Pond update: toad eggs!

I've been doing a little bit of work in and around the pond -- so have the toads apparently.

This is some of the red-stemmed parrot feather that floats on the water's surface. As you may be able to see, it's got strings of toad eggs in it!

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They've been out there for a few weeks now, calling each evening, trying to attract a mate. At least one of them has been successful:

There's at least one though that has not mated yet, as the calling continues. So too for the leopard frog. He takes refuge under or behind some of the rocks at the water's edge during the day, and as I'm working out here he'll occasionally croak out a short call or two. I think he hears birds doing calls that are very slightly similar to his, and he replies. Maybe the timing is purely coincidental, but I think not.


I should mention that you are seeing a lot of "helicopters" in the water -- the seeds from the silver maple tree. It's already dropped loads of seeds into the pond (and everywhere else), and there are more coming:

There are lots of little white petals from the wild cherry trees too. Prettier than the helicopters when floating on the water, but still a bit messy.


Besides the floating plants which are apparently growing (even though it doesn't seem like it since I look at them every day):

The frogbit doesn't seem to have put out new leaves yet -- or has it?

The submerged plants are growing too:

I've got a bit of an algae bloom going on right now, as the really warm spell we had a week ago really got things cooking. This water should clear up as I get more plants in there -- I hope.

I sunk pots of the dwarf rush I found this winter:

Full-sized scouring rush too:

I love this stuff but it's been confined to a pot for a few years and probably hasn't been getting the water it needs. I'm excited to see what this will do when not ever thirsty!

There's also a spiral rush that isn't overly photogenic right now so I won't show it to you yet. I also potted some of my Canna 'Paton' from last year, and half of the plant I rescued from the compost pile at Needmore Bamboo last fall -- which I believe is umbrella palm but may be something similar:

I'm amazed at the number of different insects that use the surface of the water or hang out near the edge. Most of them I couldn't photograph, but here are a few:

This fly moves like it's walking on ice -- too much
effort for the amount of forward progress. Fun to watch!

There are also plenty of insects living underwater too: beetles, tiny worms, mosquito larvae (ack!) and countless other minuscule critters. I'm going to put these under the microscope soon... I'm so curious!

Soon tadpoles will be added to the list of aquatic inhabitants. I'm still hoping for frog eggs too, and I'll add some goldfish once the plants grow up a bit and the tadpoles are gone.

I waste so much time just sitting watching the pond. There are garden chores to be done!

I've started doing some planting around the pond too -- more of that to come in the next few weeks.

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