The source of the Windrush!
A clear spring running out of a pipe and into a pond in Gloucestershire, described in the 1946 book, The River Windrush by Wilson MacArthur. There it was - we had found it. The ground was soaking wet and this fellow was there to greet us.
And then this little group with spring in their hearts... There were a lot more distracted toads in that field! Great to see them doing ok, although nowhere near the sort of numbers that used to be so common in most ponds and lakes. Maybe some of our older readers will recall them but the younger ones will never have been lucky enough to have seen this spring mating spectacle.
The spring feeds straight into a small lake.
and runs out of the lake only to go back underground ..
Part 2 tomorrow.. The stream reappears and Ted gets busy with the net.