My annual Spring message to the few of you who seem to be still here.

I was over in Cornwall UK at the weekend. On Sat 12th February I saw common frogs, Rana temporaria, spawning and already spawned in several ponds. This is a few days earlier than the dates for my home in Ireland where they usually spawn from around the 17th Feb. However, I was surprised to hear common toads, Bufo bufo croaking in the same pools and saw several pairs in amplexus. I do know that both species breed a lot earlier in warmer Cornwall than in the colder North of England, my usual Spring survey site, but would have still expected a gap between the dates of the species.In the North the frogs are usually out about the 17th March and the toads about 3 weeks later.It was a late winter last year in Ireland and the frogs didn't spawn until late March in some sites near me. that was exceptional.I hope to get to North England around the end of March so I'll have two chances of seeing toads breedingthis tear. No common toads in Ireland

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