General (County) update - 13th March 2011

• I mentioned one of our local "toad crossings" the other day - and at about 9pm last night, after a warm day - a drizzle came over our neck of the woods. I suddenly realised that a bit of warmth and a bit of wet was all our toads needed to begin migrating en masse, across roads to their breeding grounds.
• Its not too hard to predict when this all starts each year. There are maybe around 750 toad crossings in the UK that are known about and have been mapped by the organisation "Froglife".

• Each year between March and April volunteers erect toad-crossing signs on roads that the toads cross between those two months, from their normal habitat (woods etc...) to get to their breeding ponds. Toads habitually migrate to their breeding ponds along paths that haven't changed for centuries - but in that time, man-made roads will be built across the  migration paths. The toads still use their ancient habitual migration paths and die in their thousands across the country, under car tyres.
• All the toads need to start migrating is low light (dusk) a relatively warm night (maybe around 8 or 9c) and a little moisture. Then they're off.



• The toad crossing Anna and I drove to last night is a famous toad crossing (at least round here) on the road (A4155) between Henley and Marlow in Buckinghamshire. Thousands of toads spend most of the year in the woods to the north of the A4155 (see map) and when conditions are suitable in early spring, they all head south, to cross the road and get to their breeding pond in the grounds of the Henley Business School (part of Reading University) (see map again). The grid reference FYI is
  SU 76919 85408.
• Three years ago, volunteers helped 6000 toads across the road, two years ago they helped 8000 and last year they helped TEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND ONE cross that bit of road separating the wood from the pond.

• The toads, once spawn has been laid, don't tend to stick around in their breeding pools - they're back to their wood - where they really belong!
• Magical creatures toads - not at all slimy (unlike the gooey frogs) - which make very sweet squeaking noises often (again, unlike the loud-mouthed ribbity frogs).  Toads have very pretty eyes, dry skin and are another reason why I find woods so enchanting.
• Anyhoo.... Anna and I did go down to the woods yesterday - I headed back there at "sparrowfart" this morning - and between us we helped 51 toads cross the road .

• A plea to all those motorists who see toad signs in early spring and don't slow down. Please do! When you see a deer sign at the side of the road, you'll probably not slow down either I guess. So when eventually you hit a deer, not only will the deer probably die - but your car will suffer also. Not so for toads I admit. You'll probably not even notice the toads as you squash them flat with your goodyears. But you'll kill dozens on warm, wet nights in early spring on their ancient paths.

• Just a thought.
• Please click any photo twice to see it at its largest size.