Although it feels like we are well into spring now, it was only this time last month that our local swales were heralding spring’s arrival with the first sighting of frog’s spawn.

Apparently the clumps of spawn (eggs) can be laid in ponds anytime from January onwards in the south-west England, but we’ve never seen it that early here at The Secret Acre.

But come late Feb / early March we walk the dog round the swales in the local fields looking for the first signs of spawning.

Swales, sort of temporary winter ponds, are popular with farmers around us. Simply technology that helps with drainage, mitigating storm water runoff and erosion.

They dry out in summer, providing important changing little ecosystems for various different wildlife across the year, including when full in spring, for frogs.