I somehow missed the frog-spawn phase, but we now have tadpoles by the hundred in the temporary pond in front of the vegetable garden.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8WXIMnhLAdnNM8VZrgpxwsNJvNWXUVzhyqTD4IOdJ2wAF7KPCpw3Ry7ZldovfYn5QkFi573YmGjP0Xlo2tBi5-VEFWL0AZ85_2xT6X_pNNEWpBTAc-cZ049VbMtO87BadqFg/s320/tadpoles.jpg)
This area of water is shrinking fairly fast (the streams are drying up quickly now), so it will be touch-and-go whether these little tadpoles make it to frog-hood before their pond dries up. In the stream a number of tiny water-snails had appeared, cleverly disguised as small grey pebbles. I haven't been able to find out what species they are.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCqe6RhgIKEDvmMXpfp2AwGB_kF66H8mXLHBf-WvjA53RK5e6o7z_JlPVSd5NQ6DM7U1qytqypJDspL_geeBZcywKieAh9pZgO2KUBCVBC1roXycvgsOv-eOV8HwpRFAAywo7/s320/water_snails.jpg)
The robins are still tending the nest in the barn, though no sign of any young this morning:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAo3p5_LF4tTqs0wFyfyaICcVNdKShIGuS569WnP-dsjDrIG3YnuLesEMEJMlBgrqqFWkycZmyLIt83-zW2qkeB-iIEWSWTyfh2rZ_3hrpCjdmHXGvyqh-rHgbFUA6g4MZjkq/s320/robin_nest_May_26_2008.jpg)
Up beyond the pond we spotted something furry moving around in next-door's field. Baby deer? Fox? Racoon?
![First glimpse of a racoon](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLHm91XLzKstjYnX1IIM5p4L4wX6xpProukJkskf1MKQ6mO9O1RDone8LyK-a32ZMhg7qRQfaXmQ66YVRfonm1c8FRLA5txlhwzeFVPqA9GuHwLvwnL1QZzkP6_96NvFrd_-Q/s320/racoon_first_glimpse.jpg)
I've mainly seen racoons at the roadside at night-time, so wasn't really expecting it to be one. They're generally viewed as a bit of a nuisance round here, but I was thrilled to be able to get these photos.
![Head-on view of racoon](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjwOBBNGHM2xlPi6yrh0MFj1poFflGxkBWHLe9iSkspS31fGn-YDKvnoDFJL2w-ABgglvCvqFyUpj4cqNijic1gmkxAKgvUZhtcx2LgMWslAI97lVGEhsb5I5JufpXXRbVU6Y/s320/racoon_head_on.jpg)
It seemed to be feeding on something in the water. Tadpoles, maybe...
![Racoon feeding in water](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiky-hozmyI__nVFK0EwYb-YHtzAeIgl0T8NXP2COpvOGmaupQVXagX4wITLcNu2HBjDDp5RvfobG-Sl2xaXVbpO9td8sTJo7pts7eU9I79P1VWSxNepWg_dT60cXdHeL4OWTQX/s320/racoon_feeding.jpg)
1 comment:
As an England dweller - the racoon looks really exciting!
And - when I was glancing down the page before reading it - I was fooled by the snails. I was surprised that you had gone to the trouble of buying beautiful matching pebbles to put in your pond!
Wrong again!
Esther
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