SARG NEWS - 12 November 2009

SARG NEWS - 12 November 2009

Winter Habitat Management Tasks

As winter draws on, it's often difficult to find the motivation to get out into the countryside. The option to sit in front of the 'goggle-box' on a soft sofa can be all too tempting. However; there is an alternative!

SARG, in partnership with a variety of land-managers, supports habitat management tasks over the winter period. This work helps to preserve the habitat for reptiles and amphibians, whilst they safely hibernate. The management work includes heathland restoration, scrub clearance and pond management.

You can find a list of these activities on the SARG Diary (on the SARG website: 'About SARG'>'Diary'), or use this link:
http://www.surrey-arg.org.uk/SARG/06000-Diary/SARG2Diary.asp

If you want to learn more about the type of activities that habitat management involves...there is a page describing what we do here:
http://www.surrey-arg.org.uk/SARG/02000-Activities/SARG2habitatManagement.shtml

Winter tasks can be a great way to meet like-minded people, and an easy way to get a little winter exercise.
It's always wise to contact the organiser before the day of the task to check that it is still scheduled, as although the volunteers are a hardy lot, even they can be put off by the worst of winter weather.

Froglog posts news of new amphibian reserve in Colombia

Froglog is the Newsletter of the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group.The latest edition contains fascinating reports about amphibian status in sites from regions as diverse as Colombia, the Amazon Rainforest and Nigeria. Problems associated with the Chytrid fungus and the trade in amphibian species are also discussed.

The latest edition can be downloaded from www.amphibians.org

The Frog Chorus

Ponds and gardens across Surrey have been the scene of increased nocturnal activity with the arrival of warmer, wetter nights. Female common frogs (Rana temporaria) have been spawning in large numbers, accompanied by the croaking of solitary males looking for a mate.

If you have frog spawn in your Surrey garden, then please let me know! (don't forget to mention your postcode).

Email: steve@surrey-arg.org.uk

New Tins

This weekend...I have been mostly...cutting tins.



Money raised by SARG has been used to buy corrugated iron, which is cut into tins and used for reptile survey. Reptiles (particularly snakes and slow worms) bask under refugia (tins), as they cannot see the sky and feel safe from their main predators (birds). The tins warm up in the sun and allow the reptiles to gain the warmth they need to regulate their body temperature.

Reptile survey can be as simple as lifting tins to see which reptiles are underneath.

These new tins will be used to survey 40 hectares of Frensham Common, for which we have very little idea of reptile distribution. Frensham is one of our key sites in Surrey, supporting all six species of native reptiles. This site will be used for an MSc study to determine how to improve reptile survey methods.

More Reptiles.

And today a Smooth snake and Slow worm were seen together under the same tin. Lucky for the Slow worm that the Smooth snake was a juvenile, else he would have made a tempting spring meal!
(Photo: Danial Winchester)

2009 Reptile Season Has Started!

With the welcome warmth of last weekend, some of Surrey's reptile species decided to make an appearance.

Both Common lizards and Adders were seen on the county's heathlands.

This small male adder is tightly coiled to prevent heat loss (photo: Mary Campling).

Toad Tunnel Video

With the help of the Surrey Dormouse Group, SARG have placed a motion-detection camera inside one of the county's toad tunnels. These tunnels protect the amphibians where their annual migration paths to breeding ponds cross busy roads.

It turns out that it's not just toads which use the tunnel, but also rodents and even birds!

You can see some of the video clips here: YouTube Videos. Or click on the video below.