It’s that time again!

Tweet

Some of you have probably read my posts before about the ‘Toad Patrol’. Every spring toads wake up from hibernation in the woods and make their way to their traditional breeding ponds, which are unfortunately the other side of a busy road. The charity Froglife coordinates ‘toad patrols’ at crossing places all over the country and about three years ago I (and our girls) joined our local patrol, since our new(ish) house is only one mile away. In early spring the ‘troops’ are mustered and we await the right conditions. The catch is that we never know when the conditions are just right. Ideally temperatures need to be 5°C or above, and the ground needs to be damp – rain is even better. But as with any living things you never really know what they are going to do. Some will decide to venture out when conditions are less than ideal, to get there early. Others will wait until later and take their time once the rush is over. So from mid-February stalwart volunteers check each evening from just before dusk, for an hour or two, while others wait at home in case they get the call. If it’s mild and wet the whole team are required to catch the toads as they emerge and before they get squashed by the traffic. The benefit of course is that we get to see into the private lives of toads (and plenty of frogs and newts as well). All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2019.