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Farewell to the frog? (1 Viewer)

We'll have to do as much as we can for our native species of amphibians. Everyone, if you dont have a garden pond, dig one. If you do, then dig another! Oh and dont use those nasty weedkillers.
 
david plankton said:
We'll have to do as much as we can for our native species of amphibians. Everyone, if you dont have a garden pond, dig one. If you do, then dig another! Oh and dont use those nasty weedkillers.
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We were thinking about having a pond now that the kids are a bit older. We saw one at the Birdfair which was raised and made with railway sleepers, and thought that it would be good as the kids would be less likely to fall into it. But we were thinking about birds rather than frogs to be honest, I don't suppose this would be much good for frogs - would it? Do you know if we would need a sunken pond for amphibians to use, or could we adapt the raised one? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
Why not try having a raised pond with some kind of slope leading up one side. Like a rockery type thing. Also if you had loose rocks, this would be an excellent hibernation spot for amphibians.
 
Ok, thanks, I'll suggest it to my other half (as he'll be doing the building) this might work well as our garden is on a bit of a slope anyway.

Plants, frog access/egress, no fish, anything else I need to think of ? What about snails, do we need to put any in, to eat the algae?
 
Fortunately out here in Lithuania, frogs are still VERY common, hopping each and every way virtually everywhere you go, toads too. Still, doing my bit to keep the happy status as it is - in the next couple of weeks, having a 20 metre by 15 metre pool excavated, with a much larger one planned alongside when I find a bit of money :)

I think, however, having just joined the EU, the arrival of EU funds for land intensification is not going to be so good for the frog population overall here. :(
 
Jos Stratford said:
in the next couple of weeks, having a 20 metre by 15 metre pool excavated, with a much larger one planned alongside when I find a bit of money :)
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blimey Jos, a much larger one alongside the 20 x15 metre one!? How big is the new one going to be? You'll end up with a frog farm ;)
 
At my previous abode, the frogs were all over the place, in the plant pots, under them, on the lawn, you name it, they were there. Where I am now, I've seen only one.
 
helenol said:
blimey Jos, a much larger one alongside the 20 x15 metre one!? How big is the new one going to be? You'll end up with a frog farm ;)
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Got fancy ideas of about 100 metres across, with deep bits and islands, but don't have just now so many fancy ideas how to find the pennies and cents ;)

More broadly, work on my new land continues - this week and last, planted 42 assorted fruit trees (cherries, apple, plum, etc), plus about 30 birch, hazel and alder elsewhere on the land. On Monday meeting the disabled association - they have agreed to make me 150 or so nestboxes and on Wednesday, hope to get a pine trunk delivered for me to put my stork platform on top (old wooden wagon wheel).

Saw next to no birds today, other than at the feeder, seems most have migrated out already. Roll on March :)
 
Almost missed the second bit of your post ...a frog farm! Good idea - pity we don't have any French supermarkets up here - could start 'eco-frog products' :)

But maybe that doesn't really fit into my general plans for the land, so I guess I'll just have to keep them as the best protected frogs in the country :))
 
Amphibians not disappearing here either (four common species, two rarities). Last summer I visited SW Estonia, where they are restoring Bufo calamita habitats on abandoned sandpits. Its tadpoles need very shallow waters (up to 5 cm) & sparse vegetation: places like that tend to be ephemeral. Hyla arborea is also spreading northwards in lower Baltic States.
 
:frog:
Elizabeth Bigg said:
This is the heading of an article on the front page of today's Guardian.

You can read it here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/conservation/0,13369,969535,00.html

There's a large photograph too - but unfortunately this isn't reproduced here.
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Elizabeth, for what it's worth; I live only 1 mile out of York city centre and every year our flower beds around here are over'run with the welcome sight of frogs all summer.

I don't think I have seen as many as this year ever... Juv's everywhere..mind you we have a lake only 100mts away, so that's why. Got to say that everyone around here welcomes them back every spring.

They are certainly not declining around these parts..far from it! :frog:
 
Elizabeth Bigg said:
Jos - are you putting up a few holiday chalets for visitors?
Click to expand...

Only 'chalet' to date is the biggest beaver lodge I have ever seen - most of the forest on my land is 'flood forest' (in reality you could call it a swamp). Anyhow, not so long back, I was exploring a new part where I hadn't ventured before and ...couldn't believe my eyes ...there was a beaver lodge at least 6 metres by 6 metres and over 2 metres high (the part above water). When the ice comes, I will go and measure it properly!

Human visitors are, at present, uncatered for ...but visitors to LT are more than welcome - I'll have plenty of nestboxes should you wish to find a new outlet for your nestcam! :)
 
Jos Stratford said:
Hi up there, how's the weather to my north?

Sorry, I'm not so hot on Latin names - do you happen to know the English name of these two?
Click to expand...

A Google search indicates:

Natterjack toad

Common tree frog


(but please remember - I'm only an ignoramus who loves doing Google searches)!!!! :eek!:
 
Benjismum said:
Plants, frog access/egress, no fish, anything else I need to think of ? What about snails, do we need to put any in, to eat the algae?
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Could he manage some running water - our birds love the two small pools that overflow back into the pond. The robins and bluetits like perching on the rim where the water is moving over the edge, and the blackbirds go right into the pools and have a really good splash. On the few occcasions when we see a wren or a goldcrest, they are always in or near the pond.

I've attached a rather poor photograph, taken some while ago - the rocks have a thick mossy covering now.
 

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We have a Frog that shares its time between our garden and one of our neighbours - they have the pond we don't. There is a 6ft fence between our properties so it must limbo dance through or be the Frogs answer to Dick Fosbury.
It or its relatives have been around for the past few years.

Here is a photo of it.
 

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