A Leap Year Walk

The guided walk set off for Risedale Beck when a shout stopped us and we all hurried back to see what had been found.

When we looked closely it was a beautiful frog, the second to be sighted recently.

As we headed back to the Field Centre a movement, followed by some bubbles was spotted, in the pond where the Bogbean grows.  We tried to say that this was a Frog but others in the group said that it wasn't a 'proper' sighting!  Further through the Scrapes, in the pond where the reeds have been cut there were definitely Frogs!  (By the afternoon, when the wind had increased and the temperature had dropped not a one was to be seen.)  If there are warm, sunny spells over the next few days listen for the frogs croaking and look for the first frogspawn.

In between frog-spotting we looked at Hazel trees with their green buds and catkins.

The female flowers were also present.

Back in the Field Centre the group watched Brambling feeding with the Chaffinches, on the ground.  Redpol and Siskin were enjoying the Nyger seeds.  A Blackbird was trying really hard to reach the nuts in the nut feeder and almost succeeding!  The Great Spotted Woodpecker had no difficulty.