Amphibians Everywhere in the West-country.
Not only was the school pond heaving with smooth and crested newts the other weekend but now the frogs are everywhere. Last night I was checking the chickens and was suddenly aware that I could hear frogs in the pond. Only saw a couple but I went out to count tonight there were 24 common frogs 'at it', with the first small clump of frogspawn already sitting at the pond edge. I might pop out later tonight to try to covertly photo the 'rogering action' (*You can only say that sort of thing and get away with it on a natural history blog). A friend in the village told my wife that the road at the back of our house was full of frogs at it the other night and her daughter had pointed out that they were all 'cuddling'. I suspect that they were toads as they seem to 'get together' on route more than frogs who get going in the water, a suspicion confirmed by a dead common toad that I found squashed on the back road as I cycled home this evening. I remember when I used to live in Bristol, and commute to and from Somerset, that on some early spring evening I could barely drive past Stock Hill woods as the road was so covered in toads making their way to the Priddy Pools. I stopped a number of times to lift them off the road as so many were getting run over but in the morning there were never any little bodies as I suspect the early morning rooks and crows had cleaned up. I must also go down to Shapwick Heath in the next few nights as someone told me that there were marsh frogs down there in the ditch by the footpath and I have never seen a marsh frog. Its all go !
Note: Ads, I hope you picked the mole up for my collections, wonderful little paws !
(*Remember there is a 'find = thank-you drawing' swap scheme)
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