The Banks of the Donich host a rich population of amphibians.

In the early spring common frogs begin to appear in our pond until there are many hundreds of them. They then begin to mate, producing large quantities of spawn which for a while can be seen in every pond and ditch. Frog spawn is laid in globular clusters, unlike newt spawn which is produced in thin strands. Because the spawn is laid in early spring, it is possible for it to be hit by frost, in which case it turns a cloudy white and is non-viable, but lots survives and by late spring (the exact time is very variable dependent on the weather) has hatched into tadpoles. Once the mating season is over, the frogs suddenly depart, followed by the heron which had a few weeks of an all frog diet. For the rest of the year they largely hide under stones, but can occasionally be seen in iconic pose on a water lily pad.







We also see newts, though less commonly as they tend to be nocturnal. They prey both on the eggs and tadpoles of the common frog.