Now that high summer is upon us, here’s an update on the pond that was created during the winter as a result of an ice jam. Thanks to recent dry weather, the water level is down substantially and the large number of tadpoles seen in the spring are no longer in evidence (hopefully they have graduated to better things).

A much reduced pond but still teeming with life.

Although the pond is much diminished in area and depth, there are still lots of minnows and pond-skaters and what I believe to be an American Toad tadpole, almost ready to leave.

Tadzilla on the left – there’s a much smaller tadpole to the right.

As the toad grows, it will emerge from the water with only a small tail and look more toad-like. The tail will eventually disappear. American toads thrive in dense vegetation where they can feed on insects and small invertebrates like slugs so the new pond is perfectly located for that. In the late fall, they bury themselves in soil or mud near their hunting grounds.

There’s been quite a bit of rain today so this should improve water and oxygen levels.