the toadlet that time forgot

awwww, isn't he a cutie?

Toadlets are pretty standard fare in our garden. They start out as spawn about March-time, then they become tadpoles in  April, and in May/June they start to grow legs and eventually become toadlets, eventually becoming adult Toads. So in May and June, these toadlets are pretty standard fare. However, when you see one in MARCH, you know something weird is going on!...

These photos were taken on March 28th. I was checking under the tiles in our back garden, feeling pretty smug about having Slow Worms under them and getting some pretty awesome photos of them. Under one I also found an adult Toad. Fairly normal, they like to heat up under the tiles too. But then, checking the next one, I was rather surprised to find this very small toad!...

I can only assume it was a late-developer, and that it hadn't yet developed fully when the time came to hibernate. This idea would be supported by the fact that last year, for whatever reason, a lot of the tadpoles didn't develop at all, and stayed in the pond. They didn't last very long once winter arrived though. So this Toadlet was a lucky survivor, just developed enough that it wasn't forced to stay in the water with it's siblings when the inevitable cold arrived...

But what will happen to it now? I'm assuming it will still be able to cary on it's metamorphosis and become an adult Toad. Assuming it survives. Slow Worms and Grass Snakes are a lot more active at this time of year than in June as they are breeding themselves. And I'm sure they would find a Toadlet most scrumptious...

I suppose the one good thing is that, unlike Frogs, Toads don't mature until they are three or four years old. So if this little guy does survive, he'll at least have time to catch up with his buddies.

welcome to my new blog. come on in if you have pizza.

most people reading this post are likely to be readers of my old blog. And you're probably wondering what the hell is different. And the good answer is, I don't know. Well actually that's a terrible answer, but it's the best I could come up with.

I guess I'm just seeing the world differently. I'm attempting to broaden my interests. I'm finding better ways to express myself through the medium of nature. I'm becoming a 15-year old who is a throwback to the bloody 60's in other words!

got a bit fed up with The Crazy Cuckoo, bless the old gal. She just didn't really seem that passionate about the things I loved, and we finally broke up when she refused to make my counter go high enough. But I've learned from my mistakes. I've found A very, very, very amateur naturalist instead. who has promised to renew my love and energy of the outdoors, in return for me not putting to much pressure on it's stats. It's a deal I was only too happy to agree to. I'm happier, it's happier and the Crazy Cuckoo is allowed out of its by now strained relationship. Like a first love, it was great while it lasted, and a year was a good run. And I'll never forget the times I shared with it. They were pretty awesome.

So, it's a new look, new interests, maybe (though I highly doubt it) a slightly more mature and wise view of the world. But don't bank on it.

With all that in mind, I think this post should mark a new beginning. In some small way. In fact, it's probably the same bile I used to say, I'll let you decide...

It's the 6th of April today. It was a glorious, sunny day. I was stuck in Seaford, but still had some stuff to see.

Birdwise, I heard two Chiffchaff singing today. Everyone's heard loads of them already I'm sure, but these were only my second and third of the year! At school, there are still a few Pied Wagtails, at least one of which has taken to singing from the roof above our English block.

Herring Gulls are on many the rooftops locally. I might even dedicate a post to them at some point in the future...

From my window as I type, I can hear Collared Dove, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Great Tit, Dunnock and Greenfinch.

In non-birdy news, the Toadspawn in our pond has hatched, and Toad tadpoles are now all over the place. There are also a lot of Smooth Newts still about. They snack on all the frogspawn and Frog Tadpoles, but Toads are lucky enough to taste truly disgusting. Newts know a lot better than to gorge themselves on these, so in our pond, Frog tadpoles normally do very poorly(unless we remove them and out them into a bucket) while Toad tadpoles, free of their competition and without any predators, positively proliferate.

I also saw my first Cabbage White of the year today. Plus Bumblebees of some form (Buff-tailed I think) are out in force. As are Wasps sadly. But I don't try to identify them. Wasps are only to be swatted away, while building up a considerable volume of money in your metaphorical swear jar...

well, my first post hopefully went pretty well. please give any feedback below. And if you followed me before, it'd be good if you could follow this blog too. And please spread the word about this new blog... 

all the best to you all

Liam Curson

an arty (crap) shot of Herring Gulls, done for some sort of effect