The pond dig has begun!

[j.w]

Very nice Ce! You guys already had more hot weather than we will prolly get all summer!

 

[CountryEscape]

That may be, JW. I sure wish we could share some of our warmth and sunshine with you, and our rain with Addy and Sissy! Seems unfair that some places get more doses of the "good stuff" than others. I have been very fortunate the last few years with rain and sunshine, sure can't complain. This is why I love IL ... we have all 4 seasons, and sometimes, like this year, not in the correct order!!!

 

[CountryEscape]

In between rain showers today, I've been sitting on the deck and messing with landscape stones. Saw the big bullfrog. I used to call them Big Daddy and Grand Daddy, but now I'm thinking the biggest ones are the girls. Does anyone know for sure? Anyhow, here is the big one that was on the bog wall this afternoon.

And, does anyone have any idea what this creature is? I was messing around and putting pea gravel from the bog in the koi pond on top of pots, and this thing wiggled out. I have absolutely no idea what it is. I'm guessing a nymph of some sort of bug, but not sure what. I put it back and it wiggled back down to the bottom in the gravel.

 

[j.w]

That is one big frog, almost as big as your rocks.........well not quite but still it's big! Don't know anything about how to tell girl frog from boys. And don't know what that bug is either.

 

[addy1]

looks like a dragonfly nymph

 

[CountryEscape]

Good grief, I had a bunch more pics posted, but was messing around trying to edit it, I guess half of my post got edited off.
Here's the toad I saw on the goldfish pond wall.

Then I looked closely and found these toad eggs on the lilies.

So, I moved some of them that were attached and wound around this piece of ludwigia to the bog, where there is standing water, moving water actually. Figure I can watch them closer and they won't get eaten by the goldfish, although they didn't seem too interested when I was there.

This frog was on a lily pad right where the toad eggs were, and I got this picture point blank, no cropping or zooming involved! This guy is very friendly and curious, I guess. He's one of those 2-3" long frogs, looks similar to bullfrog, but I think this is it's full size.

Then I saw this frog under the rocks at the bog outlet. He is more fearful but didn't think I could see him.

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks, Addy! This guy was huge, the size of a large cricket. The nymphs I had in my kiddie pool last winter were much smaller, maybe damselfly nymphs. Woohoo! I'm glad he's there. That means others are likely around as well. Next week's warm temps will bring all sorts of bugs out. Need the dragonflies around to keep the populations of flies and mosquitos down.
JW, that bullfrog is the size of my hand. He/she is a pretty good sized one, biggest one to show up this year so far.

 

[CountryEscape]

Saw tons of huge dragonflies and some damselflies this evening on my horse ride along the road ditches in between fields. Most were "doubled up". Heard peeper frogs singing, so hope they come to my pond again soon. They were here in early March, then left when it got cold again. Bullfrog and toads are singing this evening. Water lilies are getting ready to open more blooms, looks like there will be at least 6 at the same time this time! At least one of them is pink, others look to be white so far.
Pond Perfect came in the mail today, so dosing pond with full dose twice a week this week, then full dose once a week after that, hoping to help out the murkiness of the water. Warm weather is definitely here! Hope I can boost the good stuff, get my water cleared up by Memorial Day weekend ... that's my goal anyhow. We shall see ...

 

[j.w]

CE you see lots of neat things on your rides. Oh I did see my first hummingbird here today at the feeder I bought last year and just filled w/ the sugar water. He was such a tiny little thing and out there in the pouring rain. The feeder is hanging under the porch roof so he has a little dry spot to eat his yummies. Hope he lets his buddies now about it now!

 

[JenH]

They're so pretty! I'm jealous!

 

[CountryEscape]

Better get mine out then, too! Hearing lots of people say they are back! Woohoo!!!
Yes, when you walk or ride, you see lots of neat things, that's for sure. Nothing like going for a "drive"!
Here are the pics of the water grass/reed that I dug up from the ditch along the fields last night. Can anyone tell me if it is some type of reed, and if so, if it will remain in a pot and not become invasive? It didn't look like it was widespread, mostly spots of it were about 1' diameter. I can handle that, just don't want it taking over my bog in a year!

 

[j.w]

Looks like a type of rush. I think you could keep it in a pot and just watch it and divide it when it becomes too large. It's supposed to be good for sucking up nitrates from the water I believe............competing w/ the algae.

 

[CountryEscape]

Here is a pic of the first pink lily to start to bloom this year. There are I think 12 buds ready to open, but unless they are opening during the day when I'm gone, still are not opening all the way up. I suspect I'm missing the blooms!!! And, I specifically took the pic wide enough to show that some of the leaves are still burgandy, while others have changed to green.

Love how the waterfall edge looks this morning from the deck.

And, here's a pic of the toad tadpoles in the goldfish pond bog. I found the eggs wrapped on this ludwigia stem and lily so took a few of them and put them in about 2" of water in the bog, so I could watch to see if they hatched, and they did 2 nights ago. Very tiny, maybe 1/4" long so far. Little wigglers though and very cute. Wondering if I will see them when they get legs and become toads, or if they will wander before then ...

 

[addy1]

Our april was colder than march, first time in weather history. My lilies are paused. Your flowers are way ahead of mine.

Looking good ce!

The lil tads will get legs and grow in the water, keep an eye on them, next thing you will have a ton of lil tiny toads hoping around.

 

[j.w]

Your area from the deck there looks very pretty! Hope toads stick around for ya! My lilies pads are reaching the surface now but no blooms in sight yet! Only 45F here today so will be awhile for blooms.

That's one cute tiny toad there addy! I wonder if toads live around here in our area?