Spawning has reached its peak

Wed.17th March 2010.

                            Yesterday and today the frogs that are spawning in our garden have peaked at about 90 to 100 similar to last year, even though I did lose some owing to the very cold weather earlier in the year sadly they were frozen to death in the ice of the shallower pond in the corner of the garden.This year the conditions for spawning have been excellent once the warmer weather arrived over the weekend. Temperatures have remain fairly constant with day time highs of 12-13c and night temperatures of 6-7c the pond temperature is a fairly constant 8-9c.These conditions are ideal because there has been no night frosts which cool down the pond  temperature and slow down the rate of spawning.

Crocuses opening after a slow start

Limestone Pavement Country

Tuesday 16th March 2010.
          Today has been another early spring day the temperature in my garden reached 12c in the afternoon This morning I think the frogs reached their peak in numbers and vocal intensity with lots of spawning, I'll upload the pictures and video tomorrow.
   But back to today we've had a good walk over Moughton, a limestone pavement and plateau area between Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent in the Yorkshire Dales, it's about 20 miles as the crow flies from our house. In the late spring and summer many rare plants grow in the grykes in the limestone pavement including several orchids.

This a  wonderful landscape of bare rock, the glaciers of the last ice age scraped away most of the topsoil giving it a rocky desert appearance.

              The start of the walk ..The hamlet of Wharfe in Crummack Dale                    

                                    
                                                                  Hazel catkins 

                    Moughton summit looking towards Pen-y-ghent

                                                       Looking towards Igleborough

                        In the distance our local landmark "Pendle Hill"                                

                                                       Looking north to Ribble Head

                                                     Juniper bushes grow in the grykes

                                            The vast expanse of the Limestone Pavement

                                                                         Pen-y-ghent

                                                                      Ingleborough

                                                                   Moughton Scars

         Moughton Scars with the summit of Moughton on the horizon                               

                                                       A final look back to Pen-y-ghent

Activity in the pond

When the spawning reaches it's maximum there will be around 100 frogs.

The weather is warming up

Sunday march 14th 2010
                              Today has been the warmest day  since Dec 18th 2009 the temp. in my back garden reached 10.6 C  shade temp. in the afternoon. Up in the fields at the back of our house you can see into Upper Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales and the higher fells of  Buckden Pike and Great Whernside which are still snow covered and have been since December 18th last year.

        Back in my garden Spring has finally started  and the frogs have started to spawn They are 2 weeks later than last year because of the colder winter.

 

A pair of Mallard are now residents in our garden again this year

A still photo from my video camera a poor image but it shows  the frog activity, 2 hours earlier there was hardly a frog in sight.

My new Garden on the Moor Film 2010

Sunday 14th march 2010
Over the last few days I've been up to the Garden on the Moor to film the introduction shots for the start of the film I've been shooting since last May, I can now start knocking the film into shape.

Walking new paths on our doorstep..... and the first Celendine of the year

Sunday 7th March 2010.

                              It's hard to believe that in the countryside on our own doorstep there are new walks to tread which open up new views of familiar landmarks. On todays walk of about 9 miles we followed paths onto unfamiliar hills and moorland even though we were never more than 5 miles from our homes. It's suprising how we just accept our local countryside  around Pendle Hill  because we've lived here all our lives, but on this walk on this sunny day in early spring we realise that you don't have to go far for a lovely days outing.

 

We found our first Lesser Celendine of the year

                                                          On the Pendle Way

 

A new view of Nelson with Blacko Tower and the distant Bouldsworth Hill

 

A different aspect of Pendle Hill from Wheathead Height

Ingleborough in the distance still snow capped

Pendle  across Twiston Moor

One of several deserted farmhouses

                                                                        Pendle Hill

 

Pendle Hill the more familiar view

 

  

Back through Aitken Wood 

Ice on the small steams sheltered from the sun

 

The finish of  the walk ....down through the Water Meetings and back to Barrowford with Bouldsworth hill in the background

                                                                               

The Garden on the Moor (late May and Oct 2005)

Friday 5th march 2010
I've started filming again up at the Garden on the Moor near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire. This lovely garden is owned by John Williams of Land Farm and he has been developing this garden for almost 40 years I have uploaded to short sections from the earlier film I made in 2005. I am now remaking the film in the wider format of 16:9 and I will have finished filming in late April when I have finished the 12 months cycle that started last May.