Weird weather and a mysterious disappearance
21st March 2010, SundayWeird weather indeed if you are an amphibian. The cold weather has delayed spawning by these animals and resulted in a late spring for frogs and common toads. This week I have been up at Southport sampling breeding amphibians for the disease Chytridiomycosis, and was fortunate to arrive right at the start of the breeding season and witness a wave of common toads, frogs, smooth newts and great crested newts arriving at the breeding pond. Wednesday evening, the following night, saw me in north Wales where I heard a chorus of at least 14 natterjack toads. Normally several weeks separate breeding by frogs and natterjacks, but the shift from warm to mild conditions has started everything off with a bang!
So as I journeyed south I anticipated a chorus of breeding frogs in my pond. Not a squeak. It was totally devoid of them, despite having held five frogs a few weeks ago, and one female last week? So what is going on?
Perhaps it is still too early? I rather doubt that because the weather down here seems mild enough.
Our pond has Chytrid disease, but so far this infection has never been found to affect common frogs, occuring on newts and toads instead. There has been no sign of frogs with Rana virus in our garden, another recently imported infection that can devastate frog populations.
Could another neighbour have created a shallow pond in a sunnier part of the garden? Frogs are notoriously fickle if warmer water is available for breeding. It is a possibility.
But I also suspect a couple of predators may have finally impacted on my frog population. We have a burgeoning population of newts, and it is several years since I saw any froglets successfully emerge from the pond. We also get visited by a local heron, so perhaps it finished off the few remaining adults?
Whatever the cause of the mystery our pond is rather quiet and sad. I hope I am wrong and they are just late!