I'm always surprised that our earliest frogspawn is always at the highest locations. Mongorrey is the highest local point for miles around, and this young pond is in the most exposed area possible. Yet year after year I know that I can find spawn here days before I find it in lower, more sheltered areas.
While I was down photographing the spawn I noticed this Water Boatman swimming near the bottom of the pond.
Corixa punctata.
This pond is quite interesting. When the Spruce plantation was clear-felled (yay!) about 5 years ago, a large area was excavated to use for log storage. This pond formed as a by-product. For the first couple of years it lay stagnant, but now various water plants (Pond Weed, Ivy-leaved Water Crowfoot, Callitriche) have established and water beetles and bugs have arrived. I'll continue to monitor the arrival of new species as the pond matures.
While I was down photographing the spawn I noticed this Water Boatman swimming near the bottom of the pond. Corixa punctata.
This pond is quite interesting. When the Spruce plantation was clear-felled (yay!) about 5 years ago, a large area was excavated to use for log storage. This pond formed as a by-product. For the first couple of years it lay stagnant, but now various water plants (Pond Weed, Ivy-leaved Water Crowfoot, Callitriche) have established and water beetles and bugs have arrived. I'll continue to monitor the arrival of new species as the pond matures.
2 comments:
Extraordinary - no sign of fragspawn here yet.
Fine pic of the water boatman - did yuou have to focus manually to avoid having the water's surface as the thing in focus?
Auto focus can work as long as the surface of the water has a dark reflection, rather than a light one. In other words, if it reflects a shaded object rather than the sky.
You might have to move around to get the right conditions.
This was on auto.
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