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**elbowcrooker** @elbowcrooker@toot.wales · 2d

elbowcrooker @elbowcrooker@toot.wales

Further to my recent post about frogspawn, I'm happy to report that it has all hatched out. Hundreds of juvenile tadpoles have wriggled free of the 'jelly' and can now be seen feeding on it. They have been joined by a pond snail which is also tucking into this nutritious substance. The red caterpillar-like things are catkins from the silver birch and poplar trees that overlook the pond.
#frogs #tadpoles #pond #pondlife #ponds #gardening #wildlifegardening

Hundreds of tiny tadpoles can be seen at the surface of the pond.
Due to natural predation only a small proportion of them will emerge weeks later as froglets.

**The Smartphone Photographer** @AverageS@pixelfed.social · 2d

**Katherine** @kcscrimshaw@pixelfed.social · 5d

Katherine @kcscrimshaw@pixelfed.social

I love Common Mergansers and Red-necked Merganser's, but the male Hooded Merganser is my first fancy duck. I first saw him at this time of year pulling out all his best tricks to find himself a mate. He's just a little duck, but he struts around the pond like he's a bald eagle in a field full of slow-moving sparrows.

#pondlife #hoodedmergansers #ducks #birdphotography #outdoorvancouver #vancouverbc #photography #naturephotography

#naturephotography

**Dorgaldirs Garden** @Dorgaldirs_Garden@pixelfed.social · 6d

Dorgaldirs Garden @Dorgaldirs_Garden@pixelfed.social

While working in the garden today, I found a little alpine newt! To keep them safe, I relocated them to my front yard near my pond—a much better spot for a tiny amphibian. Hopefully, they'll settle in well and enjoy their new home!

#AlpineNewt
#GardenWildlife
#Amphibian
#NatureFind
#WildlifeInTheGarden
#PondLife

#pondlife

**elbowcrooker** @elbowcrooker@toot.wales · 6d

elbowcrooker @elbowcrooker@toot.wales

'Pond life' is sometimes used as an insult applied to particularly contemptible people but I feel that this is unfair to actual pond-dwelling creatures which, by contrast, are mostly harmless and frequently fascinating lifeforms.
Frogspawn is a case in point. You can see that our tiny garden pond is full of the stuff. Zoom in and you can tell that the embryos are starting to elongate towards the shape of a tadpole.
#pond #frogspawn #tadpoles #frogs #pondlife #wildlife #gardening #reptiles

4 or 5 large 'dollops' of frogspawn can be seen in our small garden pond.

**Moe Lassus** @moelassus@mastodon.social · Mar 30

Mar 30

Moe Lassus @moelassus@mastodon.social

We have toads! As soon as the highs reach 80ºF and the nights cool, the good ole American toad goes on the hunt for lady toads. To get the lady toad’s attention the males make a loud high pitched shrill that will split your skull clean in two. Ok, I exaggerate but it's LOUD! They are most active at night but daylight doesn't temper their passion.

Photo: Top toad is “singing” and the bottom two are…”swimming” together. Does this need a content warning?