Lee Brady's Recording Blog

FREE Database Searches for Ecological Consultants

KRAG is the primary data holder for amphibian and reptile records in Kent. The group currently holds nearly 23,000 records on its system. All records submitted to KRAG are verified and used for developing important conservation strategies. 

Remember, if a record hasn't passed through the KRAG database it will not have been verified and might as well not exist.

KRAG has several levels of membership. The Corporate Membership scheme is aimed directly at those individuals and companies that work with herpetofauna professionally (e.g. ecological consultants). Existing benefits are detailed on the KRAG website. I believe those benefits are great, but I want KRAG to make them even better... 

From 2010 all new and renewing Corporate Members will be entitled to the following privileges:

1. Better Discounts

Corporate Members will be entitled to a 60% discount for standard search enquiries (a significant increase from the current 10% discount). Standard searches will now cost Corporate Members just £24! 

Database searches can be requested online from the KRAG website. 

KRAG doesn't just provide simple lists that take hours to interpret. KRAG interprets the information for you. Our service provides a summary of those species recorded within the search area, together with distance and direction information. Have you ever requested a database search and despaired at trying to locate the closest great crested newt pond? KRAG tells you the distance and direction to each record. KRAG also supplies records digitally. No more wading through sheets and sheets of paper. All KRAG database searches are processed promptly (we aim for a 24 hour turnaround) and delivered by email as a pdf. Summary information is also distributed alongside the records. The summary information is pre-formatted for viewing in Google Earth. With the right plug-in you can also view this information in ArcView or MapInfo. 

Here are some recent comments from users:

"Thank you for the speed and quality of your response, it is much appreciated."

"... what a great tool, saves ages plotting records on to Arc View/ promap – if only all records could be available in this format!"

"... I love the new Google icons ..."

"Many thanks for the information - that was quick!"

2. More Resources

Free access to maps, publications and the new species icons designed by Jen Drage at Aye-aye Design. A new download section will soon be added to the KRAG website where these resources can be accessed directly. Jen's icons are used by KRAG for displaying interactive maps in Google Earth etc. Ecological consultants can now also deploy the same icons in reports and other business related material. All we ask is that KRAG and Aye-aye Design are acknowledged within the report. If you haven't yet seen these fantastic new icons, an example of their use can be seen here. 

3. Risk Assessment Tool

Free access to KRAG's new online Risk Assessment Tool. If you have undertaken a database search with KRAG recently you will have already seen results generated by this tool. Over the past few weeks we have worked on adding this functionality to the KRAG server, so it can be accessed from any web browser. I have even successfully field tested the system from sites using my iPhone!  From 2010 all new and renewing Corporate Members will be provided with a login and password that can be used to access the tool. Imagine being able to check the relative risk of a species being present on a site, even before a quotation is submitted to your client. We hope you agree with us that this is an exciting development that will be of real benefit to our professional members. Background information on the development of this tool is available here. 

More information on accessing the tool will be posted on the KRAG website in due course. 

4. Free Search Requests

Perhaps most exciting of all, from 2010 we will be providing database search requests COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE to Corporate Members who submit their herpetofauna records to KRAG for inclusion in our database.  Whilst database search fees help small groups such as KRAG to finance core conservation activities, we would sooner provide our enquiry service for free if it means that more consultants will access our data and be encouraged to contribute records to our database. By making records available to KRAG ecological consultants will enable us to better understand the local distribution of reptiles and amphibians. We are working with our Conservation Partners to use such data to contribute to the development of tools that will allow more accurate definitions of Favourable Conservation Status. 

Let KRAG look after your records, safe in the knowledge that you won't then be charged to access your own information. 

So What's the Catch? 

Corporate members pay an annual subscription. In 2009, this was £50. From 2010 the fee will still be £50. That's absolutely right, we are significantly increasing the value proposition of our Corporate Members scheme without increasing the price of entry! 

KRAG are open to suggestions for how the group can improve its services. So please don't be shy, I want information on the KRAG database to be used. Tell me how we can improve the KRAG service to make the information more relevant to the needs of professional ecologists. 

Finally, after several years of  acting as Hon Chairman for KRAG, the time has come for somebody else to take on the baton. I hope that I have been sufficiently proactive in pushing forward the group's objectives and this is evident through initiatives such as the Corporate Members scheme. Don't fear though, I'm still going to be involved with KRAG. However, my future activities will be focussed on developing the group's recording and training activities. I also aim to work on new ways of improving the value and quality of services that are available to KRAG's Corporate Members. 

KRAG Website Down?

Unfortunately it appears that the KRAG website is suffering from an unforeseen outage. This means that not only can folks not access the group's web pages, but no KRAG email can be sent/received by the committee. 

Jen Drage is looking into the problem for us and we hope that services will resume as soon as possible. In the meantime if you need to contact me please use my Calumma Ecological Services email address.  

[update: The site is now back up. Apparently there was a problem with the company that deals with KRAG's domain name registration. Time for a change I think.] 

