Amphibian & Reptile Newsletter Issue No 28. January 2019 This newsletter is produced for members of the Derbyshire Amphib- ian and Reptile Group and other interested persons on an occasional basis and includes news items, advice and information and results from toad crossing patrols. If you have any items that you wish to be included in future editions please e-mail them to the Secretary (address below)

DARG EVENTS FOR 2019 DERBYSHIRE AMPHIBIAN POND MANAGEMENT & REPTILE GROUP Saturday 19th January 2019 We are an affiliated member of 10.00am to 2.00pm. Amphibian and Reptile Volunteer to help us with the clearance of Groups of the UK some of the vegetation from a large dew- Volunteers working for the conservation of amphibians & reptiles pond at a farm near the High Peak Trail. The farm is located on the edge of the www.arguk.org Peak Park near Longcliffe, Brassington Registered charity (number 1165504) (postcode DE4 4HP) just off the B5056 Ashbourne road. Derbyshire ARG Tools will be provided courtesy of Chair - Christian Murray-Leslie City Pond Wardens Association but please Vice Chair - Kelvin Lawrence bring your own wellies, gloves and suitable Secretary - Chris Monk clothing for the task, which will run from Treasurer - Jayne Thompson 10.00am to finish by 2.00pm. Committee Members - The farmyard dewpond was last cleaned Richard Fenn Griffin, Lisa Lawrence, Matt out by us in 2011 (photo below) and David Liston, James Longley & Trevor Taylor & Felicity have asked us to repeat this as a floating mat of Typha has spread across Contact details the pond and needs to be broken up & pulled out. The dewpond is home to great Group e-mail crested newts and other amphibians with [email protected] GCN records dating back over 30 years. Group website http://groups.arguk.org/DARG/

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https://twitter.com/DerbysARG Or on our Facebook page Please contact the Group on [email protected] to receive de- tails of where to meet on site or to see if a lift is available. facebook.com/DerbyshireARG/

1 DARG ACTIVITIES in March & April another planned site in the south of Derbyshire near . SPRING MEETING & AGM Saturday 2nd March 2019 DARG TRAINING COURSES 2.00pm to 4.30pm. Location: Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s HQ A decision on whether to run our Sandy Hill, Main Street, Middleton by Wirks- popular Great Crested Newt Training worth, DE4 4LRT. Course will be taken at the Group’s next Free car parking, tea & coffee provided. committee meeting

Further details of talks & speakers for the Dates for all these will be announced meeting still to be arranged and publicised later and placed on our website and social media. Alternatively contact us by Toads on Roads email on [email protected] Help at one of the approximately 20 crossing sites across Derbyshire. Contact us to be put in touch with the local co-ordinators at the NATIONAL MEETINGS crossings which range from New Mills in the north to Overseal in the south. HERPETOFAUNA WORKERS’ MEETING 2019 Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th February Location: Best Western Plus Moat House Hotel, Etruria Hall, Festival Way,Stoke on Trent ST1 5BQ. A full & varied programme of presenta- tions, workshops and question&answer sessions. Free car parking, lunch, tea & Adder emergence surveys in the Peak coffee provided in the delegate rates. District National Park. Book a place for one or both days via https://www.arc-trust.org/Event/hwm2019 Please contact us if you would like to join our th band of volunteers, carrying out annual Bookings close on 11 January surveys of known sites and investigating reported sightings. A survey field trip for VANISHING VIPER MEETING 2019 Group members only is planned for Saturday Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th June 23rd March please contact the Group on Location: Bangor University, Brambell, [email protected] to book a place. Deiniol Road, Bangor, LL57 2UP.

Other planned surveys The third national UK adder conservation meeting organised by ARG UK & Bangor Great crested newt field survey visits are University Herpetological Society will also planned for April and May at locations in the have an European perspective on the White Peak and possibly other locations species with case studies from France, across Derbyshire. These will be mainly Belgium, Holland & Germany. evening torchlight newt surveys and possibly Bookings now open via ARG UK website bottle trapping at some sites. https://www.arguk.org/get-involved/events Includes field trips on Sunday afternoon Reptile surveys will also be undertaken at a to some North Wales Wildlife Trust monitoring site in the Peak District and at nature reserves that support adders.

2 Derbyshire Toads on Roads crossing results for 2018 Toads Toads No of Dates Other Site Name Res- dead on nights Other comments covered cued road covered amphibians 25.3.18 BRETBY to 17 frogs Shrubs 943 16 28 19.4.18 7.3.18 to 1 frogs, 1 palmate BUXWORTH 646 49 38 BASIN 20.4.18 newt rescued

CHURCH 10.3.18 Road was flooded for more than WILNE Wilne 255 27 25 to Road 16.4.18 one night twice during the season CRICH, Dimple Toad warning highway signs only Road 10.3.18 FOREMARK 550 30 29 to 6 frogs rescued 15.4.18 16.3.18 7 frogs, 1 palmate & FURNESS to 1 smooth newt res- VALE 341 11 17 15.4.18 cued GOYT VALLEY 1500 New site 2018, estimated figure for Goyts Lane toads rescued, dead toads not pond counted. 1021 164 22 10.3.18 33 smooth newts & 7 GRANGEMILL to frogs rescued, 11 SN 18.4.18 dead on road LITTLE Toad warning highway signs only HAYFIELD 9 frogs, 26 smooth 10.3.18 MONYASH, newts & 9 GCN res- to Fere Mere 3300 119 25 cued, 1 SN & 1 GCN 23.4.18 dead on road OVERSEAL Other details not available Shortheath 120 11.3.18 1 GCN & 1 smooth RADBOURNE to 903 66 34 newt 16.4.18 SOUTH WINGFIELD Toad warning highway signs only Taylor's Mill 4 GCN, 13 smooth 11.3.18 STUBBING newts & 1 frog res- to COURT 455 38 17 cued, 1 GCN & 1 SN 19.4.18 dead on road WATFORD No amphibians found this year on LODGE, nights that site was visited New Mills WHALEY 24.3.18 1 frog & 2 newts res- BRIDGE to 250 2 cued 2 newts dead CPA pond 17.4.18 6 frogs & 22 smooth 11.3.18 WINGER- newts rescued, 2 to WORTH 1412 76 21 frogs & 6 SN dead on 19.4.18 road TOTALS for 11696 598 2018 Additional toad crossings were patrolled at Chapel en le Frith, Combs Reservoir, & Hilton during the season but unfortunately 2017 Totals 10547 921 figures are not to hand. 3