Keep an eye out for frog spawn after mild winter

THIS has been such an unusual winter as far as the weather is concerned, bearing in mind that this time last year we had already experienced several weeks of semi-permanent snow with up two feet on occasions around our house.

There have already been signs of the relatively milder weather with willow buds now showing, and the latest note was of silverweed along roadside verges.

It will be intriguing to see whether frogs’ and toads’ spawn will be any earlier than usual. This train of thought came from an email from the pond conservation group, indicating that the first frogs’ spawn was found in early January in Cornwall and Swansea.

This is part of what is being called the "Big Spawn Count" – an effort to track the spawn as it is laid across the country.

There are a number of reasons for this survey, with one being to see how the amphibians have fared over the past two severe winters.

Another reason is to see just how important garden ponds are becoming as sites in the wider countryside are vanishing or not being suitable any more.

The fact that the first spawn has already been found in the south is not surprising, with weather conditions varying the further north you go.

However, it does manifest itself in the Highlands in slightly more subtle ways. For example, I know of a small frog colony in a large moorland pool at around 1,500ft in open moorland and it is always a few weeks behind the spawn laid in the lower parts of a nearby strath.

The first frogs’ spawn in the Highlands normally comes from coastal sites, with last year’s records of one near Lochinver, another at Bonar Bridge and the other on the Black Isle.

The latter site was in a tiny garden pond, while the other two were in lochans.

All three records were of spawn laid before the end of February, and if the mild weather continues it might be even earlier. Subtle changes in altitude and weather make a difference, even in the Highlands.

Down south, apparently so many water bodies of all types have disappeared in the last two decades or more that amphibians are having to seek other sites. They have moved into garden ponds, which seem to have become more prolific in recent years.

While we may be better off in the Highlands, there is still cause for concern. I know many sites that have disappeared or been modified in the craze for drainage that has affected many areas – sometimes for no valid reason.

We still have large colonies of both frogs and toads but there is still need to be cautious.

Frogs’ spawn can readily be distinguished from toads’ spawn as it is in relatively small clumps and will float for some time on the surface.

Each female frog lays one clump of eggs so you can tell the size of the colony.

Toads’ spawn is more difficult to see as it is laid in strings under the water – often being wound around submerged aquatic plants. The photograph is of a male toad swimming around looking for a female.

Pond Conservation and other associated bodies would like to hear of your records of either frogs’ or toads’ spawn.

If you email them to me I will pass them all on, so please keep an eye open in the next few weeks.

It will help the organisation to get a handle on the broader picture and will ultimately help in the conservation of these fascinating and enigmatic amphibians.

RECORD OF THE WEEK

The highlight of the week was in the garden and it involved a treecreeper.

This may seem an odd subject to be a highlight but it was the behaviour of the bird that I had not witnessed before.

The bird was carrying out its usual feeding routine of landing on the bottom of one of the fruit trees in the garden and walking up the bark searching for food as it went.

Books may well say it is mouse like and it really is just like that as it edges its way upwards over the bark.

The long thin beak is designed for searching in nooks and crannies for its main food that is insects and spiders from crevices in the bark.

In recent weeks the treecreeper in our garden has surprised us as it has been going for the suet balls hanging in a special feeder.

We have seen them at the peanuts in the past and even on the ground eating small pieces of nuts dislodged by other birds.

Perhaps a clue to this apparent change in food habits lies in the fact that books record them taking seeds from conifer cones in the winter.

This is much the same way the siskins have gone in that they will take cone seeds but now come freely to peanuts.

The treecreeper last week involved a variation I have never seen as it was drinking water.

Obviously all birds have to drink unless they get liquid from their prey.

This one just sat on the side of the bird bath on the ground and sipped for a while before flying back onto bark to search for more insects.