Frogears

Last year I made a shallow pit at the corner of our field area about 90x200cm and 15cm deep where the spring water runs down to the river. Then I lined that with a bit of cheap vinyl sheet used for cloches. This year the frog population around our field has really increased. I guess it took a while for evolution to produce ears and a means of sound production, but it was certainly worth the effort with these little munsters coming in from all over to use the new facilities. By the time their tads are getting around without their training wheels the toads will come and lay. Then last of all the tree frogs will come down and lay their little froth ballons around the place. So I'll try and get them all in in due course.
These are pretty small frogs like a british common frog and they are certainly nervy, I really had to creap out on to the veranda to watch them at tea time earlier today. Their eyes have that sense of focusing on everything with the same intensity and when anything moves, so do they. Only four clumps of eggs so far, but maybe we'll get more. I have seen these quietly chirping while guarding eggs in holes left by stones fallen from walls next to the river with just a trickle of water seeping out into the running river where the tadpoles really need those trainers as soon as they hatch out, so they are having a much more resort style start to their existence here.

Charcoal on cartridge 38x53cm