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Toad Patrols

Sustainable Bourne Valley Toad Patrols

Sustainable Bourne Valley Toad Patrol

In 2020, Sustainable Bourne Valley started a toad patrol near Derrydown surgery at the junction with the main SMB village road after reports of squashed toads in that area. 

Toads are a biodiversity priority species because of recent declines in numbers and so we decided to give them a little helping hand.

Like many of the UK’s native species, the common toad has been impacted by loss of habitat, particularly the loss of breeding ponds. Drainage of wet areas has reduced the amount of wet woodland, and human infrastructure like roads pose a serious threat by disrupting migration routes. They journey back to their ancestral ponds or lakes in spring from their often far-away feeding area and as they are grey/brown they are difficult to spot on the road.

During the breeding season in early spring, toads migrate to St Mary Bourne Lake where they were spawned, to find a mate and reproduce. The male toads arrive first and wait for females, although some choose to ambush the females on the way, jumping on their backs mid-journey. They choose mild, damp nights any time from February to April and set off (rather slowly) from dusk onwards. Their aim is to arrive in the lake at roughly the same time so once they start, there will be toads crossing for a few days.

The Toad Patrol Volunteers will try to be in position when they decide to go for it, so look out for us with high-viz jackets, torches and buckets to help them across.  If we happen to miss one of the big nights, please slow right down on either side of this junction and let them cross safely. 

As our toad crossing is a registered site with Froglife, we were able to apply for road signs from Hampshire County Council, and these are now in place on the main village road to warn drivers to drive with care to protect these endangered species. 

Thank you for driving slowly! 

If you'd like to become a volunteer toad patroller please contact Caroline Hoyes on 07818635185 

Our Toad Tally

Toad Patrol 2023

631 toads were rescued this season by 16 of our patrollers during 61 very wet patrolling hours. Unfortunately, 39 toads didn't make it and were found along the new stretch of road that we have started to patrol from the lake to the Bourne Valley Inn. (a very long way for such a very small animal). It is such a shame that they insist on using the roads!

Our long dark evenings in March and April were made worth it as some baby toads were seen leaving the lake for the first time last August. They were roughly the size of a raisin and about to walk off to find their own patch in the valley. Two even hung around the surgery steps for a while, living dangerously.

We would like to thank all our volunteers who come out in all weather to escort our toads across the road and also the surgery staff for their help in saving those who end up at Derry Down surgery.

Toad Patrol 2021

This spring we moved an amazing 646 toads to safety in 77 hours of patrolling and saw plenty more in areas where they were safe. There were 13 toad patrollers this year which was enough because of reduced lockdown traffic, but we will need lots more next spring if the traffic goes back to its normal level. 

The surgery staff deserves a special mention as they went out of their way to pick up any in their way as did most of the local traffic, but on the main road, it was rush past as usual for many cars, so we did lose some.

The toads had a hard spring as the weather was changeable and often very cold so their journey took a long time and they arrived thin. They were then traumatised by the removal of all the trees which had been growing in the water near the surgery right in the middle of their breeding season. Life was made even harder because of the greatly increased lighting at that end of the lake which disturbed their breeding and the housing development going on at that end of the village lessening the number of safe feeding areas for the summer.

Let's hope next year is better for them.

Toad Patrol 2020

Our first year of patrolling, and we helped 289 toads and 13 frogs safely across the road to the lake.