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Friends of
BEDFONT LAKES COUNTRY PARK |
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AMPHIBIANS Common Frog – Common Frogs have the ability to lighten or darken their skin to match their environment, and are able to breathe through their skin which helps them remain underwater or in mud for several months whilst they hibernate through the winter. Frog spawn is deposited in large round clumps and can be seen between December and April; depending on how warm the weather is, though March is the normal main spawning time. The tadpoles emerge after 30-40 days in the spawn and carry on the process of metamorphosis as they turn into an adult frog. Common Toad – distinguishable from the Common Frog by its more “warty” brown, not green, skin and the fact it prefers to walk rather than jump. Its spawn is also distinguishable as the Common Toad lays a string-like length of spawn rather than clumps. On average, they are also slightly larger than the Common Frog at around 8-13cm in length.Marsh frog in the reeds Marsh Frog – the largest frog native to Europe, they were introduced into the UK at Walland Marsh, Kent in 1935 and are now fairly common in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, South and South West London. During the mating season males can be heard, maybe even seen, croaking around all of our lakes, but mostly the Fishing Lake and South Lake by inflating the vocal sacs at the side of their mouths. Their call can be described as a chuckling sound. Smooth Newt – the most widespread newt in Britain, the Smooth Newt can grow up to 10cm long. Newts have a tadpole stage also, but instead of being called tadpoles they are known as efts. This newt lays individual eggs which are wrapped in pondweed by the female. Please DO NOT release any animals into the Country Park without gaining permission from the Countryside Rangers first, as you could be breaking the law.
We hope to add some pictures here soon.
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