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An Essex Wildlife Garden Update!

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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 11:40am
Went down to minus three here last night but the ponds didn't freeze. We had barely an inch of snow BUT it has been snowing now for three hours and put down over two inches. 

Suz
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Liz Heard View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Liz Heard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 4:34pm
Believing we would escape (the forecast wasn't too bad for my area and we had very little snow yesterday), i didn't protect or bring in any spawn.
I so wish i had now because as the local news has annoyingly reported, Glos was much worse than had been expected and we've had loads of snow overnight. Feeling really bummed out about it.

At least i've got still got my 'kitchen tadpoles' i suppose. They're doing very well and are quite large now.

Wow, your 'rearing pens' look good Gemma.
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 4:45pm
May not be too dreadful Ben, Paul Edgar did a big survey of spawn after the recent big freeze, even the worst hit spawn in shallow ditches some survived. More shallow ponds in exposed positions over  50% lost, but still a good proportion alive still and sheltered deeper ponds 100% survival. Hopefully it's just tonight we need to get through and it will warm up again tomorrow. If so think any spawn at the bottom of clumps will be fine.

Rearing pens are the best I've had, £4 each at local pound shop. Which makes me wonder why they were not a pound each, they must have seen me coming lol
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Liz Heard View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Liz Heard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 6:49pm
Thanks for the reassurance. Hope you're right and i'll certainly be checking asap.
Great idea to do a post-freeze spawn survey. I wouldn't mind reading Paul's findings if he publishes anything.
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2018 at 7:06pm
He posted up a short account on Facebook, is planning though to do a  proper write-up so will post a link when he gets around to doing it. Think we all got very use to mild winters, easy to forget the plight of our herps in cold winters and dodgy springs!
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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 12:03am
We've ended up with over 6" snow here in East Devon and it is snowing again now. The temps have hovered around zero all day but it's down to minus three now. 
I was tempted to leave my spawn alone but hearing what Gemma had done, and not wanting to lose the best amount I've ever had, as I said I bailed out a bucketful into my cold greenhouse yesterday tea time. 
At least Ben you've got your kitchen taddies and the other spawn might be OK. 
Suz
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 1:53pm
Just saw how much snow you got in Devon on the news Suz. They forecast we would get a lot here, but got hardly any at all overnight. Today just a bitterly cold easterly wind. In the warm though the taddies have started to hatch Smile



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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 5:58pm
When tipping mine into trays today I noted most of them are now commas, probably not quite so advanced as yours Gemma and mine are still in jelly.
Suz
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Mar 2018 at 10:13am
I've always put it down to the central heating indoors Suz. Things that normally take a few days, maybe even a week, seem to happen much more quickly. When I brought mine in on Friday they were all just round dots, by the end of Saturday comma shaped, yesterday the first hatched. This morning there are some proper wrigglers already, still some left to hatch though. Bet the spawn still in the pond has barely changed since it was laid. Smile
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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Mar 2018 at 10:20am
Down to minus five last night in East Devon. However yesterday's sun must have warmed the ponds as there was only the merest skim of ice this morning. Had to dash out and open the greenhouse up as it was sunny this morning. Still a lot of lying snow.
Suz
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