Frozen Frog

During this last three weeks of sub zero temperatures I have been keeping a small section of my pond clear of ice with hot water everyday.
What a suprise to see a frog come up through the hole shortly after I poured in the water!
Its my guess he was after some oxygen and a warm.

 

Nice one Robert. Its that time of year when they start thinking about other frogs, goldfish etc.:wuvu:

 

I have lost one older Goldfish, so now I`m down to two.
I think its time to have a major session this year and give it a real good clean out and re plant, maybe a reline as well, it does leak to same level after everytime it tops up.
Its been many a year and I`m sure theres an excess of primedial slime in the bottom.
Must make sure its the after the frogs have done with it.

 

Well caught, Robert.

I bet all of ours have frozen to death this winter as they did some years ago after a long and bad spell. I think this year is even worse and being over here in Florida, we can't help them, poor things. :cry:

 

Sadly I too have lost 4 at the latest count, all larger ones (4") I have had for 7years or so. We have not finished with the cold yet, the ice on my pond Tank is still 6" thick with a hole I am managing to keep free of ice. I have three remaining.
Strange as they survived the last cold winter.

If I was a serious fish keeper I think I would go for a pond heater. Any comments appreciated.

 

So long as you are aware they don't actually heat the whole pond, but do keep a small area clear of ice they are fine.



This particular brand the blue bit is a float, and the brass bit is the actual heater, and NEVER touch it when it on.

 

We had pipes burst that survived minus 15c last winter. Been checking for temperature anomalies, only found a minus 10c in Honiton, about 20 miles from here. But a few nights back, I went to my caravan & started to get ready for bed & I thought, i'm going to freeze to death if I stay here tonight. I sought refuge elsewhere.

I think some super cooled air from the upper atmosphere came down & was largely unnoticed by the weather stations as it only stayed for a few hours. I know they have min/max thermometers but I can't help wondering if they looked at them and thought, "Nah, that can't be right!"

 

Count is up from my pond again.
One fish and two frogs lost so far.
Still frozen over most of the surface to several inches.
Just a small area I am managiung to keep clear and the remaining fish seem to know it, they are there waiting for me every morning with a kettle full of water.


( Not the fish with a kettle full of hot water ...)
:dh:

 

"I know they have min/max thermometers but I can't help wondering if they looked at them and thought, "Nah, that can't be right!""

:hehe:

I hope that's not how they do it! and I would rather hope they had some sort of continuous logging kit (and a Max/Min only as a backup device)

Have you tried looked at Wunderground? Some RAF bases and other Met office stations, but also loads of Amateurs - you will probably find one near you.

Here's Yeovil (dunno where exactly you are) Max/Min for December - the Min looks to be -10C

http://www.wunderground.com/weather...RSE1&day=4&year=2010&month=12&graphspan=month

19th Dec (hourly graph)
http://www.wunderground.com/weather...ERSE1&graphspan=day&month=12&day=19&year=2010

26th Dec - that was down at -10C from 1am to 9am !!
http://www.wunderground.com/weather...ERSE1&graphspan=day&month=12&day=26&year=2010

I'm sure you can find all these things for yourself (don't mean to do Granny + Eggs) but here is a map around Yeovil - from which you may be able to find a suitable local weather station:

http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=50.949&lon=-2.627&zoom=10

 

Found these stats for my area for last month
Statistics for the rest of the month:
High: Low: Average: Temperature: 10.3 °C -14.0 °C -1.5 °C Dew Point: 4.8 °C -12.8 °C -3.2 °C Humidity: 74.0% 33.0% 52.1% Wind Speed: 29.0km/h from the WNW - 4.3km/h Wind Gust: 32.8km/h from the WNW - - Wind: - - WSW Pressure: 1037.5hPa 991.4hPa - Precipitation: 77840.1mm


Its no suprise the pond is still frozen...!

 

Minimum -14.0 °C

That's chilly! But you ain't got the coldest day's graph there Robert ... it was a balmy -4C :hehe: