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a bad year for frogs and newts?: |
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ben rigsby Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 No. of posts: 337  View other posts by ben rigsby |
Posted: 05 Mar 2011 hi people  ,
although there are still a fair few about here (Glos), ive seen a lot less newts/frogs (bit early to tell for toads) in all the local ponds i watch this year. including my own where nos are down circa 30-40%. oddly though, i didnt have any dead uns float up in my 2 pools. if some animals died during the jan freeze then they must have succumbed elsewhere. another garden frog/palmate pond i visit daily which usually has quite good numbers, shows no sign of life at all this spring. ive not seen any spawn or a single frog/newt there. not so far anyway. since RT around here have bred and gone, i dont expect to now either 
also had a frost here last night. which wont have done the frogspawn at the top of the clumps any favours of course. are you finding a similar downtrend this year where you are? regards to all, ben  Diversity. |
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Shawit Member Joined: 08 Apr 2010 No. of posts: 7 View other posts by Shawit |
Posted: 06 Mar 2011 I'm in Central Bristol. The number of Palmate Newts in my garden ponds does not appear to have reduced. However, frog numbers have crashed in my ponds ( approx. 50-60 at spawning to 8 ) , there are no frogs in my neighbours pond and in the local pond numbers were definitely reduced. I've just visited the local park pond and found all the spawn has gone. |
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Baby Sue Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2008 No. of posts: 412  View other posts by Baby Sue |
Posted: 07 Mar 2011 Up in Yorkshire thereÆs lots of frogspawn this year, dunno about toad numbers yet as they havenÆt shown their faces yet. I wanted presents from lots of you. Snot fair that Ben Rigsby was the only one to send me Xmas & birthday presents. 
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tim-f Senior Member Joined: 13 Apr 2008 No. of posts: 60  View other posts by tim-f |
Posted: 07 Mar 2011 Hello knowledgeable people. I was walking in the Black Mountains yesterday and saw several clumps of spawn in a very temporary puddle in a rutted farm track, with quite a lot that had totally dried out. A real shame. On a ridge at about 500m, there was a more permanent pool with some apparently healthy spawn, but also this orangey spawn. Is it frost damaged/unfertilized/diseased/water too acid etc etc?  Regards, Tim. |
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Baby Sue Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2008 No. of posts: 412 View other posts by Baby Sue |
Posted: 09 Mar 2011 Weird.  Dunno.  I wanted presents from lots of you. Snot fair that Ben Rigsby was the only one to send me Xmas & birthday presents.
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lalchitri Senior Member Joined: 06 Jun 2006 No. of posts: 132  View other posts by lalchitri |
Posted: 17 Mar 2011 I usually get close to a hundred frogs in my pond this time of year. Would be surprised if I had more than 10 this year. Had the first 3 clumps of spawn this morning though. Reformed Teetotaller |
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Baby Sue Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2008 No. of posts: 412 View other posts by Baby Sue |
Posted: 18 Mar 2011 I still ainÆt seen any toads yet but IÆm hoping itÆs just cos of the cold. ItÆs Comic Relief tonight, every year Robbie Williams or Take That are on and I usually end up missing them or getting back just in the nick of time cos IÆm out looking for toads every Comic Relief night.
Should see them tonight though, didnÆt go out frogging last night, just been too cold. I wanted presents from lots of you. Snot fair that Ben Rigsby was the only one to send me Xmas & birthday presents.
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Suzi Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 No. of posts: 860 View other posts by Suzi |
Posted: 19 Mar 2011 After thinking I'd not get any frog spawn this year in my East Devon pond I was pleased to find a brand new clump on the surface this morning. More surprised as it was down to -4C last night. When I removed the clump to rear elsewhere I found another clump underneath that was a day or two older. That clump definitely didn't start on the surface as I look carefully every day. My neighbour's frog spawn has all hatched out now with the taddies swimming freely. About a month's difference in laying times. Suz |
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Baby Sue Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2008 No. of posts: 412 View other posts by Baby Sue |
Posted: 21 Mar 2011 I wanted presents from lots of you. Snot fair that Ben Rigsby was the only one to send me Xmas & birthday presents.
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B Lewis Krag Committee Joined: 24 Aug 2004 No. of posts: 146  View other posts by B Lewis |
Posted: 21 Mar 2011 Toads at it here in Kent, see post on Common toad link. Lewis Ecology Brett Lewis Photography Kent Reptile & Amphibian Group DICE - University of Kent |
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lalchitri Senior Member Joined: 06 Jun 2006 No. of posts: 132 View other posts by lalchitri |
Posted: 24 Mar 2011 [QUOTE=ben rigsby]where nos are down circa 30-40%. [/QUOTE] Mine are down to 30-40% of last year. Instead of 46-47 clumps, I've got 17 this year. Also, only a couple of newts present, instead of the usual 20-25. Reformed Teetotaller |
- a bad year for frogs and newts? |
