SPRING FEVER! (March/April
2009 - Bushcraft
and Survival Skills Magazine, issue 19)
The annual 'credit crunch' for the animal
kingdom comes around every year in the form of wintertime,
and there is precious little 'in the bank' for most inhabitants
trying to scrape a meagre living from the barren landscape,
with nature's storehouse falling on hard times. You may wonder
how on earth our resident small birds and mammals can endure
such freezing temperatures we have seen this winter. Contrary
to their nature many customary solitary species will suspend
rivalries, grudges and disputes with their competitors and
cluster together for survival. For example, the normally resolutely
independent wren will even cuddle up in life-threatening weather,
as many as 63 were once found sharing body warmth! The competitive
grey squirrel will also abandon daytime arguments for a sleepover
and even inter-species mingling takes place in badger setts
where you might find a fox, rat or rabbit finding there is
indeed room at the inn – at least on exceptionally
cold nights!
Many of course do not make it through, but for those determined
creatures who adapt best to the conditions, the first few weeks
of springtime come as a welcome relief from the persecution of
winter.
Taking their cues from the lengthening days and/or the ambient
air temperature, many species begin to seek out the sun-traps,
taking refuge from cold March temperatures in those sun-warmed
hedges, trees and walls. These are the places to hear the faint
hum of delicate insect wings, blowflies and hoverflies, the first
seasonal notes of a brand new spring opera. Just as we are taking
our first tentative steps to expose pale flesh to the first few
tender rays of spring sunshine, we are rewarded with the sights
and sounds of the resident wildlife venturing out too.
Despite extremes of weather, however, March and April are still
the raunchiest time of year on Nature's calendar. Its all sex
and violence in the early part of spring, as territorial battles
are fought and the mating game gets under full swing. Apologies
readers, there's no way we can avoid it at this time of year,
I've just got to talk about sex...!
If you step out on one of the warmer nights in March, head out
to your local pond for some serious action! Over recent days,
frogs have been slowly retracing their steps to their natal pond
with the intention of breeding, navigating it is thought, using
their sense of smell. The general amphibian march back to the
natal pond continues with the more conspicuous mass migration
of toads who follow the frogs a little later, as do our 3 species
of newts. If you are quiet you may first hear the first 'purring'
of the pond, frogs sounding like tiny, clockwork toys. Now I
have been privileged to witness the delicate intimacy with which
some species set about romancing (eg. the story of the legendary
lovemaking of wild tortoises will have to wait for the WildWise
campfire..!) But there are others that have not yet learnt the
etiquette and protocols of the seduction routine, and here I'm
going to have to name and shame our native Common Frogs. As usual,
when referring to inappropriate or insensitive sexual behaviour
we are talking about the males. In the case of frogs, the first
of our amphibians to reproduce, they don't even attempt foreplay,
not a chat up line in sight! Quite simply if a female presents
herself, they make a desperate lunge for her, and then cling
onto her back in an amorous embrace known as 'amplexus'. They
will then hang on, waiting to fertilize the eggs she will eventually
expel. You see, without a penis to penetrate her, the males have
to position themselves to have first access to those eggs before
the jelly hardens. She may have to put up with this determined
suitor for many days or even weeks until she is ready. Other
males will enter the fray either by attempting to unseat the
jockey or by attaching themselves, until she may be weighed down
by a number of amorous males apparently less concerned with her
welfare, and more with being first in the frantic race to contribute
to the gene-pool. Its a bit like teenagers at the last dance
at your local seedy nightclub, all the sexual tension and subtle
posturing abandoned for the smash and grab denouement. Its a
bit smutty, but it is effective! If you time your visit right,
there will be a frenzied orgy of splashing as raging hormones
take control for a full 24 hours.
Those first clutches of jellied eggs are the visual clue that
spring is at last sprung, and I always feel a wave of optimism
and a childish delight. A healthy frog population means there
is food for herons, crows, birds of prey, grass snakes, foxes,
otters, hedgehogs and rats. All is well with the world it would
seem.....
However, for many years now it seems that the common frog is
not as common as it was. A strange blight of 'red leg' disease
has reduced numbers, and the cause has been difficult to determine,
possibly viral and/or bacterial.
In Britain, there are other less common species of frog, the
Marsh and Edible frogs were introduced from the Continent, and
sporadically occur in South Eastern parts and East Anglia. Its
the latter that the French are partial to, though in less abundant
times gone past, village boys were known to remove the stomach
before roasting the common frog in butter. Any of you wild food
heads fancy trying it? Now that would be a credit crunch!
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