The Wildlife Pond is less than 2 years old,and some new inhabitants have arrived,which i am very excited to see. I originally thought the eggs were frogs,but they are in fact Toad eggs(Bufo bufo),due to them being laid in two long strands. Looking forward to seeing how they get on,and hopefully we will have a Toad parade coming every year around Valentine's day! Thanks for watching.
Common toad
Scientific name: Bufo bufo
Despite its warts and ancient associations with witches, the common toad is a gardener's friend, sucking up slugs and snails. It is famous for migrating en masse to its breeding ponds.
Species information
Category
Amphibians
Statistics
Length: 8-13cm
Weight: up to 80g
Average lifespan: up to 4 years
Conservation status
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework.
When to see
February to October
About
Common toads are amphibians, breeding in ponds during the spring and spending much of the rest of the year feeding in woodland, gardens, hedgerows and tussocky grassland. They hibernate over winter, often under log piles, stones or even in old flower pots!
Toads are famous for their mass migrations back to their breeding ponds on the first warm, damp evenings of the year, often around St. Valentine's Day. Common toads tend to breed in larger, deeper ponds than common frogs. Toad tadpoles contain toxins that make them unpleasant for predators to eat, allowing them to survive in deep ponds containing fish, which would eat the tadpoles of frogs. Adult toads also contain these toxins, stored in their skin glands.
Common toads mainly feed on slugs, snails and other invertebrates, but larger toads have been known to eat small slow worms and grass snakes, and even harvest mice.
How to identify
The common toad has olive-brown, warty skin, copper eyes and short back legs. It walks rather than hops, and lays its spawn in long strings around aquatic plants, with two rows of eggs per string.
Distribution
Found almost everywhere, except for Scottish islands, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Isles of Scilly and most of the Channel Islands.
Habitats
GrasslandHeathland and moorlandFreshwaterFarmlandWetlandsWoodland
Did you know?
Our cities and towns pose a threat to common toads; busy roads often block migration paths, making it difficult for them to reach their breeding ponds. It is estimated that 20 tonnes of unlucky toads are killed on the UK’s roads every year. If more than 1,000 toads are known to hop across a road in a particular spot, it is dubbed a 'toad crossing'. On suitable nights for migration, volunteer groups (known as 'toad patrols') gather at these spots to help the toads safely across the road.
Welcome to WildWoodlands SW,where we explore the mysterious and wonderful
WildWoods,learning about the Wildlife,and doing projects to benefit the animals,birds and plants. In Summer,we are visited by the mysterious and elusive Nightjar,which will nest at the wood for the summer months. There are also Owls,Woodpeckers,Woodcock,Birds of Prey,Deer,Stoats,Badgers,Foxes and many more residents of the WildWood.
With Trail and Thermal camera,we are able to get a close up view of these fascinating creatures,day and night.
A Wildlife Pond has recently been built,which is still in the process of getting established,and used by the animals,and birds.
Other projects include Camping and survival,Campfire cooking,Shelter building and managing a WildWood in England,come rain or shine!
We will be uploading 4 new Videos every month,and really appreciate all your support,comments and feedback!!
Welcome to WildWoodlands SouthWest
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