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Posts by TVFrog: |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31  View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Feb 2006
Topic: Rana T. Movements 2006 - So far....
Hi, Anyone spotted Frog movements in S/SE England yet? According to the Phenology website Cornwall/Devon are now well underway. Nothing much happening in the Windsor area at the mo'- ditto my back garden pond - but I did spot 2 young male adults in/around the pond in October '05 - looking for hibernation spots I assume... How mild does it have to stay and over what period before RT starts to move? Cheers, Mark. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 09 Feb 2006
Topic: Rana T. Movements 2006 - So far....
Hi JC, Thanks for the update - yes, get some pics - perhaps things will now start to happen further inland/home counties.... Cheers, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 09 Feb 2006
Topic: Rana T. Movements 2006 - So far....
[QUOTE=Suzi] Here in East Devon we've been locked into some very cold weather for over a week. After a hard frost yesterday morning we had a warm sunny day. My pond still has some ice on but it is a bit milder today. The ground had been frozen for over a week with daytime temps. hovering around zero or below. I would think here it would need to warm up a bit for any movements of frogs. Several of us locally have ponds so I'll let you know if any sightings.[/QUOTE] Hi Suzi, Have you had activity in your pond in prev. years? Yes - let us know what happens, ATB, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 18 Feb 2004
Topic: Early Toad Movements
Dear All, Some sightings last w/e - Sunday 15/02/2004, early PM, - ponds near Crimp Hill Cemetary, Old Windsor, Berkshire - literally on the edge of Windsor Great Park, close to a Wardens residence. One solitary adult Toad moving in the fringes of the main large pond - about a metre out. Water depth c. 20cm No other activity. Unfortunately two dead adults found next to the pond - recently dead too. I thought perhaps if they had been attacked by animals they would have been dragged-off or eaten etc. but these looked as if they had been pierced or stabbed - no other injuries. Leads me to think (perhaps) that this was the work of a person or persons. There was a bad incident involving youths near Maidenhead in 2002 - the RSPCA prosecuted. We also searched other ponds in the same part of Windsor Great Park on the same day - no amphibian activity. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead have just posted this the other day: http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/press/32303_beware_toads.htm I know I have an adult Common Frog overwintering under bark chips next to my garden pond (turned up last year and spent the entire Summer there - last sighted early October 2003) - but as of 17/02/2004 - no activity... (as yet) Best regards, Mark. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 01 Feb 2005
Topic: Early Toad Sightings? Feb 2005
Hi, It's been quite mild - there have been postings of Frog movements in the SW, but has anybody seen evidence of Toads starting to move in the Thames Valley, or is it too early?? Regards, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 07 Feb 2005
Topic: Frog/Toad Movements In The Thames Valley?
Hi, Have checked a number of ponds around the Windsor area at the w/e - no activity as yet. Has anyone else had any spottings in central S. England? The SW - Cornwall/Devon/Dorset/Somerset appears to be well underway already. Cheers, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 07 Feb 2005
Topic: frogspawn
Hi Jerry, Thanks for the offer! - little too far for me. Are they still breeding or have the Frogs moved on? Just out of interest - are you in a rural or urban setting? No or little activity in Berks/Surrey as yet - far as I can tell.... Cheers, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 07 Feb 2005
Topic: frogspawn
Hi Jerry - South Dorest activity is clearly healthy, see also: http://www.phenology.org.uk/ Just look at the difference between that area and just a little further north - Hant/Surrey/Berks. Tony - yes, this is the advice from Froglife - unless the site is under some kind of threat. This is also, linked to preventing spread of disease, but there are some conflicting papers that also say there are benefits in removing some to a different area by spreading the "gene pool" (someone correct me if I haven't got this right). At least Jerry is semi-rural so one would hope less threat from traffic etc. - Enjoy having them in your garden Jerry! (nothing happening in mine (East Berks)...yet...!) Cheers, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 08 Feb 2005
Topic: frogspawn
[QUOTE=Gemma Fairchild] Posted at the same time as you I think M. at least we agreed! á we still haven't seen any frog activity here in Essex, but we are watching and waiting :0) [/QUOTE]Hi Gemma, Thats OK!- yes we were coming from the same angle. Think you mentioned your pond is quite new. Ours is now in it's third year and we had some toadlets in yr1, so I'm hoping for at least a little activity this spring... We had a sole adult male Common Frog in residence all of that first summer - right up to October, but nothing at all last year.... I live close to Heathrow and, despite the many ditches/ponds/streams etc. in the area have observed *very*limited herp activity in recent years. This includes sites in and around Windsor Great Park. Unfortunately I think there may be slightly raised levels of pollution (aircraft emissions)that are impacting populations.... Interesting to see the Welsh activity, despite the low temperatures! (the airs much cleaner over there too methinks!) Wishing you luck with your new Essex pond! Cheers, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 11 Feb 2005
Topic: Frog/Toad Movements In The Thames Valley?
