Amphibian and reptile news - Winter/Spring 2005
Jonathan Cranfield 14 Wiltshire Road, Eastleigh Hampshire S053 3EZ
Tel: 023 80276317. Email: info@herpetologic,co,uk
John Wright reported that Common Frog Rana temporaria had spawned in garden
ponds in Leigh on Sea before the cold weather in February. It is hoped that some of the
lower layers of spawn survived under the protection of the frozen layers above. Tadpoles,
froglcts and adult frogs provide a valuable food source for a host of wildlife species. It
is important to monitor the activity and numbers of amphibians in garden ponds to help
judge how 'urban environments' are fairing in the face of future climate changes.
The frog and newt activity in John Wright's garden pond is summarised in Table 1.
Activity within the pond went quiet for three weeks after the 11th February. On the 17th
March the first spawn was laid and within 2 weeks the tadpoles had hatched and where
swimming free from the spawn jelly. I would encourage members to look at the Essex
Field Club website to fill in the Frog and Toad survey forms for 2005 as we have not
received many for 2004.
Table 1. Summary of observations from John Wright's garden pond (February to
March 2005)
The colder weather didn't seem to bother the Adder Vipera berus, three males were
seen at the Back warden, Danbury on the 15th February (G. Fairchild, pers. obs.). I was
pleased to find numbers had increased to 8 male adders on the 12th March. The sighting
at the Back warden is earlier that what was previously recorded for the Adder in 2004
(Scott 2004).
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Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 47, May 2005