Watching for Frogs and Toads

During February we had only half the average rainfall. This makes it difficult for Frogs and Toads to emerge from their points of hibernation and get to the water they need to breed in. As amphibians need water to breed in as the eggs would dry out. Also the Frogs and Toads need to have damp or wet conditions to journey to the ponds and pools to breed in. Thus last night with steady rain forecast, it was looking like the best night so far to see the amphibians on the move and breeding.

So after midnight I ventured forth, walking in the woods in the dark is always an interesting experience. Because of recent gales the paths and tracks are covered with small twigs and branches, that makes walking quietly much more difficult, so slow and steady was the only way to progress. Initially, I had to be careful not to do an impression of a snowball as I nearly went tumbling more than once. I know that I disturbed something as I heard what sounded like a Fox or a Badger escaping at my approach.

I heard a pair of Tawny owls and I stopped to listen. There was no way that I could see them, but the male must have been no less than fifteen feet away from me as I passed by. Because of the density of the wood on the route I needed to take, I was using a torch. This meant that I could see the eye shine of a pair of Foxes as they crossed my path a hundred yards or so from me.

By the time I got to the pools, the steady drizzle was making the ground quite slick under foot. As I did not want to fall in (again), I took my time to get to the pond side. There were no sounds of the Frogs or Toads, nor any sign of them. I set up the Camera on the Tripod and placing a rain cover on it I went looking to see if I could spot any of the amphibians moving about. I could not see anything so I waited and waited.

When I realised that the first light of pre dawn was lightening the sky I realised that I was not going to get the amphibians on film I decided it was better to wait for the light to return before heading home. While all I had got was wet, I did have the consolation of the dawn chorus to make my tired trek home a pleasant one. I may have gotten a momentary glimpse of a Roe Deer as it leaped away from my approach.

Well I will have to wait for another moist evening and perhaps then I will see them.
When I got home, on the radio was a story asking people not to collect Frog spawn to stock their ponds. I did think lucky them to have the spawn to find.

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