CUP for anyone unfortunate enough to have purchased their first effort. 1 will give an
account of available books on our trees, ferns, mosses and liverworts in the next
newsletter, but staying for the moment with herbaceous plants, we must mention the
superb series of BSBI Handbook paperbacks. No: 1 in the series has just been completely
revised as a monster 3rd edition Sedges of the British Isles, which now includes all the
Cyperaceae . BSBI. 2007. No:2 is Tutin and Farrer's Umbellifers of the British Isles.
BSBI. 1980 & 2006. No: 3 Docks & Knorweeds. BSBI. 1981 is sadly out of print.
No:6 Crucifers of the British Isles. Rich. BSBI. 1991 & 2006. No:7 Roses of Great
Britain & Ireland. Graham & Primavesi.BSBI. 1993 and 1995. No:8 Pondweeds of
the Great Britain & Ireland. Preston. BSBI. 2003. No:9 Dandelions of Great Britain
and Ireland. Dudman & Richards. BSBI. 1997 is rather a specialist publication - very
few botanists tackle the complex world of the 240 odd dandelion microspecies - or for
that matter the 300+ distinct microspecies of brambles (Brambles of the British Isles,
Edees & Newton. Ray Society. 1988.) -ticking them off on the card as Taraxacum agg.
or Rubus fruticosa agg. We need someone with enthusiasm to tackle these two groups
in the county. Any offers!
Finally, to observe many of the stamens, hairs and glands on plants that are critical for
identification in the field a x20 hand lens is a must. I still have these available at £20
each ( p & p inclusive).
Common Toad breeding at Little Leighs, Essex - Spring 2007
David Scott Fulbrook Court Hill, Church Lane, Little Leighs CM3 1PG
The Common Toads were active again this spring breeding in the lake at Church Broom
Wood, Little Leighs, OS ref TL720166. Toad movements as they migrated to the lake to
spawn were observed from the unusually early date of March 3 - March 20-25 is normally
the main movement time. This was due to a very mild start to the month, with the
temperature being around 10°C at dusk.
Between March 4-11 Toads moved in buckets by the local Toad Patrol were 482 in
number and these were mostly males. Colder weather then set in and the night temperature
fell to 0°C on a few nights. No Toad movements were noted when night temperatures
fell below 6°C.
Toad patrols were in place each night until April 25 with variable Toad counts according
to temperature. The total number of animals moved across the road by the Patrol was
672 for the whole period, which was very extended in 2007. The total count in 2006 had
been 2125 between March 24 and April 3, due to higher temperatures mainly around
10°C. Toads were seen leaving the water this year on June 14 whereas in 2006 the date
was the more usual late June 24.
14
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 55, January 2008