatures like the newtlets.

30 December - This afternoon I spent some time clearing 'old' vegetation from the end of the big pond, the main area used for spawning by the frogs. I didn't see any frogs as I did this work but I did come across another young, gilled newtlet.

Things are quite different to my experiences last year. Although I haven't been keeping up with the pond diary, I do check the pond for frogs nearly every time I walk pass it and there has been very little frog activity to report all month.

On 30 December last year I was able to count 26 individuals, but when I checked at 6pm tonight I could only find four, including these three tucked away under the vegetation. It is colder, with the air temperature just 3.5C as opposed to the 10C+ conditions last year.

Unfortunately I cannot measure the water temperature at the moment as the electronic thermometer I used last year no longer works.

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