A Good Summer For Natterjacks

For the first time this year along with Matt Wilson I headed over to the North West. With all this wet weather its been a difficult year for reptiles but a good one for amphibians. For the last couple of seasons Natterjack Toads Bufo calamita have had a bad breeding season with the shallow breeding pools drying out before full metamorphis can take place, this year the ponds are still full, which should lead to many surviving toadlets. Anyhow today was sunny and dry, we only saw 1 Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis, a couple of Viviparous Lizards Zootoca vivipara, 2 Natterjacks and 2 Common Frogs Rana temporaria. After here we went to an adder site but it was too warm and too late in the day and only found a couple of Common Toads Bufo bufo.

All Photos © Carl Corbidge

 Breeding Pond

 Above and Below Natterjack Toad

Above and Below Sand Lizard

Viviparous Lizard