A trip to London on Saturday produced Ring-necked Parakeet for the year list.
Yesterday was a day of Surveys, with WeBs, my final Glamorgan Willow Tit survey and BTO Heronry survey.
WeBs around Parc Taf Bargoed saw an overall drop in numbers - hardly surprising at this time of year, with the Teal having departed and Mallard numbers almost halved. There were, however record counts for Coot - 5 - and Cormorant - 9. Plenty of Chiffies singing.
Over to Nelson Bog for the Willow Tit survey - no sign on the first visit, but a surprise Kestrel was a bonus. Parc Penallta also drew a blank with Willow Tit. It did, however, score heavily with Brimstone butterflies with anything between 4 and 12 seen (I had three males together and a single female, to give the minimum total, but estimate at least 10 males zipping about). A single Peacock was the only other species on the wing.
Back through Nelson Bog, and more Brimstone's, inc another female, a Small Tortoise and a Comma. Success also with a male Willow Tit.
The Heronry survey was worthless, only one Heron could be seen and in the hour I watched not another flew in or out. Give it a couple of weeks and the young should have hatched and the parents will be more active.
So the Mystery in the title? Well, walking through Nelson Bog I noticed a "mass" on a branch a few meters up. on the tree that leans towards 1 o'clock from the bottom left of the photo, it's the first branch on the right hand side
A bit closer and the grey "mass" can be made out.
A closer look, and it was Frog spawn!
Anyone any ideas how such a large mass of spawn managed to get onto a branch so high up
Yesterday was a day of Surveys, with WeBs, my final Glamorgan Willow Tit survey and BTO Heronry survey.
WeBs around Parc Taf Bargoed saw an overall drop in numbers - hardly surprising at this time of year, with the Teal having departed and Mallard numbers almost halved. There were, however record counts for Coot - 5 - and Cormorant - 9. Plenty of Chiffies singing.
Over to Nelson Bog for the Willow Tit survey - no sign on the first visit, but a surprise Kestrel was a bonus. Parc Penallta also drew a blank with Willow Tit. It did, however, score heavily with Brimstone butterflies with anything between 4 and 12 seen (I had three males together and a single female, to give the minimum total, but estimate at least 10 males zipping about). A single Peacock was the only other species on the wing.
Back through Nelson Bog, and more Brimstone's, inc another female, a Small Tortoise and a Comma. Success also with a male Willow Tit.
The Heronry survey was worthless, only one Heron could be seen and in the hour I watched not another flew in or out. Give it a couple of weeks and the young should have hatched and the parents will be more active.
So the Mystery in the title? Well, walking through Nelson Bog I noticed a "mass" on a branch a few meters up. on the tree that leans towards 1 o'clock from the bottom left of the photo, it's the first branch on the right hand side
A closer look, and it was Frog spawn!
Dropped by an avian predator?
ReplyDeleteMy best guess was a Tawny Owl had taken either a female or a mating pair of Common Frog the night before and the spawn was extruded as the frog was swallowed. But frog spawn several meters up is not what you expect to see.
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