My friend Alf passed away a few years back. He loved Sussex and he loved wildlife but Alf’s real passion was amphibians: newts, frogs and toads. Alf loved them so much his funeral service ended with that Paul McCartney Frog Chorus song.

That’s commitment for you. I spent the rest of the week with that annoying ‘bom-bom-bom-aye-e-aye’ tune rolling ‘round my head. I’m sure Alf was laughing somewhere. While I was helping Alf’s family clear his house I was honoured to be given one of his prized possessions: a clock that chimes each hour by playing a variety of frog croaks. Long ago Alf’s wife Iris had made him take the batteries out because it was unbearable.

But there was no silencing Alf’s pond each spring. Each year it would come alive with the sound of a real frog chorus. Alf was proud of his pond. Creating a garden pond, no matter what size, is one of the best things you can do to help wildlife in your garden. If you’re lucky, in March it will turn into a hotbed of activity as Common Frogs return to mate and lay their eggs. After spending the winter hidden away in the garden, it’s time to go a-courting.  

Approach the pond quietly with a torch and you can observe the mating frogs. Look closely and you may be able to identify the male frog (darker with a bluish tinge to his throat) and the female (white granulations on her flanks). But if you can’t notice these features then the males are on top and the females are on the bottom.
The lustful male will hop on the female and grasp her as tight as he can. He even develops special extra-grip pads on his forearms and he’ll use those powerful back legs to boot off any rival males who try to muscle in. In theory, the males with the longest and loudest croaks are the most attractive, but with females sometimes outnumbered ten to one by males the pond party can get loud, chaotic and confusing.

Amorous male frogs will grasp anything: a log, a fish, even another male (males have a special croaking signal which politely informs other males there has been a misunderstanding)

 Female Common Frogs can lay up to 4,000 eggs, although 1,000-2,000 is more normal. These are fertilised by the male as they emerge and form into those familiar clouds of jelly spawn.

So, in tribute to Alf I decide to restore his croaking clock to full working order. I re-installed the batteries and nailed it proudly on my office wall. After two hours I turned it off. That croaking was unbearable! I’m still sure Alf was laughing somewhere.

By Michael Blencowe: Learning & Engagement Officer, Sussex Wildlife Trust
Sussex Wildlife Trust is an independent registered charity caring for wildlife and habitats throughout Sussex. Join Michael Blencowe on our regular wildlife walks and also enjoy free events, discounts on wildlife courses, Wildlife magazine and our guide book: Discovering Wildlife in Sussex.

It’s easy to join online at: www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/join or T: 01273 497532

Common Frog Mark Hamblin Sussex Wildlife Trust