may also encourage some to become the keen naturalists of the future (not to mention
members of the Essex Field Club).
I attended as an Essex Field Club member and in my capacity as Chair of the Essex
Amphibian and Reptile Group to assist Dr Brady during the event. The day began with
a comprehensive talk by Dr Brady carefully explaining all aspects of the procedures for
recording the presence of Great Crested Newts. This included torch survey, egg searching,
bottle trapping and report submission. Dr Brady also covered the legal aspects of Great
Crested Newt protection, conservation and mitigation.
Armed with this information, we then proceeded out into the field to put what we had
learnt into practice. Much to our delight, at the first pond, many eggs were found. We
showed the participants exactly how to distinguish between Great Crested Newt and
small Newt eggs. Surprisingly, as it was during the day, at the second pond adult newts
were seen in large numbers. Once dusk had fallen, the torch surveys revealed even
larger numbers of adult Great Crested Newts. The second day was mostly for checking
our bottle traps. Again, many adult Great Crested Newts were recorded. (It should be
noted, bottle trapping is only allowed if undertaken by fully Licensed professionals.)
All in all, it was an extremely successful and enjoyable event with so many Great Crested
Newts being recorded. The increase in the Newts population at Wat Tyler Country Park
can be attributed, at least in part, to the careful management of the site by BDC's Countryside
Services personnel. We would like to extend our thanks to the members of staff from
Basildon District Council's Countryside Services who made us all feel so welcome.
Should any Essex Field Club members be aware of Great Crested Newt populations,
please advise the Essex Field Club Recorder, David Scott. His address is: Court Hill,
Little Leighs, Chelmsford CM3 1PG. E-mail: david.scott76@btopenworld.com
Also, if anyone requires assistance with surveying for Amphibians and Reptiles, or further
training, please contact either myself or my son, Jonathan, at 47 Wedgwood Way,
Ashingdon, Rochford, Essex SS4 3AS. E-mail: essex_arg@hotmail.com
Great Crested Newt survey at Magnolia LNR
Jon Cranfield 14 Wiltshire Road, Eastleigh, Hants S053 3EZ
A Great Crested Newt survey has been completed at the Magnolia LNR (TQ860923) on
behalf of the Hawkwell Parish council. Great Crested Newts have been recorded from
the site since the 1960's and have faced considerable threats. In the 1960's many of the
brickfield ponds were infilled with refuse, but today two of the ponds remain the LNR
pond and a flood reservoir which was made from an existing clay pit. This year Smooth
Newts and Great Crested Newts have flourished in the LNR pond because its introduced
fish population (Goldfish and Rudd) died during the winter.
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 42, September 2003 25