7
ARE WE ALL POTTY?
We have often heard the suggestion that entomologists are somewhat eccentric - and that
is putting it mildly! After all, who, in their right mind would stand in the sun for ages,
simply staring at a brick wall, or up at the tops of trees? We have even seen a certain
prominent member of the Field Club climb up an old pollard oak tree to install a pitfall
trap. Strange behaviour indeed.
You may smile, but, perhaps you are a geologist? One of those people who plods around
all day picking up stones and then dropping them again? Or a birdwatcher perhaps? In
winter we have seen these strange people, huddled together in huts which seem to have
holes along the sides for ventilation. One wonders what the birds think of it all.
By comparison you might think that botanists are quite sane - but don't you believe it.
My wife and I had not done any recording for the Essex Flora Project for some time, and
must have been suffering withdrawal symptons. We decided that we needed some
exercise, and as an excuse for this took a recording card to The Common in Saffron
Walden to walk a lKm square. Now this square comprises an improved grassland open
space, a large cemetery, a dry ditch, some old flint walls, a few roads and lots of houses.
The date was January 12th. The weather was cold, - bitterly so, but we were lucky and it
did not snow. Flowers were few. Bellis, Senecio and Lamium, etc., and after an hour or
so we gave up due to bad light and frozen fingers.
However we had recorded over 150 species, so the outing was far from a waste of time.
It could be argued that a better result could have been achieved in summer. Perhaps, but
some plants such as Mistletoe and ferns are easier to see in the winter. Bee orchids are
very obvious in short turf from December onwards and many grasses can be identified
from dead stems. Most trees can be named, although Salix and Ulmus are impossible.
On the whole a worthwhile outing, but a second visit will be needed in spring or summer
to complete the square. For those botanists who have not tried recording in January we
can commend it - the exercise alone will do you good. Anyone who sees you out there in
mid-winter with a recording card will probably think you are daft, but it is all in a good
cause. Perhaps we are all slightly pooty!
Shirley and Charles Watson
SOME INFORMATION ON THE NATTERJACK TOAD (Bufo calamita Laur.)
This amphibian is smaller than the Common Toad Bufo bufo being about 6 to 8cm long as
an adult. It is often tinged geeenish and can be easily identified by the borad yellow
stripe down its back, it also has pale silvery yellow eyes. The body is not very thick and
carries shorter legs than in other anurans, the back bears numerous small flat warts. The
parotid glands (paired salivary glands) are relatively small, the webs are short being about
half the length of the longest toes. Both sexes are roughly the same size but the male
develops a large vocal sac, particularly during the breeding season. There may be greyish
to red brown blotches on the back, the underside being light grey with black spots
anteriorly and greyish black with white dots posteriorly. The male utters a loud grating
croak, often part of a noisy chorus, starting shortly after sunset.
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 21, May 1997