Post Office pondGreat Massingham has five main road side ponds. Historically, Weasenham Road was the hotspot but numbers have crashed in recent years and newts have disappeared. The emphasis now is on monitoring, including daytime checks for casualties, to ensure we are not missing a resurgence here.
Regular patrols currently cover the main Scotsman's Pit in the centre of the village where toads move along Walcups Lane and Abbey Road. In 2024, increased numbers were noted at Post Office Pond and so this requires checks now on Castle Acre Road, School Road and Weasenham Road in close proximity to the pond. Toads were also found last year in the vicinity of the village shop! The increases here may be related to ecological improvements to the ponds, including late summer silt removal at Post Office in 2023.
Our toad populations have fluctuated but generally declined over the years, with change of land use leading to loss of habitat, increased road traffic and probably the numbers of ducks apparently the main causes.
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