Toads
Every year toads that spend the summer in the wood hibernate until spring. In late February or early March they emerge and move to the pool they were born in to breed. For the toads that move to Lulsley lagoon, means that they have to cross a busyroad. They do this at night, often pausing for a while on the tarmac, because this absorbs heat during the day and so is warmer than the surrounding soil. We would normally go out each evening and collect the toads, check their condition and then take them across the road to Lulsley Lagoon.Over the ten years to 2007 the best year totalled in the region of 200. A good number you might think. Well in 2008 we took part in an experiment, errecting a mesh fence for 100 meters along the edge of the road to block the toads route. They would try to move around this, and fall into the buckets dug into the ground along the fence line. Collecting them each morning. A much easier and safer option. The first toads were caught on 25th february 2008 with a total of 593 safely moved across the road. This proved to be so successfull we use the same method each year.
2011
We erected the toad fence on Sunday 20th Feb this year. The daily counts were entered as the season progressed. The date shown will be the date the toads were collected from the buckets. So toads crossing on say the evening of the 25th and during the night will be collected on the morning of the 26th and recorded as the 26th.
| Date | Count | Comment |
| 2008 total | 593 |
|
| 2009 total | 471 |
|
| 2010 total | 280 |
dry spring |
| 2011 | ||
| 20th Feb 2011 | Fence errected | |
| 25th Feb | 22 |
|
| 26th Feb | 64 |
overnight rain |
| 5th March | 02 |
|
| 6th March | 03 |
|
| 8th March | 02 |
|
| 10th March | 01 |
|
| 12th March | 02 |
|
| 13th March | 79 |
overnight rain |
| 15th March | 01 |
|
| 16th March | 53 |
mild, overcast |
| 17th March | 32 |
mild, slight rain |
| 18th March | 40 |
overcast |
| 19th March | 00 |
Full Moon, cold |
| 20th March | 03 |
|
| 21st March | 72 |
mild, 1 smooth newt |
| 22nd March | 57 |
mild, 2 smooth newt |
| 23rd March | 35 |
|
| 24th March | 09 |
|
| 25th March | 03 |
|
| 26th March | 03 |
|
| 27th March | 04 |
|
| Total so far | 487 |
|
The Worcestershire Wildlife Trust have produced a Toad patrol factsheet, you can download it by clicking here
Tuppence a Toad is a national campaign, which launched on 1st October 2010, to raise some much needed funds and awareness for Froglife's Toads on Roads project. During the year-long campaign froglife will be holding events and fundraising activities, asking people to collect their tuppences and other small change, and challenging businesses to donate 2p for every toad helped during the spring 2011 migration.
News
Ravenshill Nature Rangers
Watch Group
A Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Childrens’ Watch Group is held here.
Workparties
Volunteer workparties are our mainstay in ensuring vital woodland conservation work is done. No experience is necessary, all tools are provided.
Click here or contact us for more details.
Village Show
Every year on the first Saturday in September the Alfrick and Lulsley Horticultural Show is held. This great event attracts more than 3,000 visitors with all of the profit going to local good causes. To find out more visit the Show website
Flagpole
We have recently provide a replacement flagpole to our local church in Alfrick which was broken during high winds. We felled a Larch and prepared it before a group of locals carried it just over one mile to the Chuch. For more details visit our Village website
Longside Radio
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