Toads back in wood as migration finishes

MORE than 5,600 toads have been helped by the Henley Toad Patrol this year.

The annual migration has now ended with the 489m-long barrier along Marlow road due to be taken down tomorrow (Saturday).

The temporary structure prevents toads, frogs and smooth newts from crossing the A4155, which separates the wood where they live from their spawning ponds in the grounds of the Culden Faw Estate.

Every night from February to April, volunteers will patrol the barrier and pick up any amphibians, which are then safely carried over the road in buckets and placed by the pond.

More than 200 toads, a few frogs and more than 20 newts were collected in the last week, taking the overall total to slightly higher than the long-term average of about 5,500.

Cathy Holwill, a member of the Toad Patrol, said: “It has been a second week of mild, wet weather. We may not like rain so much but toads certainly do. Migration to the spawning pond is coming to its natural end for another year, although every evening in the last week a handful or two of latecomers arrived at the barrier.

“In complete contrast to the tailing off of the migration to the pond, each night last week lots of toads were on their return journey, heading across the field towards the woods, where many will spend the next year.

“How the toads know which direction to go in is a mystery. If you turn one round, it will quickly reorientate itself and continue its journey.”

Volunteers have carried more than 2,000 toads back across the road as well as a few frogs and newts.

Ms Holwill said: “Most of these returning toads will have spent no more than two or three weeks in the spawning pond. Only two weeks ago volunteers had their busiest week of the year as they took a lot across the road to the spawning pond. Now they have been taking the same toads back in the opposite direction.

“Scientific studies have shown that approximately 50 per cent of toads that spawn in one year will survive for another year and return to spawn again. Thus, of the 2,000 plus toads that have already been returned to Oaken Grove by volunteers, hopefully 1,000, or thereabouts, of them will arrive at the barrier next year, hoping for help to get across the road once again.

“Within another week or two, all spawning activity will be over for the year. Each female toad lays, on average, around 1,500 eggs, with larger females producing more eggs than smaller females. This year about 1,500 female toads were taken to the spawning pond and they would together have left more than two million eggs.

“In a few weeks’ time, the pond will be teeming with toad tadpoles. Later, usually in June and July, those tadpoles that have survived will metamorphose into tiny toads, which immediately leave the water and begin their first journey across the field towards the road and the woods on the other side. Like the adults, they instinctively know which direction to head in.”