Light mornings and working outdoors are, for me when I feel very privileged to be involved with TCV. As the last of winter relinquishes it’s lingering grip on Leeds and (Skelton Grange!) the new seasons growth shyly pushes upwards before bursting into life it’s a time of year which is really exhilarating
As a keen herpetologist (that’s a lover of all things reptile or amphibian), the spring brings with it an exciting time of year: amphibian survey season!
One of Skelton’s residents 🙂
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Amphibians, the world over comprise the most endangered group of animals, owing largely to the destruction of their habitat and their limited “dispersal capability” (when you’re a small frog there’s only so far you can hop!) as their remaining habitat becomes increasingly fragmented, this poses a real problem for young amphibians looking for their own home and breeding ponds.
British amphibians are truly incredible creatures and their natural history is just one the amazing things about them; all species of native British amphibian spawn in the pond but there are lots of differences in what happens after that! At Skelton Grange and very possibly in your own garden ponds you can find Common Toads, Common Frogs, Smooth Newts and my favourite Palmate Newts the males have what look like small blue stars on their back feet! For some ID tips on how to tell what amphibians are living in your garden Froglife have a really helpful website.
A Skelton Amphibian Survey in Action!
At TCV Skelton Grange, we run torchlight amphibian surveys to count the amphibians on site, which not only contributes to our own knowledge about our local wildlife but also feeds into regional data records and can be used to influence conservation plans. Torchlight Amphibian surveys are also just great fun, and a chance to see the ponds you might walk past everyday from a completely different perspective! If you are interested in having frog- related fun at Skelton Grange then all the information you need can be found here.
As my placement continues, I am going to run more science inspired events so if you have a passion for being outdoors and seeing great things: Watch this space!
Thanks for Reading 🙂