We are interested in the locations and distribution of the non-native Pelophylax water frog species wherever they are found in Hampshire and the IoW, but are especially keen to know if you have seen or heard them in the following locations:

Aldershot, Farnborough, Fleet and Odiham, (especially on the Basingstoke Canal)

Alton, Bentley, Alice Holt and Rowledge areas, especially along the River Way catchment.

Alresford area, mostly from the roads and footpaths around the ponds and watercress bed.

The Pig Bush, Kings Hat and Ipley inclosure areas of the New Forest.

If you are out and about in the above areas over the next few weeks, listen out for some unusual, and loud, frog calls... watch the video for an example.

There are four species of water/green frogs (Pelophylax species) in Hampshire and all have a roughly similar call. We have used the edible frog call as an example in the linked video as that is roughly somewhere in the middle of the range.

As a general rule of thumb, if you can see the calling males and they have pale/white vocal sacs on either side of their jaw when inflated, they will most likely be one of the pool frog species, if they have dark grey vocal sacs and are very large frogs they will most likely be marsh frogs and pale/mid grey vocal sacs most likely to be edible frogs.

As always, log your sightings on www.recordpool.org.uk and share any photos or videos on this group if you can. Thanks

#biggreenfroghunt

Calling edible frogs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mtaXVXaw1w

If you are on Facebook you will find more details here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/455730808110700/permalink/2170339753316455/

Despite the lack of records, there is an anecdotal comment to suggest that Midwife Toads were known from the Winchester area and so we are reaching out to residents for their help in finding these elusive toads. By far the best way to identify the presence of Midwife Toads is by their calls, which has been likened to “an electronic beep, like a smoke alarm with a dying battery or a New Age car alarm” by Steve Allain, one of the lead national researchers of Midwife Toads.

With tonights drizzling rain, it is more likely that they will start calling if thay are still around. Visit the following links to hear a sample of Midwife Toads calling

http://stevenallain.co.uk/.../scifri-whats-that-beeping...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVPK899UwV8

Midwife Toads are smaller than our native toads, with adults reaching around 5cm in length. They can also be distinguished by their eyes, if you are lucky enough to spot one, which have vertical pupils as opposed to horizontal/oval pupils of our two native toads. A big difference with these toads is that they are not as reliant on ponds for breeding, as the male toads carry the eggs wrapped around their back legs, hence their name. Breeding usually takes place between April and June so they should have been calling for a few weeks now, but the dry weather may have affected this..

We are hoping that residents in the Winchester area (especially Littleton, Weeke and Teg Down) will be willing to help by listening out on warm damp nights for the “beeping” toads. If you do hear these calls it would be really helpful if you can record the calls on your phone, or take photos if you manage to see one.

For all sightings/recordings, please contact us on:

HIWARG Amphibian Officer: amphibians@hiwarg.org.uk or HIWARG on Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/455730808110700

Steve Allain: www.facebook.com/SJRAllain or https://twitter.com/stevoallain

Midwife Toads are not a native species to the UK, but have been found in several colonies in parts of the country. Hampshire has been named as one of these locations in several sources, but there are no actual records that we are aware of. Despite the lack of records, there is an anecdotal comment to suggest that Midwife Toads were known from the Littleton area and so we are reaching out to residents for their help in recording these elusive toads.

Midwife Toads are smaller than our native toads, with adults reaching around 5cm in length. They can also be distinguished by their eyes, if you are lucky enough to spot one, which have vertical pupils as opposed to horizontal/oval pupils of our two native toads. By far the best way to identify the presence of Midwife Toads is by their calls, which has been likened to “an electronic beep, like a smoke alarm with a dying battery or a New Age car alarm” by Steve Allain, one of the lead national researchers of Midwife Toads. A big difference with these toads is that they are not as reliant on ponds for breeding, as the male toads carry the eggs wrapped around their back legs, hence their name. Breeding usually takes place between April and June so they should have been calling for a few weeks now. Visit Steve’s blog to hear a sample of Midwife Toads calling http://stevenallain.co.uk/.../scifri-whats-that-beeping... you can also hear individual calls on this Youtube link www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVPK899UwV8

We are hoping that residents in the Winchester area (especially Littleton, Weeke and Teg Down) will be willing to help both Steve Allain and HIWARG, by listening out on warm damp nights for the “beeping” toads. If you do hear these calls it would be really helpful if you can record the calls on your phone, or take photos if you manage to see one.

For all sightings/recordings, please contact us on:

HIWARG Amphibian Officer: amphibians@hiwarg.org.uk or HIWARG on Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/455730808110700

Steve Allain: www.facebook.com/SJRAllain or https://twitter.com/stevoallain

Big Green Frog Hunts are more exciting, than Easter egg hunts (although maybe not as tasty).

Conditions are not the best, but with sunny spells and temperatures tickling the 'teens over the weekend, the chances of spotting water frogs are on the increase. Pack a picnic, check the area on the map below and go for a walk. Take a camera and record your sightings and photos on www.recordpool.org.uk

Water frogs are non-native frogs in the Pelophylax group. They are a tricky group to ID to species accurately in the field so we typically call them water frogs.

As they are a complex of species, adult size can range from a similar build to our common frogs up to 50% larger. Other ID features are:

• A very rounded nose/jaw, almost conical;
• Eyes are more prominant and closer together than on common frogs;
• They lack the "bandit" eye patch behind the eyes, as with common frogs;
• Can have a yellow/green line down their spine, but not always present/obvious;
• Lateral ridges on either side of their back;
• Almost always in or close to water, often basking in the sun;
• Will almost always spot you first, jumping into the water and disappearing immediately;
• Calling males will have two vocals sacs, either side of their jaw. (common frogs call with their throat.)
• Male calls sound like a cackling, croaking, quacking sound... they can sometimes be called laughing frogs.

We have four water frogs in our area, Marsh frog, Edible frog, Southern clade pool frog and Perez's frog. The following video will give you a rough idea of what to look for and hopefully listen out for: www.youtube.com/watch?v=472zFshwasA

You can download a fab ID guide at www.arguk.org/info-advice/id-guides/441-amphibian-id-guide-revised-2019-pdf

Toads and other amphibians have started migrating to their breeding ponds, but often get killed on our roads. There are three registered toad crossings on Froglife's Toads on Roads Map, but only two are manned by patrollers. If you can help save toads and other amphibians by becoming a Toad Patroller, visit https://www.froglife.org/what-we-do/toads-on-roads/tormap/ and find your nearest crossing.

If you want to know what Toad Patrols do, you can read more here https://www.froglife.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Patrol-Pack-2023-compressed_compressed.pdf