Toads on the move, results for 2008!

Charlcombe Lane, Bath, has been re opened after the finish of the 2008 toad, frog and newt migration. This was the fifth consecutive year that the lane has been closed to allow volunteers to help these amphibians on their perilous journey to the water courses in the Charlcombe Valley to breed.
This year the BBC Radio 4 programme, World on the Move,met volunteers one evening to observe the migration. Fortunately the evening chosen was wet, mild and dark and over hundred toads were recorded on the move as well as frogs and newts.
This year's results for toads are disappointing, fewer toads were recorded on the evenings that the volunteers went out to help.
These are the results, the figures in brackets are last year's records for rescued amphibians 705(937) toads, 169(72) frogs and 116(52) newts. Toad numbers nationally are in decline but the reduction in numbers this year could be a one off perhaps due to weather conditions, it will be interesting to see what happens to the numbers next year.
For more details of amphibian migrations check out the Froglife web site.

White Clawed Crayfish spotted in new site near Bath

White clawed crayfish are rare in the area as they are threatened by a fatal virus carried by non native crayfish which have escaped into the wild. Apart from carrying the virus the Signal crayfish are also larger and compete with the smaller native crayfish for food and habitat.
However a recent survey by Avon Wildlife Trust have discovered the White clawed Crayfish in a brook where it had been thought that they were extinct.
If you are a fisherman, angler or other user of the river please contact us for a free leaflet giving advice on how to spot them and reduce the threat of the spreading the crayfish plague. contact Jane Briggs 01225 477579



Silver Street Nature Reserve

LNR website launched

A new website has been launched which gives details on Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) throughout Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol and North Somerset.

There are many different sites to visit ranging from a 100 hectare farm to a tiny reserve atop an old railway viaduct. The website also features a forum which can be used by community groups involved with LNRs to advertise events, trade good practice and other general networking.

Find out more about WILDthings and Local Nature Reserves

Tracking field boundaries

Mendip Hills AONB Field Maps

A set of three attractive full colour A3 maps are available, illustrating the field boundaries, wild life and management ideas for the parishes of Bath & North East Somerset Council which are situated in the Mendip Hills AONB. The information for these maps has been collected by field boundaries volunteers and interpreted by the Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre.

The project was supported by the Mendip Hills Sustainability Fund. Sets of these Parish Maps are available for a price of �10. Please contact Jane Briggs, Community Landscape Projects Officer, 01225 477579.

UK BAP List Amended

The list of priority habitats and species for the UK Biodiversity Action Plan has recently been nationally reviewed and updated. The original list of 10 years ago contained 577 species and 49 habitats. The new list identifies 1149 species and 65 habitats, and is currently out for consultation. The increase in number has been attributed to recent advances in our understanding, a greater thoroughness in the review and a number of new declines and threats. 123 of the original 577 species have been removed from the list.

Following adoption of the new list it will form the basis for BAP work across the UK. Locally this is most likely to be first seen in moving towards prioritising orchards (one of the new priority habitats) in biodiversity work. View the report together with the updated list of species and habitats

Hawk and Owl Trust launch new web site. find your nearest group and check out thie web site to see how you can become involved.www.hawkandowl.org
Focus on ...

Gardens

Is your garden good for amphibians, snakes, and lizards.?
These groups of animals need all the friends that they can get if they are to survive the perils and challenges of modern life. Gardens can be safe refuges for these animals and can be made even better with a little fine tuning of your gardening practice.
Make room for a compost heap. This will allow you to turn garden waste into rich compost as well as providing warm breeding grounds for slow worms and grass snakes. These animals will help you control slugs and snails organically.

Piles of woody waste from shrub pruning in a quiet corner are excellent cover for newts, toads and lizards in the summer and will eventually rot down into manageable compost, which can be used for your roses.

Piles of stones and rocks and dry stone walls will encourage amphibians and reptiles such as toads, newts, slow worms and frogs to over winter and in the summer linger to eat garden pests which could attack seedlings and vegetables.

If you are lucky your pond could be visited by grass snakes, attractive brown snakes with a yellow collar. Grass snakes are harmless to pets and people but will hunt garden pests and small pond creatures. Toads, frogs and newts may well breed in a garden ponds provided they do not contain goldfish which will predate them.