42
AMPHIBIANS IN EPPING FOREST - 15th April 1984
A small party set off from the Epping Forest
Conservation Centre at 11.00 am, visiting first
the pond near the Centre on Rushey Plain.
Here a small quantity of Frog Spawn was seen
and netting produced Smooth and Palmate newts
as follows:-
PALMATE SMOOTH
MALES 8 2
FEMALES 5 2
There was no sign of Great Crested Newts released
in this pond recently.
During a brief lunch break the Centre pond was
netted and the same two species were found as
shown:-
PALMATE SMOOTH
MALES 2 2
FEMALES 2 2
A walk through the Forest brought us to Little
Wake Valley pond where we found Common Toads
pairing in a small colony of 20 or so pairs.
Ho newts were netted here. Moving onto the
nearby large bomb crater more toads were seen.
Some 50 or so pairs were seen. Netting produced
no newts at all. Considerable colour variation
was observed in the toads, some males were dark
others light brown. The females were largely
medium brown to pale but we did see three reddish
coloured specimens which I have seen in the past
although rarely.