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Palmate Newts were found in abundance. During
the lunch break we saw three Common Lizards
basking in the sun at the woodland edge just
behind the Conservation Centre building.
Records of Frog and Toad spawning have followed
the usual pattern, the -former being abundant in
garden ponds, especially in the Chelmsford and
Maldon areas. At Danbury another outbreak of
Red-leg Disease was reported to me on October
2nd; some twenty or so Frogs were found dead
or dying near the water. This complaint is
not uncommon in the more cooler shady garden
ponds, where the blood sucking leech which
spreads it seems to thrive.
Reptile records have been few, apart from the
Common Lizard which crops up fairly regularly.
Adders are locally common on some E.N.T.
reserves and the Essex sea wall areas. Being
shy they like the quieter spots and often go
unnoticed as they bask in the sun. Grass
Snakes being aquatic when feeding are often
seen near ponds and rivers where they catch
fish and amphibians. Their numbers have
fallen in Essex due to changes in land use and
being killed by man in the more populated parts
of the county. Slow worms are reasonably
common, often found in compost heaps or leaf
litter, but seldom seen sunning themselves.
Vagrant species are seen from time to time. Red
Eared Terrapins perhaps the most common, but
this year the Edible Frog has made an
appearance. One record has come from the
Fairmead area of Epping Forest. This
attractive green frog is slightly larger than
the Common Frog and the males have external