Cold weather slows toad migration

A TOTAL of 6,491 toads, 735 frogs and 127 smooth newts have been helped by Henley Toad Patrol volunteers so far this year.

Cold and very dry weather, especially during the nights, has significantly reduced the number of toads reaching the barrier alongside the A4155 road between Henley and Marlow.

In recent nights, volunteers have not collected a single toad heading for the spawn- ing pond on the Culden Faw Estate on the opposite side of the road.

Professor John Sumpter, a biologist and environmental science lecturer who lives in Southend, is a founding member of the group.

He said: “A few mild, and preferably also wet, nights are

needed to encourage the remaining amphibians to ven- ture out and head for their spawning pond.

“It is impossible to know how many more toads will be collected; it could be hun- dreds or thousands. The seasonal long-term average over the last 26 years has been 5,747, so the total so far this year has already exceeded that number.

“Last year, 11,500 toads were helped across the road, so it is quite possible that there could be many more toads to come this year.”

A few frogs and nearly 400 toads have spawned and left the pond to return to where they spend the vast majority of their time. They have been helped by Cathy Holwill, a volunteer at the group. Prof

Sumpter added: “In contrast to the recent lack of toads and other amphibians heading for the spawning pond, many of the toads that have been in the pond for the last few weeks have already spawned and are now leaving the pond and heading back to Oaken Grove and further afield.

“How they instinctively know which direction to head in is one of the many unknowns of amphibian migration.

“Interestingly these returning toads appear much less affected by the night-time temperature, hence, every night in the last week some have been collected by volunteers, and taken back across the road, before being released into Oaken Grove.”