The area surrounding Richard’s Pond is developing well. New trees and shrubs have been planted recently and now walkers along 'The Cliff Path' will be able to take a rest and admire the pond. The Ivel Valley Volunteers, organised by BRAG member Richard Lawrence, with the help of Cliff Andrews both of Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity, spent Tuesday morning installing a new seat. Very handy for us when we are trying to measure toads at night in the pouring rain! See Photo Gallery for picture of volunteers at work.

We have just received forms for a new ARG UK project aimed at gathering as much data as possible about the size of toads. If you would like to take part, but have not received the forms, we suggest you email info@arguk.org. Angie Julian, Secretary of ARG UK, says:

‘Thank you for your enthusiasm, and patience with this. We are now able to attach a two sided form for ToadSize 2013 – this has the methods on one side, and the recording form on the other. We are hoping that you will be able to print this out, and take it out into the field with you, as a means of recording the toadsize data. I am also attaching a longer protocol document, which sets out the methodology in greater detail, plus an excel sheet which you can use to send your answers back electronically, if that is easiest.

As this is a very new project we haven’t yet set up the web-based recording, but we are keen to get as many results as possible from this season, so would ask that you either email the results back to myself at info@arguk.org and John Wilkinson at ARC on John.Wilkinson@arc-trust.org, or post them straight to John at ARC Trust, 655a Christchurch Rd, Boscombe, Bournemouth, BH1 4AP. Once the web-site is up and running, we will of course let you know straight away.

We are trying to gather as much data as possible, so even if you are not part of a toad patrol but know of a site where toads cross, then we would very much like to hear from you, as this will also provide important comparative information about the impact of toad patrolling and road mortalities. If you have any problems or concerns at all, then please do get straight in touch and we’ll endeavour to sort things out with you. However, all of your data is welcome so, even if you can only manage a few toads on a few nights, this will add greatly to the body of knowledge and will be very helpful, so please do not feel put off if you are unable to complete it in full.

We’ll let you know how it goes, of course, and in the meantime – good luck with this, and many thanks again for your time and efforts.’

See Picture Gallery for a pair of toads rescued, then released, at Saxon Gate.

Has anyone seen a Bedfordshire adder yet? There have been a few sunny days but we have not managed to get to our nearest site. They should be coming out of hibernation and warming up in a sheltered, sunny, spot. See Photo Gallery for a picture of one which almost looks as if it has been run over – it is so flat! Let us know when you see your first Bedfordshire adder.

We did not visit Richard’s Pond during the recent cold spell but today's sunny and warm weather tempted us out. The water was still fairly high, but not as high as on 30 December 2012. There was still a little floating ice. We saw a few dead fish but, fortunately, no dead amphibians.

The toad tunnel has a little earth at the bottom, accumulated during the past 14 years, but there is still plenty of room for and toads and other animals should they want to use it. It has never been cleaned out.

The ‘Bomb Crater’ balancing pond on the west side of Saxon Drive has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. Compare the photo taken in 1994 (with colour distortion) when the pond was surrounded by a collapsing wooden fence with the later ones. By 1999 the concrete in- and out-flows had been constructed and the pond was surrounded by a strong metal fence. The banks had little tall vegetation and the pond was very sunny. Since then some trees have grown up, though those on the south side have been cut this winter. We cannot easily survey the pond now but in past years the frog spawn has been spectacular. [See Photo Gallery for accompanying pictures.]