Massacre on Mayles Lane!!!!

After another failed night out in search of Woodcocks, we headed home via a quick stop at the pub to drown our sorrows. We decided to take the short cut home and nipped down a private road called Mayles Lane, but had not travelled far before we were met with a scene of utter carnage!!!

Dead Common Frogs

Dead Common Toads

The road was absolutely littered with dead amphibians, including Common Frogs, Common Toads and Palmate Newts. I had only driven down this road earlier in the day and there were none here then, so presumably the heavy drizzle had prompted them to start moving out of the woods and to their breeding ponds, on the other side of the road.

Dead Common Toad

This road is only a minor country lane, but in total, along a stretch of road no more than 100 metres long, we counted 34 dead Common Toads, 5 Common Frogs and two Palmate Newts. 

Common Toad escaping the Carnage

We did manage to collect up a few live specimens and move them to the other side of the road, but in comparison three Common Toad, two Common Frog, two Palmate and a single Smooth Newt, was a paulty number compared to those that had been killed.

Palmate Newt

I have to say that I was very shocked to see such a large number of dead animals on such a quiet stretch of road, and extremely disappointed to see that people hadn't bothered to stop and move them out of the way. I think I m going to have to contact the local council and see if its possible to put a toad crossing in, or at the very least some signage!