Nature today

 

A squirrel only a few feet away was so engrossed chomping on a pine cone it seemed not to notice me. Only when I lifted my camera to take a photo did it scurry off to another spot where it obligingly posed nicely allowing me to take this shot. After that it made its escape, taking refuge in the tree tops.

I inspect the toad spawn in their rapidly receding puddle. The tadpoles seem to be developing slowly, albeit they look a touch on the small side. However despite heavy rain yesterday it does not look good for them as the puddle water is evaporating faster than it is being filled. If there is no rain today I think it will be curtains for the toads by the weekend.

Peering into the murky puddle I am surprised by something much bigger. It’s a newt and then I see another and another. Three smooth newts by the look of them. I have seen crested newts here before but only on very rare occasions. Two of the newts bury themselves under the mud before I have a chance to snap them. The third remains still and I manage a poor shot of it. Here the forest is dark and my polarized lens filter does little to reduce reflections off the water. I could have tried flash of course but never thought, next time maybe.

I continue pond gazing and notice shadows of other small creatures that look like fish. Clearly they cannot be fish but they are also far too big to be tadpoles and the wrong shape. I can only conclude they must be young newts.

Meanwhile another brown butterfly, they seem to be abundant at the moment.