Spring Equinox

The day of the Spring Equinox has finally arrived and I have been out and about along the byways of the city, looking at the flowers on the verges and blossom on the trees.

There seems to be more daffodils that ever - springing up in bits of land that looked so pointless and neglected before. Now their vibrant colours announce that winter is finally over.

But the signs of new life that I have been looking for are grey and slimy - and so far they have eluded me. Frogspawn.

At around this time of year, great clusters of bubbles of jelly with their little dots inside can be seen in shallow water on the edges of ponds. And as I return day after day, I always hope to see that the little dots have become tadpoles, wriggling across the water.

And later, growing legs and miraculously turning into froglets.

That was a scene a few years ago when I watched a clump of frogspawn, waiting for the tadpoles to hatch.

Until one day it had all disappeared - and by the pond a fat duck was sitting, looking very pleased with itself and licking its lips. Well, it would have been if ducks had lips.

I have seen geese though - looking into shallow water and probably hoping for some very delicious and nutritious frogspawn.