Frogspawn

We had the digger (1) man round the other evening. There are a lot of drains needing cleared out in the wood and a very boggy patch at the bottom of one of the fields. Bert said,

When can you come?

He said,

I don't know about that now. There is a lot of frogspawn (2) in those sheughs. (3)

I saw that myself. What do you reckon?

Well I could lift it in the bucket and move it to another hole but there'd be a lot of it lost. I'd as soon leave it until May at the earliest.

That'll do then.

When Bert reported this conversation to Hannah and myself we were both delighted with the digger man. Hannah said,

Good old Gorgeous Gage for caring about the wee frogs.

Is it any wonder he is our favourite digger man?


(1) Digger/ Backhoe

(2) Frogspawn is produced in huge quantities because of the high mortality rate. Only the strongest eggs will survive. The eggs are also an important food source for newts, dragonfly larvae and water boatmen. Out of 2000 eggs in a blob of frogspawn fewer than five frogs will ever reach breeding age.

(3) Sheugh – Ulster Scots. A narrow open drain or ditch, often with water in it.