Written by Chloe Davey, Transforming Lives Trainee.
As we continue through Summer, we also happily hop into July 2nd. It just so happens to be the same day as the delightful holiday, Thank You Day! There are many things to be thankful for and I know for sure how thankful I, and the other Transforming Lives Trainees, are to join Froglife. We look forward to learning more about our lovely reptile and amphibian friends. My personal favourite is the common frog, but I also love common toads, they’re just so charming and are always a delight to see. What is your favourite reptile or amphibian and why?
We, the Transforming Lives Trainees, have experienced so much in just over a month. This includes numerous reptile surveys, which has helped us to easily identify the many wonderful species we have right here in the UK. It has been an absolute pleasure to see creatures not many get to see up close . I find that adders and slow worms are the most interesting and unique reptiles I have come across so far. It took me by surprise to learn that slow worms are actually legless lizards and not snakes! And adders are just a true sight to behold, a gorgeous zigzag pattern with the most beautiful, bright red eyes.
We have also been planting in the waters of Eye Green Nature Reserve. We noticed there is a quite a large population of smooth newts and great crested newts! The water plants are to restore the pond to a much healthier and better habitat for them. We want to encourage them to stay and continue to repopulate in that area as much as possible. It has been fantastic working with such a great team who are just as enthusiastic and passionate about wildlife as I am.
I am excited to learn more from Froglife and to help the community see reptiles and amphibians in a better light. Keep your eyes open as Summer continues and good luck spotting your favourite native species!
Thank you so much Froglife for this amazing opportunity and thank you all for reading!