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Bob Hobden writes

"Sacha" wrote
The fishponds are absolutely heaving with frogs and there's a lot of
spawn
laid already. I haven't seen any toadspawn yet. How about anyone else?

Funny thing is we haven't see or heard a frog lately yet I did hear one
around Christmas.

The first of ours arrived in the breeding pond last night, though I came
across one or two in the 'summer' pond back in January. Apparently some
frogs overwinter in the mud at the bottom of ponds, others elsewhere.
Overwintering in the pond gives a head start when the early females
arrive, but presumably also a downside if the pond gets too foul if it's
under ice for a long period - in which case overwintering elsewhere gives
an advantage.
--
Kay
Fished a dead frog out of one pond this afternoon, The pond was frozen over
for quite some time during the last cold spell so suspect it may have been
starved of oxygen, water is really dank and black since it thawed out.
Great shame.