Forum Topic

Frog Watch

I have lived in Brentford for more than 40 years and I have never seen a frog in the street.  Perhaps I just wasn't looking.  However on Wednesday last I half trod on one in York Road and this morning I narrowly missed another in Enfield Walk.  After 40 odd years 2 in the same week, what does it all mean? Are we about to be taken over by frogs?

Bernadette Paul ● 6990d17 Comments

Michael read the thread, its clearly visable that my response is not to you.

Conal Stewart ● 6978d

I wasn't abusive to you or anyone. I just kept reapting my question about Ann's expenses and none of the labour mouthpieces would answer.I highly suspect that the amount of time you spend on this foum is highly indicative of your own limited social skills.

Conal Stewart ● 6978d

Conal the Barbarian, as he was dubbed last time he made an appearance on this forum, seems to have the social skills of a rhino and which have clearly been honed at the George Burrell charm school. He was slung off this forum last year for being aggressively abusive to me and others and I'm surprised to see his name reappear as he clearly hasn't learnt his lesson.

Justin Harris ● 6978d

Dear Conal, rather than placing entries  ad hoc claiming rudeness and other slurs on peoples characters and opinions, would you please have the decency and politeness to be specific as to whom you are making your allegations against.This is the second time in 24 hours that a specific allegation has been made as a response to two of my entries, neither of which are in any way rude or nasty.If you are in any way offended or have a conflict of opinion on one of my or anyone elses entries, then please be more specific.Thank youDr. MJB Brandt.

Michael Brandt ● 6978d

You really are so very rude.

Conal Stewart ● 6978d

The frogs are all over my garden and best of all they eat all the mosquitoes.There are lots around Brook road and Albany road.

Michael Brandt ● 6979d

The growth in frog population could also be due to the unused site by Kew Bridge. This is a great environment for them which will disappear when building starts there.

Mark Evans ● 6980d

Although other people may not consider the environment to be important (refer to Paving slab thread and ICG website), I think it is vital that we as a a community keep an eye on our local flora and fauna, including frogs!

James de Vivenot ● 6985d

Although a hosepipe ban is in place now you are allowed to top up ponds so it would probably be a good idea for people to make sure their pond doesn't dry up or more innocent frogs will pay the price.

Justin Harris ● 6985d

I walked through Enfield Walk again this morning and sadly the frog I saw moving around the other day is now lying upside down decomposing, or perhaps I should say that there is a dead frog as obviously I don't actually know whether it is the same one.  However it was considerably smaller than my hand and I suspect it was a very young frog/toad.

Bernadette Paul ● 6986d

We were out walking the dog the other day and stumbled over a frog/toad, having described the creature to someone in the pub, they concluded that it must be a toad due to its size.  Almost the size of my hand.  We picked it up and took it to Carville Hall Pond (just hoped that it hadn't travelled from there!!!)

Emma Rowlatt ● 6987d

Very poss. a good sign if you see frogs around as they are one of the first creatures to die out in cases of pollution and the first to return when pollution dissappears(I heard David Attenborough sat that so it must be true...!)

Keith Iddon ● 6987d

I did a few searches on the internet and found out that the frog population of the UK had been hit by a virus in 2004. When a species is reduced in number in this way this can have a knock on effect on their predators so when their numbers recover there are much more of them than there were originally.I'm not sure what would prey on frogs - birds presumably eat frog spawn and perhaps foxes or larger birds like herons eat the fully developed frogs. Snakes are probably also a predator but whether there are any locally I don't know. The weekend press had an article about adders which are under threat of extinction in the UK but they are very shy of human contact and often live on railways embankments so it may not be completely impossible that they live in Brentford.My own feeling is that herons are becoming an increasingly common sight locally - maybe attracted to this area by all the frogs wandering round! The heronries on the river eyots certainly seem to be thriving.

Mike Hardacre ● 6987d

I agree Colin, I think there will be many fewer sightings of slimy amphibians after May 4th!

James de Vivenot ● 6988d

I don't think any party can rely on the frog vote, Colin although quite a few toads will no doubt be standing.The hose pipe ban is due to come in on Monday so it probably is the case that many of the ponds that the frogs have spawned in have dried up. If you find and catch a frog probably better to bring it to a wet low lying area - perhaps near the river where it is more likely to survive.

Andy Jones ● 6988d

Doncha know? Elections in 5 weeks...

The Pseudometer ● 6988d

Interesting. Our neighbours have a pond in their back garden and actively encourage frogs but we wouldn't normally see them at the front of our house. But then just last week another neighbour found two in their front garden - quite sizeable ones too. I would venture that the lack of rainfall (even after today) is making them travel further in search of moisture.

Mark Evans ● 6989d