Mating frogs, toads and even newts - March 2002

In the last couple of days we have seen several things worthy of reporting. One of our Manx sheep had a lovely lamb. The barn owl was seen hunting across the earthen embankment to the North of the orchard at 6:15 a.m. But the most amazing thing was the 'toads and frogs mating'

A couple of years ago we re-created the farm pond. This is now a focal point for hundreds if not thousands of toads to assemble to mate on the same couple of nights in the year. They come from great distances and in the early evening they fill the paths and drive-ways. So drivers beware. They enter the pond and the poor females are attacked by male after male.

We also created a smaller pond in the orchard - which is currently the home for a couple of Mallards. Again lots of night activity - this time mainly with frogs. While photographing the frogs, at 11:00 p.m., last night we were delighted to see a Newt - which is a protected species in this country.

The pond habitat during the day, with nesting Mallards on it

Two mating Toads

A newt we found while looking in the pond for frogs and toads

A toad on its way to mate

A frog holding on to the slate water sluice exit to the pond

Two Toads on their way to the pond