I WAS leaning on the rail around the small deck next to the wildlife pond, reflecting on important things not least the fact that the pond is unsurprisingly full. I was a bit startled to see a large floating mass in the pond and I realised it was frog spawn, our first since we have had the pond, which is about three years now.

I was seriously chuffed, as we have had frogs and even toads about for a while, but this is the first time we have seen the success of the spawn. Although it seems quite large, the fact that it is in a large clump and near the edge of the pond, in shallow water, means it is the product of a busy frog. Toad spawn is laid in strings and wraps around plant roots and stems in deeper water.

I think the spawn, which is still quite early, has been there a week or so as the black dots that will shortly become tadpoles are quite large. They usually take about three weeks to hatch and will then spend the next eight weeks or so as tadpoles, hopefully surviving a myriad of threats, to become froglets and then, with a lot of luck, our lovely frogs.

Our frogs are variable in colour but are usually a combination of green, brown and yellow, and they can live for up to seven years, but I suspect that’s pretty rare. It’s probable that our pond has one frog. They can lay up to 4,000 eggs and she will have spent the winter hibernating at the bottom of the pond. Which, given the weather we have had this winter, I feel I can relate to.

The good news is that, along with emerging catkins and buds, we can be certain spring really is just around the corner.