At this time of year we are seeing a number of animals becoming active after what seems like a long winter. Frogs and toads are emerging from their winter quarters and getting on with the business of mating. Some frogs are so desperate to find a mate that they will even traverse snow to reach their ponds. We have been helping Bam Nuttal site personnel to move frog spawn and palmate newts from temporary pools into more permanent ponds at Fyrish and Melgarve substation.
These amphibians are moving from their terrestrial habitats, where they spend most of their lives, into pools, ponds and ditches across the country. We often find Palmate and Common Newts in the north but the northern race of Great Crested Newt around the Inverness area are much more elusive. This species has special protection and developers need to consider the presence of GCNs as well as other European Protected species at an earl stage in development projects. Bats too are beginning to move back to their summer roosts and on warmer evenings, when insects are flying, you may catch a glimpse of these often elusive creatures.
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