A lunchtime visit to Newburgh found the Green- winged Teal in the same few square metres of water busily feeding by up- ending. The light today was superb with the sunlight slightly diffused by haze. This bird keeps a respectful distance from humans but gives superb views through a telescope. Very little else of note on the lake, perhaps thirty or so Eurasian Teal and eight Shelduck. Chiffchaffs were singing form the woods behind the lake. Spring has really arrived this week and daffodils are coming out along with the first few Wood Anenomes. In a few colder spots Snowdrops continue to flourish and Ransomes is growing at a tremendous rate.
By the lake some toads were in amplexus. In Latin amplexus means embrace. Toads usuallyspawn several weeks later than frogs. As I moved some vegetation to take some photographs the spare male immediately grasped my finger tightly in the hope it might be a female- it took some careful effort to remove it!
