Page 54 - feb-mag-2022

February 2022 February 2022
and black specimens having been seen.
February is a good time to see frogs returning The “H” Word
to the ponds where they were spawned. The
males attract females by croaking. The male Every now and then we have an off day.
grasps hold of the back of the female and as
the female lays her eggs (or spawn) the males Nothing comes together as it ought.
fertilises it. Over the following weeks black At times like that, it’s best to keep your head down.
dots in the tennis ball sized clumps of spawn Things can sometimes get a little fraught
start to unfurl and tadpoles emerge. The In our house we never use the “H” word.
tadpoles will feed on algae, duckweed and It’s a word round which, we delicately tread.
other pond plants and such as maosquito
larvae. As the tadpoles grow in size they form front and back legs, lose their tails In our house we only use the “H” word,
and metamorphose into small froglets. In this area froglets are typically ready to When there are no other words to use instead
leave ponds in early summer. In two to three years the froglets will have grown to
maturity and return to ponds to continue the cycle. While maybe a hundred She always goes to bed clad in pyjamas,
tadpoles may emerge from a clump of frogspawn few will reach maturity as As she mops the perspiration from her brow.
tadpoles and frogs will be the foodstuff for others, for instance fish, birds, and It never takes her long to shed a layer.
snakes.
She says she’s hot but then she’s cold somehow.
Do let us know of any local sightings of fogs, frogspawn and tadpoles. Then she needs to open every window,
To let the cold night air, take its effect.

How Our Small Birds Survive Winter She says she doesn’t understand the reason,
But she says she thinks her thermostat is wrecked.
Can you imagine surviving our long and cold winters outdoors? Well, our small In our house we never use the “H” word.
birds have to attempt that day after day and night after night throughout the
winter months. Of course, a good number of our small birds do perish during the It’s a word which, drives a man out to his shed.
winter months. Indeed, in the exceptionally cold winter of 1962 / 1963 it was In our house we only use the “H” word,
estimated that 80% of the UK’s wrens died. So how do our small birds manage to When there are no other words to use instead.
survive our winters? First and foremost, getting food
is vital to their survival. Two of our smallest birds are
These things I find beyond my comprehension.
the wren and the long-tailed tit. They eat insects, I have the eyes but somehow fail to see.
which are in short supply during the winter.
Throughout the daylight hours these birds need to If the fundamental problem is an “H” word,
busy themselves finding the limited food available. How can the answer lie with HRT?
They use their excellent eyesight to locate any In our house we never use the “H” word.
active insects and to search for any overwintering It’s a word which, in my mind is coloured red.
insects and larvae that may be nestled in the In our house we only use the “H” word,
fissures of tree bark.
When there are no other words to use instead.
Robins will similarly forage for insects but will also
happily eat worms, grubs, fruits, nuts and seeds. We Paul J Openshaw
can help by putting out food for birds. Mealworms
would be a tasty snack for any of these birds and all
may eat suet / fats and seeds. The incredibly
effective insulation provided by their feathers is also
a must and fluffing their feathers helps further. But,

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