Metamorphosis Underway - 04/7/2015

My two daughters went to Chester Zoo with their Grandad today so my Wife and I enjoyed a pub lunch, a walk around a Garden Centre and then some quiet time relaxing in our back garden.

The tadpoles were making the most of the glorious afternoon sunshine, grazing on the grass cuttings which had blown into the pond this morning when I cut the lawn.  Some of them are starting to resemble froglets now, whilst others have only just grown their back legs. For some there is no metamorphosis at all just yet.

Here are few photos

to show their development:

Tadpole Update - 12/6/2015

I've not blogged about the tadpoles for over a month now so I thought I'd post a little update. 

They appear to be faring well and seem quite happy swimming about in the pond.  Some have grown bigger than others but still no sign of any legs just yet.  I think I read somewhere that they usually start developing into froglets from about 11-12 weeks so I hope I see some development soon.

I can remember being slightly concerned when they first developed into tadpoles that the two newts would decimate them but upon checking  yesterday evening I'm happy to say that there is still a very good number of tadpoles in the pond.

As usual when checking the pond late yesterday evening, the resident frog was there to greet me yet again.  The other resident frog seemed more content in the the smaller pond tucked away behind the Yellow Flag Iris.

Past Week in the Garden - 31/5/2015

 Wildlife Pond Project #1

Ant on a  flagstone

 Wildlife Pond Project #2

 Ant on a leaf

Bug Hotel and Wildlife Pond Project #1

Garden Ornaments

 Young Starlings visiting the garden ...

... and being given an helping hand feeding

 Yellow Flag Iris flowering

 Waiting for the bugs to check in

A tadpole watching me watching him

'Purple Sensation'
(Allium hollandicum)

Friday evening, ten minutes by the pond

Saturday in the Garden - 16/5/2015

Tadpoles grazing on the algae

Pond Project #2

Wildlife Pond Project #1

Leaves on the tree at last

Mealworms for the birds

Starling discovers the mealworms

Starling taking interest in me with my camera

Sunflower hearts,
a favourite with the birds

Peanut Feeder,
finally being used by the Tits

Pigeons foraging for food

No wonder this feeder

 is going down so quickly

Pigeon checking it's all clear

before having a drink from the pond

Post drink Pigeon

Pigeon has spotted our cat

Figgy saw off the Pigeons

As you can see,
Figgy isn't camera shy!

Figgy standing guard again

Tadpoles - 09/5/2015

Another clear sky today with spells

of sunshine every now and then.

The tadpoles seem to have grown

in size but no signs of any legs just yet.

It's quite difficult to take photos of them

at the moment, too much light reflection.

I think I'll be able to get some better

photos once the leaves on the tree

above the pond have appeared.

Tadpole Snacks - 03/5/2015

I was out watching the tadpoles in the pond earlier today when I spotted one of the newts just peeking out of the water right next to them.  I quickly took a photo and seconds later I watched it take a tadpole and disappear under the water.

Luckily the tadpoles are still in abundance.

They're doing a great job

of clearing up the water.

It won't be long before the tadpoles

start developing into froglets.

The Water Mint is doing well:

Some views of the pond:

I like the view below which was taken from near the house. What I especially like is the way the pond isn't imediately obvious and how it blends into it's surroundings. That's the way I intended it to be when I installed it back in 2012.