Amphibian update

I am working from home today and in my lunch break (one has to preserve office routine – I will be swiping the wall to get in and out of the kitchen) I went to see what the frogs were about. A helpful commenter explained yesterday that the big frog at the bottom of the pile-on would be female and the smaller ones clinging on top will be males hoping to be in the right place when she spawns. This is goalmouth poaching taken to a new level….

I found the frog now known as “Big Magda” hiding under the stepping stones having shed her hangers on. At the risk of excessive anthropomorphisation, it seems to me that she is tiring of her swains and wants some peace and quiet. Angus Og, Wee Malkie and Trevor (as they are now known) have positioned themselves at all the possible escape routes ready to pounce.

I hope she gives them the elbow.

Round the pond a bit a few smaller frogs are bobbing up and down quite cheerily in a shallower pool with floating weed (I think of it as the Ibitha zone). The quantity of frogspawn in the podium dance area there has tripled since last night – and the bobbing items seem jovial. There is a lesson there for Angus, Malkie and Trevor – don’t leap on the woman, ask her to dance…..