30 Days Wild: Day 12 - Good weather for....... newts!

Tonight sees us doing our last great crested newt survey of 2015.

For those who aren't familiar with this highly protected amphibian and its survey requirements; the survey season runs from mid-March to mid-June each year, the breeding season for newts, which sees the adults returning to ponds where they get busy creating the next generation.

A great crested newt egg - the female lays these on leaves under the water and folds the leaf over it.

We've been spoiled this season with lots of fine weather, so it was only fair that tonight's survey was undertaken in-between rain showers. While it might be a little uncomfortable for us it will be a welcome relief for the amphibians - all this dry weather of late has meant that ponds have been steadily shrinking, so this should top them up nicely. Being mild and damp also gives these porous skinned, cold blooded creatures the best conditions for moving around on land too, as we saw tonight. Once the first shower had begun we started seeing frogs and toads moving around near to the ponds, 
 

Common toad on the move

followed by several palmate newts which have probably been waiting patiently in the pond for the opportunity to move on.

They can move surprisingly fast on land considering their small size, especially when they get to open ground.

What is 30 Days Wild? Read all about it here.