Toad Newt and Frog Patrol
Catcreep Springwatch survey results
from page 2 of The Round Hill Reporter June 2020
Through February and March a growing team of ‘Toad Patrollers’ headed out almost every night to monitor amphibian numbers on the ‘Cat Creep’, to spread awareness amongst passers-by and to help protect migrating toads, newts and frogs from the perils of using this popular pedestrian shortcut linking Round Hill Crescent and Richmond Road.
During that time we had 782 amphibian sightings! It’s the first ‘official’ year of data- collection for the Toad Crossing, but what a mega migration! Warmer, wetter nights seemed to see the higher numbers. The 16th and 23rd Feb had over 50 amphibians counted, the 10th and 15th March had 76 and 43 counted. These data will make for an impressive contribution to local record centres and amphibian groups and will help inform local and national amphibian conservation efforts. Records have been submitted to: Froglife (who co- ordinate Toad Crossings nationally), the Sussex Amphibian and Reptile Group (SxARG) and Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre .
Lessons learnt
While many Roundhill residents are well-aware of our annual toad phenomenon, it was still news to a lot of folks the patrol team would meet on the steps. So I think a must-have for next year would be some improvements to our signage – with special reference to newts as well as toads. Unfortunately, while our bigger and ‘hoppy-er’ amphibians seemed this year to escape any trampling-casualties, we found our newts took a bit of a pummelling... In fact, almost 10% of newt sightings were of squashed newts rather than live ones ☹. Awareness of newts seemed to be comparatively lacking amongst those whom patrollers met on the steps – and there’s no denying these smaller, well-camouflaged critters are harder to spot!
Kate Wolstenholme.
Easy to see toad couple.
Harder to spot newt.
A newt walks past one toad and three newts hiding in the crack.
Carry a Torch for Toads
And help count them.
See The Round Hill Reporter March 2021
One newt has been seen on the Catcreep already this year, sadly it was just before the snow and big freeze. Soon newts and toads will be crossing the Catcreep in large numbers, especially on damp dark evenings. Last year we had our first official Toad Crossing patrols, to alert people to the amphibians and to count them. At the end of their migration season over 700 toads and newts had been seen.
This year it is unlikely that groups will carry out this activity, but hopefully individuals will visit the catcreep with torch, notebook and pencil to count animals and engage with people using the catcreep (suitably distanced of course). There will be a notice at each end of the passage to alert users, but being shown the beasts can better engage people. Toads seem to have better survival skills than newts. Perhaps the newts freeze when they become aware of people, but that does not save them from being squashed underfoot, and they can be hard to see.
Please keep an eye out for these delightful amphibians, and carry a torch, or use you mobile phone lamp function. If you want to count, just head out anytime from dusk and move slowly up or down the steps peering into nooks, crannies and any weedy places, as well as scanning the path and steps. You can pass on your numbers, along with date and times you surveyed, to committee member Kate Wolstenholme (see back page for contact info).
This page was last updated by Ted on 20-Apr-2026