Frog & toad spawn seen for the first time

Toad Activity

The last week (29 Feb - 6th March) has continued cold, with the exception of Tuesday 1st March, which was wet and mild.

The toads generally stayed where they were and only moved on Tuesday night, whereupon 8 were turned into 'toad pancakes' in Kiln Way, Ashcroft Road, Chaffinch Way & Linnet Avenue. Squashed flat as they attempted to cross these estate roads :-(.

Meanwhile down at the main pond in Putlands, 343 toads were seen on Tuesday night (1st March). The good news was that we also found some toad spawn, which had probably been laid the previous Tuesday night (23rd Feb), when it was also mild and wet.

Strands of toad spawn

The next few days are also expected to be cold, before it warms up at the end of the week. I am therefore expecting a second period of toad activity and breeding at the end of the week.

Frog Activity

Oddly the frogs seem to be breeding later than the toads this year. It is usually the other way around, with the frogs in Putland breeding about 10 days ahead of the toads, but not this year.

There is frog spawn in the Putland ponds, but not in great amounts so far. It could be that a late surge will happen later this week.

A clump of frog spawn

Foal Hurst Wood Frogs

At the other end of the town, in the local nature reserve, the frogs using the wetland pond, in the middle of the wood have produced about 80 clumps of frogspawn, which is in line with previous years figures. No toad spawn has been seen, for toads prefer to breed in larger ponds and lakes.

Recording breeding success

Viewing the two pictures of toad and frog spawn above, you can see the two amphibian species are using different methods to deposit their spawn in the water. Toads warp the strands of spawn around vegetation, whilst frog allow the clump of frog spawn to float freely on the surface. Finding frog spawn is much easier than toad spawn and for this reason, when recording breeding activity for these two amphibian species, different methods are used.

With frogs each clump of frogspawn represents one female frog's annual egg production. So 80 clumps = 80 breeding females. Sounds easy doesn't it ?  Try counting the clumps in the next photo !

When clumps become a solid mass !!!

Toads are much easier, all you have to do is count the courting couples, unless the female is grabbed by several males, then its just as difficult !

A toad ball. There is a female in there somewhere !

What about the other main amphibian group, newts? Well that requires a whole new post at a later date :-).