Hi Mark, Well done - take care out there! I had a look out myself tonight (but found nothing) as it's gone quite mild and seemed especially mild tonight in the south. Any Toad movements yet?? Cheers, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 11 Feb 2005
Topic: frogspawn
Hi Gemma, It's gone even milder tonight - spot anything? It will even more interesting if the weather stays like this for a few days... Cheers, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 15 Feb 2005
Topic: Toads and Roads
This is terrible - I am really suprised that there was any Toad movement over the weekend - after Friday the temperatures dropped - I was in the Shropshire/Welsh borders at the weekend and it was freezing. Have the local council not made past provision for toad migrations? M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 26 Mar 2005
Topic: frog spawn
Hi James, Thanks for your excellent pics - good to see such a healthy population so close to London. Transfering shouldn't damage the spawn, I wouldn't think. Have you noticed this population in this site before?? Cheers, M. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 18 Jul 2005
Topic: Do Toads/Frogs see young as "Lunch"?..
Hi All, Came back from a weekend away last night to find an adult Toad sitting in my pond, partially submerged under duckweed - probably cooling down with all the hot weather we've been having. Anyway - also have loads of Froglets in/around the pond at the moment - doing rather well - was wondering if adult Rana/Bufo would ever see the youngsters as potential prey? Has this ever been observed in the UK species? Cheers, Mark. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 18 Jul 2005
Topic: Do Toads/Frogs see young as "Lunch"?..
Ooops! Then theres not much I can do. Hopefully there are plenty of insects that she'll take a fancy to instead.... |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 18 Jul 2005
Topic: Do Toads/Frogs see young as "Lunch"?..
Has anyone else observed cannibalism amongst Rana/Bufo? |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 19 Jul 2005
Topic: Do Toads/Frogs see young as "Lunch"?..
Hi Gemma, Thanks for your detailed response, an interesting story. On the face of it I'm inclined to agree. Even under "normal" circumstances in ones back garden, despite predation by birds, predation at taddy stage, not surviving hibernation etc. one would still expect even a few Froglets / Toadlets to survive to 2/3 years old, or just past the first year - so in your experience the complete absence of *any* yearlings would seem strange. Bearing in mind the other locational issues one could conclude intraspecifc predation had been occuring. Interestingly the high concentration you quote (250 examples) would also indicate the young adults/mature adults weren't being predated "naturally" themselves, meaning a further shortage of invert-type food leading to possibly even more intraspecifc predation!!? I wonder if the same would occur if we were talking Toad here instead of Frog....? Also - theres some info on the web re' "gape size" in Frogs - I assume this discusses what the Frogs could feasibly attempt to catch 
BTW - Does Marsh Frog = what we used to call years ago the "European Edible Frog"? As before - hopefully I've got enough alternative food sources in my garden to ensure any adults are "catered" for ;-) enabling at least a few Froglets to survive. Cheers, Mark. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 20 Jul 2005
Topic: Adult Toad In Pond - Not Breeding Season
See also: Topic: Do Toads/Frogs see young as "Lunch"?.. I seem to have an large adult female Bufo who has taken up residence in my garden pond for about 4 days now. Very nice to see - but, recent hot weather aside (as Mrs Toad might just have been overheating and taking a dip), seems strange to me as I know toads are much more terrestrial than Frogs and have never seen one spending time in water outside of March/April.... Plus - always thought they only fed on land...? Cheers, Mark. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 21 Jul 2005
Topic: pic from cornwall
Great photo - even greater expression! I hope toad populations are doing well down in the SW. Mark. |
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TVFrog Member Joined: 18 Feb 2004 No. of posts: 31 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 16 Feb 2006
Topic: Rana T. Movements 2006 - So far....
Last night - 9c temp - Windsor, went out about 9:30pm and there was a lovely looking solitary young adult male, surfaced, looking up at me in the torchlight - then submerged back down to the depths. Reckon he had overwintered in there - he looked familiar from last autumn..... Gone cold again here today - 1c - will have put a stop to things methinks. Cheers, M. |
- Posts by TVFrog |