|
Reptiles and Amphibians
Many people who have
made the effort to dig a wildlife pond will have been rewarded by
the presence of Common Frogs. Additionally, many gardeners will
at some time or other come across a Common Toad in their garden.
These two species are likely to be the two most commonly recorded
amphibians in gardens, but they can be joined by a wide range or
other reptiles and amphibians (both native and non-native). Some
gardeners are fortunate to have Slow Worms helping to keep down
populations of invertebrate pests, while others may consider themselves
less fortunate in having Grass Snakes that use their compost heap.
However, Grass Snakes can be a very welcome addition to a garden.
 |
| Even
Common Lizards can feature in some gardens. |
All of our reptile
and amphibian populations have suffered from loss of habitat and
it is important for even relatively common species to be monitored
effectively to help plan effective conservation work. Because of
this, our Garden BirdWatchers now record them as part of the project.
During 2002 and 2003 we piloted a scheme for recording how reptiles
and amphibians use gardens throughout the year. The results of this
work are being analysed during 2004, with the aim of beginning full
recording of reptiles and amphibians from 2005. Preliminary results
from this work are now available. Please use the following links
to access the information of interest to you:
Click
here to access the reptile and amphibian species accounts.
Click
here to access a summary page showing the results from 2003 in table
form.
|