Nattering Natterjacks
Natterjack toad training and surveys.
Natterjack season has kicked off early at WWT Caerlaverock and our neighbours NatureScot are helping to train the new team here up with Natterjack id skills. Spawn, tadpoles, toadlets and adult toads will all get careful consideration.
We are fortunate to have the most northerly UK population of this protected species on our reserve. Indeed they are Scotland's rarest amphibian. They are smaller than Common toads with a distinguishing yellow stripe along its back. The males make their distinctive calls in spring to attract mates.
As part of our training to become licensed and be able to carry out full surveys, two of the reserve team spent a day and night learning all about Natterjacks in South Cumbria on an Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC) training course. This involved a brilliant time spent roaming the Sandscale Haws National Nature reserve dunes of National Trust.
We soon put our training to use, surveying our saltmarsh for Natterjacks. This is done by going out at dusk to listen for calls and then track down where the males are calling from. That way we can find out which are the important breeding ponds and the size of the calling male population. Besides all that it is a rather magical experience being out on the merse in the dark – a background chorus of Snipe, Whimbrel and Grasshopper Warbler added to the soundscape.
