Lots of baby Frogs!

Hello All

I have recently moved into a new house in the west London area, which fortunately has a massive garden and its right in the centre of a famous National Trust estate. We are very fortunate to have such a massive garden in such lovely surroundings, especially for west London. Having being born a country girl I really appreciate the countryside and to have a piece of the country in west London is something quite special.

Anyway onto my question... Tonight I noticed lots of baby frogs, maybe about 20 or even more, at the back of my house. Most of them were merrily hopping around in some dead leaves which had fallen from the surrounding Oak trees but some were busy hopping around on a gravelled area, seemingly in a total state of disorder.

The nearest water is some 1/4 mile away, so firstly I was wondering how I have come to have so many baby frogs? Secondary, but more importantly, I’m a totally devoted and obsessed animal lover and would hate for anything to happen to these poor things. I am deeply concerned that these little things are either lost or trapped and that they will eventually die if they don’t get to water.

Is this true?
Should I round them up and take them to a pond?

I would truly hate to wake up one morning and find this poor family of baby frogs dead



Many Thanks
Deeply Concerned Nikki

They are probably baby toads and are just out and about hunting food, they will find holes, leaf litter, stumps and other things to hide in when they need to. Let nature take its course. they wouldn't be water frogs that far away from water. If you can get a pic and post it maybe i can tell you what species it is.

Many thanks for your help Nicholas

I tried searching for them this evening but most have now gone. I did however find one or two near my house and strangely lots more right at the bottom of my garden, around a dark spooky old outhouse where I know for sure bats hangout

If these are the same family which I saw last night then they have made it a very long way overnight! Quite amazing! I just hope my bats don’t find them too tasty

I have attached two pictures, would be grateful if you could try to identify them.

Once again, many thanks for your help

Regards
Nikki

they are definetly toads not frogs. so you dont have to take them to water. here is some info on your new little friends.


Latin name: Bufo bufo

Size: A male toad is around 65 mm in length. The females are around 25mm longer. Sometimes larger toads can be found, and these are usually females.

Distribution: Found throughout England, Scotland and Wales, but not in Ireland.

Months seen: All year round.

Habitat: Fields, hedgerows, gardens and woodlands.

Food: Worms, slugs and insects.

Special features: Common Toads are Britain's largest and heaviest amphibians.

The colour of the toad varies according to the colour of the soil in its habitat. If the soil is a greyish colour, the toads skin tends to be greyish to blend in. If the soil is more brownish, the toad tends to be more brownish.

Being creatures of habit, you can often find them in the same spot week after week, but because they are able to blend in with their background, and remain motionless for hours at a time, they can be difficult to spot.

Toads are easier to find in the springtime when they often walk for long distances across land to return to their breeding ponds. This is usually the original pond where they developed.

When the baby toads first leave the ponds they look like miniature replicas of their parents

A toad stalks its prey until it's close enough to shoot its sticky tongue out and catch it. To help swallow its food, it blinks to push the food down.

Although they are normally associated with water toads, and frogs, spend most of their lives on dry land. They will rest in the same hiding place each day, after their nightly hunt for food.

The skin of the Common Toad is cool and dry to the touch, but it contains a substance that burns the mouths of animals if they try to eat one.

Hi Nicholas

Many thanks for your informative post. I found a large, fully grown (male?) on my bedroom floor a few days ago.

Now i have to live with very large moths, bats, massive spiders and now toads! Great fun

Once again thanks

Regards
Nikki