whole. Assuming that Transco - in the case of Beggar Hill - and McNicholls, at Heybridge,
do not park their vans overnight in fields of Bastard Cabbages and Black Mustard re-
spectively, there must be a logical explanation. Answers on a postcard please to the
editor of the Newsletter.
Amphibian and reptile report for 2004
Jon Cranfield1 and David Scott2
'Email: Jonathan.cranfield@btopenworld.com or Tel: 07769 644 354
2 Court Hill, Church Lane, Little Leighs, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 1PG. Email:
david.scott76@btopenworld.com or Tel: 01245 361 475
The Herpetofauna group of the Club has been involved in various surveys in conjunction
with Essex Amphibian and Reptile group. The first of these was a verification exercise
to check reports of Great Crested Newts sent in by members of the public. This was in
response to questionnaires sent out in Uttlesford district by the Essex Biodiversity
Partnership to begin a county survey to establish the presence and distribution of the
Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus. This amphibian is a protected species and its
reported decline in Essex needs to be assessed and hopefully rectified.
The southern part of the Uttlesford area, namely Felsted, Dunmow, Little Canfield,
Takeley and Hatfield Broad Oak, was initially covered. Twelve ponds were visited where
Crested Newts were reported or the owners wanted their pond inspected to check for
their presence. Great Crested Newts were found in five of these ponds with large numbers
of larvae present in two of them, namely at Sallcts Green near Dunmow and Cricketers
Pond on the northern outskirts of the town. The remaining three had smaller numbers
with little sign of breeding. The other seven ponds contained Common Frog, Common
Toad and Smooth Newts. One of these, Black Horse Pond at Felsted, held large numbers
of fish leading to no records of newt larvae. Common Toad tadpoles were abundant, as
it is known that they are unpalatable to fish. Of all the ponds visited three were badly
silted up and overshadowed by trees. The owners were informed of this and it is hoped
remedial action can be taken.
Other work undertaken by the group this autumn was the trapping and translocation of
Great Crested Newts at Hylands Park near Cheirnsford. Members may be aware that
tree felling is underway at Hylands Park to reinstate the former vista from the house
down to the lake. This would involve disturbing Great Crested Newts living in the wooded
areas to be partly felled. The traps were of the pitfall type installed by an environmental
company, Scott Wilson, under a DEFRA license.
We were invited to check traps and release the newts into safe areas. English Nature
licenses to handle Great Crested Newts are held by the writers to do this work. The areas
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 46, January 2005 21