On the 15th February Phil Males wrote:
Although I have no spawn yet this year whilst I was walking on the footpath through the woods in Chineham near the A33 today and spotted about 10 clumps of spawn in a water-filled ditch. Although this is a regular spawning spot it is a little earlier than usual this year. The depth of water is less then 12 inches so I guess the ditch warms up faster than my pond which is 36 inches deep at the deepest spot. I will let you know when my frogs start which weather permitting should be soon. There are already a few hopeful males lurking under water plus a number of almost albino smooth newts. The newts arrived soon after Christmas but why they are so pale in colour I have no idea. I thought they were dead when I first saw them but no they are definitely very much alive. But they do look ghostly.
On the 20th February Carol Bartlett wrote:
Just noticed frogs have spawned in Heron Park for the first time this year overnight now 20th February don’t usually see spawn for another week ten days here so unusual’