2022 Reptiles and Amphibian Recorders Report
By Rose Connor
The first notification received was on 7 March 2022 from Jennie White who found two Smooth Newts whilst tidying her pond in Wensley after the winter. Deborah Millward (DM) reported hearing frogs croaking up on Thornton Rust Moor on 10 March 2022.
Common Frogs
11 March 2022 –first report of squashed frog on the lane by High Side Farm SE123914. Liz Barron (LB)
Throughout March and April reports of road casualties with hot spots at Quarry Lane Harmby with up to 20 squashed corpses counted. It would be useful to investigate where these frogs are moving between.
23 March 2022 – frog on footpath past brickworks pond Spennithorpe (RC)
25 March 2022 – many breeding pairs in amplexus at Wensley Ings SE088893 Derek Whiteley (DW)
14 April 2022 – two frogs back in residence in my garden pond Leyburn (RC)
16 April 2022 – ten clumps of spawn in moorland flush Black Dyke SD993754 (DW)
Spawn in lake at Thorpe Perrow did not look viable (frost damage?) (RC)
17 May 2022 - squashed frog Harmby (LC)
10 June 2022 – large frog under foliage in my garden (RC)
2 July 2022 – very small frog garden pond (RC)
8 July 2022 – large frog in garden (RC)
13 July 2022 – small adult Tarn Moor NY671076 (DW)
15 July 2022 – large frog garden pond (RC)
27 July 2022 – one live, one dead Quarry Lane Harmby
31 July 2022 – large frog in garden (RC)
1 August 2022 – large frog in pond (RC)
12 August 2022 – unusual sighting of a Hedgehog eating a frog at 10pm Thornton Rust garden (DM)
21 August 2022 – adult under foliage in garden (RC)
7 September 2022 – two dead Argyll Lane and 3 dead Quarry Lane (LB)
21 October 2022 – one dead Quarry Lane (LB)
22 October 2022 – one small froglet Hornby Castle (RC)
31 October 2022 – small frog in garden pond (RC)
16 November 2022 – large adults in pond and under damp leaves in garden (RC)
Common Toad
19 March 2022 – small toad under tarpaulin Hornby Castle (RC)
27 March 2022 – female at Bolton Hall (G.James)
and one dead on Chantry Lane SE055882 (DW)
18 April 2022 – one adult near West Scrafton Ken and Anne Readshaw (K&AR) photo Ken Readshaw
15 June 2022 – dead adult Arkengarthdale NY979040
10 July 2022 – dead adult Church Lane West Witton SE060885 (DW)
17 August 2022 – large female dead on road Witton Steeps SE063875 (DW)
26 August 2022 – dead adult on road Gill Edge SD926892 (DW)
Throughout the archaeological digging season at Hornby Castle (April-October) sightings of toads were recorded each Saturday usually spotted when removing the tarpaulins from the trenches. The best day being 16 July 2022 when a total of seven were recorded in various trenches (RC)
Viviparous Lizard
18 April 2022 – found whilst walking near West Scrafton (K&AR) photo page 40
7 June 2022 – one in rough grassland Applegarth NZ131018 (DW)
8 July 2022 - one in grassland Semerwater YWT Reserve SD9186 (DW)
11 July 2022 – one in grassland Cowside Beck SD9070 (DW)
Grass Snake
24 January 2022 – empty egg case found above Askrigg near the Beacon.