Checking the Ponds in Haidary. April 10, 2020
The common toad population of Iskov Pond has practically died. Others — in Koryakiv Yar, in Lower Dobrytskyi Pond, and apparently in the floodplain — are alive, but are only now beginning to spawn.
It seems that the common toad population of Iskov Pond has died. There was effectively no winter this year; temperatures were above zero most of the time. Spring warming began early. On March 20, I caught 11 toads in the water of Iskov Pond, which had turned green from a bloom (probably cyanobacterial). There were 2 females and 9 males there — all except one female and one male were small. One of these females and one male laid a developing clutch of eggs that I have at home. We marked and released all the others. On this pond, where we have been marking toads since 2000, years in which we marked a hundred times more toads were typical. On April 10, the state of Iskov Pond had not changed... [IMG_1] [IMG_2] [IMG_3] [IMG_4] [IMG_5] The flowering of coltsfoot was prolonged, but seems to be ending now [IMG_6] [IMG_7] [IMG_8] [IMG_9] [IMG_10] [IMG_11] [IMG_12] Blackthorn is beginning to bloom [IMG_13] [IMG_14] [IMG_15] [IMG_16] Koryakiv Yar is in better condition [IMG_17] [IMG_18] [IMG_19] [IMG_20] Two clutches of moor frogs... [IMG_21] ...and the frog itself [IMG_22] [IMG_23] Common toads are spawning. There are not many of them — as always in Koryakiv Yar [IMG_24] [IMG_25] [IMG_26] [IMG_27] [IMG_28] [IMG_29] Bird cherry will bloom soon [IMG_30] [IMG_31] Marshall’s corydalis [IMG_32] Ramsons [IMG_33] A bay in the Donets floodplain [IMG_34] [IMG_35] [IMG_36] [IMG_37] [IMG_38] Woodland tulip [IMG_39] [IMG_40] A tree blocked the road... [IMG_41] [IMG_42] [IMG_43] Spring vetchling [IMG_44] [IMG_45] Lower Dobrytskyi Pond [IMG_46] [IMG_47] [IMG_48] [IMG_49] [IMG_50] [IMG_51] [IMG_52] [IMG_53] [IMG_54] Toads were found here [IMG_55] [IMG_56] Last year’s young-of-the-year have emerged; larger frogs are not visible [IMG_57] [IMG_58] [IMG_59] Ground ivy [IMG_60] Almost a coronavirus [IMG_61] The gas pipeline running through Homilshanski Lisy now looks like this [IMG_62] [IMG_63] [IMG_64] [IMG_65] [IMG_66] [IMG_67] [IMG_68] Nearby are three clumps of three species of some lamiids... [IMG_69] [IMG_70] [IMG_71] [IMG_72] Box elder (American maple). A noxious introduced species [IMG_73] [IMG_74] A newt is being photographed... [IMG_75] Gnats — countless... [IMG_76] The gazebo at the biological station [IMG_77] [IMG_78] [IMG_79] [IMG_80] Return to Kharkiv [IMG_81]