Frogs a-Spawning
Sunday, February 26th 2017
The reserve was a little wind swept today with the odd shower, ….
….but even when wet and cold the reserve has a magical feel of peace and solitude.
The first frog spawn was noticed on Friday on the Scrapes. The numerous clusters are the signs of a dozen females, but I did not notice many Common Frogs about today, the cooler weather seems to make the mating less prolific.
Frogs and toads normally overwinter in places like compost heaps, amongst dead wood or under decking/your shed/other objects. Frogs and sometimes newts, will choose to overwinter at the bottom of the pond where temperatures are warmer; they bury themselves down in the silt at the bottom and take in oxygen through their skin.
Amphibians will emerge from hibernation when the weather starts to warm up (night time temperatures over 5’C) – this can be any time from January onwards, and although the weather has changed to cold recently the mating activity started in a mild spring-like spell a week ago at Foxglove Covert.They head straight towards the numerous waterbodies to breed and it’s common to see large numbers of them congregating in and around ponds. Males often start moving before females and will either wait at the pond for a potential mate to arrive or wait nearby and ‘piggy back’ on passing females.
There will be a fair bit of movement of Frogs and Toads over the next few weeks so please try to avoid them on the main track to the Field Centre.
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Undergrowth Newsletter
Undergrowth Newsletter Winter 2020/21 Issue 54

Find out what has been going on at the reserve during the lockdown!
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Recent Blog Posts
- Plenty To See
- No Snow, No Hail
- Tawny Owls and Grey Herons
- More Flowers
- Nature
- Moving Slowly Through Spring
- Nesting Time
- Winter Spring
- Warm Days
- Biscoff Cheesecake, Brownies and Bakewell Tarts!
- A Busy Day for Some
- Volunteers at Work
- Around the Reserve
- A Ringing Day
- Flowers at Last!
- More Spring Photos
- Moths!
- A Special Visit
- Spring Has Sprung!
- Reducing, Reusing and Recycling!
- Almost Spring
- Thank you!
- Ringing Resumes!
- Arrival of Spring
- Strong Support
- Back To Work!
- We Are Open!
- Update
- Temporary Closure
- Large, Little and In Between
- The Weather
- A Wild Worky Day!
- Malik and Corrie
- Forest School Fun
- Winter Work
- Preventing The Spread of Bird Flu
- Thank You and Congratulations!
- Job Jobbed!
- Hazel, a Hedge and more High Vis!
- Moths
- Many Happy Returns!
- Winter Scenes at Foxglove
- Sheer Dedication!
- Back to Work
- Happy New Year!
- All Kinds of Weather
- Last Volunteer Day 2021
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- Edward the Elf Returns!
- Sunshine and Blue Skies
- More Clearing Up
- December Winter Worky Day
- Dangerous Trees
- Tidying Up After Storm Arwen
- Storm Damage
- Willow Weaving
- Considerate Contributions
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- Never Work With Wildlife
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- All About Fungi
- Look North
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- Forest Fun
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- Wildlife Activity Day
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- Fungi Walk
- Happy Holidays!
- Bakewells, Banana Cake and Brushcutting!
- A Busy ‘Typical’ Day?
- Wet and Wild!
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- Changing Seasons
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- Extra Help
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- Lively Livestock!
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- Half Term Plans
- Autumn Worky Day
- QAVS Award on Display
- The Beginnings of Autumn
- Weekly Round Up
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- Colours
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- Ringing at the Crater
- Hints of Autumn
- Sightings Various
- Moths Butterflies and a ‘Dragon’
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