 |
|
|
walthamstow marsh green frogs: |
| Author | Message |
|
will Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 No. of posts: 330  View other posts by will |
Posted: 23 Jun 2010 Happened to be going past Walthamstow marshes in east London today, which has had green frogs since at least the early 90's - or HAD them, anyway; where I used to see them scattered along the ditches, today there was absolutely nothing. Good news perhaps for the local dragonflies, bad for herons and grass snakes. I'm wondering if the shallow ditches in which they hibernate froze for too long in the winter, or if there's another reason. Also, maybe these green frogs were edible rather than marsh frogs (I've only got one image from a slide taken in 1995 - what do you think?) and perhaps they're less resistant to cold winters than marsh frogs... Finally, have you all noticed fewer green frogs this spring / summer in your patches, or are they as abundant as ever ? (at Barn Elms in west London the marsh frogs still seem very common) Cheers Will  |
|
ben rigsby Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 No. of posts: 337 View other posts by ben rigsby |
Posted: 26 Jun 2010 thanks for nice fresh post and the portrait will. never seen greens myself but a friend who took over a trout farm with abundant fish stocked/unstocked pools in a valley near me here in glos claimed to have seen and heard non-temporaria there. his "wildlife acumen" is generally pretty well informed so i investigated on one occasion last year but definately saw only temporaria myself. i thought he was mistaken. maybe ill arrange another visit as i got him to listen to marsh frog call recordings and he says they were similar to what hed heard. he reckons he saw air sacs too. so maybe worth another check out. happy herping to you! ben Diversity. |
|
will Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 No. of posts: 330 View other posts by will |
Posted: 27 Jun 2010 Thanks Ben; I'm going to do some more surveying in the Lea Valley area as I can't believe all the green frogs are gone after one cold winter, but it certainly seems to have put paid to those which chose to hibernate in shallow ditches in the Walthamstow Marshes LNR. Maybe there will be a recolonisation from other areas in the next few years. |
|
will Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 No. of posts: 330 View other posts by will |
Posted: 02 Jul 2010 I found a few at the nearby Waterworks Reserve on the Lee Valley today, mainly in deeper pools, so maybe the cold winter has caused a contraction in their range. I reckon these ones are edible frogs, rather than marsh frogs. Note the damselflies which chose a silly place to lay an egg - but remarkably they survived and flew away before they were snapped up!  |
|
ben rigsby Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 No. of posts: 337 View other posts by ben rigsby |
Posted: 03 Jul 2010 thats a fab pic will. its got a cartoon feel to it with the the hunted almost taunting the hunter by resting on its nose. cheers ben Diversity. |
|
will Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 No. of posts: 330 View other posts by will |
Posted: 04 Jul 2010 Thanks Ben; definitely living dangerously, those damselflies! |
|
herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369  View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 05 Jul 2010 Hi Will The recent photo look like a classic marsh type water frog (as Julia Wycherley used to say). Though the old slide photo look much more interesting. There was a slow start to the Marsh frogs in Hadleigh this year reported by the countryside ranger. It would be great to get some survey data this year for the water frogs around London and Essex. I am planning to write a book over the next two years for the Essex Naturalist Series - the Herpetofauna of Essex and I would like to record the massive expansion of the water frogs over the last decade Have you been over to the pool frogs on Bell Common at all this year? Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
|
will Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 No. of posts: 330 View other posts by will |
Posted: 05 Jul 2010 Hi Jon Could well be a mixed population, I guess. I've heard rumours of pool frog at Bell Common and funnily enough I was planning a visit soon; happy to meet up if you'd like. Also Fairmead ponds used to have pool / edible frogs but not sure if they're still there. Once found a painted frog not far from Fairmead, too. Cheers Will |
|
herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 06 Jul 2010 Hi Will Yeah a meet up would be great - I am working in Hadleigh this Thursday - so i can pop over to Bell Common this Wednesday perhaps J Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
|
will Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 No. of posts: 330 View other posts by will |
Posted: 06 Jul 2010 Hi Jon Great - I can be up at Bell Common (I presume it's the southernmost pond on the common?) at 2pm tomorrow - Weds. Drop me a pm with your mob number and I'll give you mine for the day Cheers Will |
|
herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 06 Jul 2010 I will do but I am not sure I would be able to make 2pm J Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
- walthamstow marsh green frogs |