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Reptiles and Amphibians |
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AMPHIBIANS |
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Pair of Frogs prepare for spawning in Roe's Well, 21st Feb 2007 Photo: ©Sarah White. |
Frog spawn. Approx 100 batches in Roe's Well 28th February 2007. |
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Frog spawn batches in Roe's Well 28th February 2007. |
FROG SPAWN in the lake 23.3.05. It appears as a gelatinous mass. Individual eggs can be distinguished. | |||
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A large bird of prey has eaten a female frog and discarded the oviducts and egg mass on the grassland behind the lake. 25th Feb 2007. |
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Left: Tadpole being devoured by a Great diving beetle larva. Tadpoles are the food of many aquatic creatures and pond-side animals. Photo: May 1971 Middle: FROG TADPOLE showing almost complete development. The legs are present, and the tail will be absorbed. Right: COMMON FROG Rana temporaria is distinguished from the toad by its smooth skin and a circular ear drum behind the eye. The adults will return to the pond at the age of 4-5. |
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Left: COMMON TOAD Bufo bufo pair in amplexus. The male is the smaller. Right: Common toad eggs are laid in strings among the water weeds |
Strings of toad spawn in the lake 31st March 2006. |
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SMOOTH NEWT PAIR Triturus vulgaris. As adults and non-breeding juveniles they are commonly found under stones and logs in the forest only returning to the water for a short period to breed. Photo: May 1970. During the breeding season the male develops a crest and colourful tail. Photo: May 1970 |
NEWTPOLE or EFT (Smooth/Palmate type) Pictures show the feathery external gills. Photo: July 2004 Sheepwater. |
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REPTILES |
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GRASS SNAKE Natrix natrix Photo with insert © Martin Duffield |
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GRASS SNAKE Occasionally seen in the forest ponds and craters, also in the Golf course ponds. Feed principally on frogs but take tadpoles, fish, newts and insects. |
The GRASS SNAKE, recognised by its yellow collar, is harmless to humans. Swims with a side to side movement of its body. Its head is held out of the water. Photo: June 1971 |
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GRASS SNAKE Natrix natrix on the heathland. Photo: 4th Sept. 06. |
COMMON or VIVIPAROUS LIZARD Lacerta vivipara Photo: June 1971 on the heathland. |
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COMMON LIZARD in new glade by the heathland Photo: 29th April 2007 ©Sarah White |
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