A Bumper Year for Toads?

Over the past week or so I have observed several juvenile common toad at survey sites across Kent. In discussing some of these observations with Steve Songhurst, the Vinters Valley LNR warden, Steve commented as follows:

"As regards the young toads they have been seen in large numbers all over the reserve this year by many people. It must have been a good breeding year for toads. Perhaps you may get other reports from around the county showing a similar position."

Whilst pondering his comments, I started to receive some interesting records from the KRAG online recording form. The first report was sent in by Mr. Christopher Goodbun who works at a garage near Broad Oak Nature Reserve in Canterbury. Mr. Goodbun reported seeing 40 to 60 juvenile toads:

"All the toads are youngsters, with the rain we have had thay are over the car park and in the showroom, each morning I collect them, and let them go back in the wooded river bank from where they came from." 

The second report came in a day or so later from Mr. Jason Steel who works at a Royal Mail Delivery Office. Mr. Steel reported that:

"Our work place has ben invaded with toads this week! In total we've had 76 toads come into our building this week with 35 of them being found today. Some were hiding and others were found crawling across the floor. They have been captured daily and released back on Crayford Marshes where I'm assuming they have come from. "

 

Mr. Steel sent me this and other fantastic photos of the toads that he found and has very kindly given me permission to post these on the blog.

 

Three independent reports of large numbers of juvenile toads doesn't necessarily indicate a trend. Last week's wet weather (after a very dry summer in Kent) may have resulted in a spike in activity. I would therefore be very interested to know whether there been similar reports of large numbers of juvenile toad from other areas. Whether the reports indicate a significant trend or not, the observations are fascinating and very useful records for KRAG's Getting Toads out of a Hole Project.    

New Map Icons

Jen Drage from Aye-Aye Design has been working on new icons for use with the KRAG database. The icons are now complete and look really great! 

A little while ago I demonstrated how the database can output kml files for use with Google Earth. Well, the same view of common frogs around Canterbury now looks like this. 

View Common Frog Around Canterbury in a larger map

Jen has designed icons for all of the species found in Kent which really makes identifying what's what on the map very straightforward. Older records appear more transparent so as to not confuse more recent sightings. I am also considering changing the sizes and other attributes of the icons to help distinguish between other meta-data (e.g. grid reference precision). 

The new icons should make KRAG Database Searches even more useful. A really big thanks to Jen for coming up with such great designs! 

Riverside Countryside Experience 2009 - Can you help?

Unfortunately, Jo will not now be able to attend next Sunday's event at Riverside Country Park. Poor Jo has twisted her ankle and won't be able to lug all of the gear needed for the stand. Therefore, unless any other members of KRAG are willing and able to help, we will have to cancel the group's attendance at this year's event. 

If you think that you can put a few hours aside next Sunday, please do get in touch.

In the meantime Jo, I hope your ankle gets better soon!!

Riverside Countryside Experience 2009

KRAG will be setting up a stall at this year's Riverside Countryside Experience. Jo Richards will be on hand to chat with folks who would like to come along and perhaps share some recent records. There will also  be plenty of other stalls and activities to keep everyone entertained. I only hope the weather is better than last year! 

The event will be held on Sunday 12th July from 11 am to 5 pm. 

For those of you with a satnav, the park address is:

Riverside Country Park, Lower Rainham Road, Gillingham, Kent, KE7 2XH

 

More detailed directions on how to find the country park are also available here. 

Here is some additional information on the country park that was obtained from Medway Council's website (with a few of my photos to illustrate):

Riverside Country Park covers 100 hectares alongside the Medway Estuary, including Motney Hill and Berengrave Local Nature Reserve. There are various habitats within the park, including mudflats and salt marsh, ponds and reed-beds, grassland and scrub, which provide a haven for wildlife.

The estuary has special protection as part of the Medway Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is internationally important for wintering birds that thrive on the invertebrate-rich mudflats. The salt marshes have a specialised ecology and act as high tide roost sites.

Riverside has several ponds at Sharps Green and Berengrave. These are cleared of vegetation to maintain open water.

The reedbeds at Motney Hill are one of only 92 such sites which exceed two hectares in the UK. Management involves cutting a small area each year, which promotes dense growth and halts the natural progression of the reeds.

Grassland at Eastcourt Meadows and Rainham Dock East is mown in early autumn to encourage wildflowers and insects. Although the scrub is controlled, it forms an important part of this habitat, providing cover for small animals, nesting sites for birds and complete ecosystems for insects.

Of course, Riverside Country Park is also of great interest to KRAG for one or two other reasons...

I'm sure that you won't be surprised to learn that Riverside Country Park has been designated by KRAG as a Key Reptile Site for Kent. If you do see any lizards or snakes whilst visiting the park, please do remember to tell us about it! 

Toad Project Hits the Airwaves

KRAG's Getting Toads out of a Hole project is certainly gaining a lot of momentum. Mike Phillips recently did a Radio Kent interview and a news story has now appeared on the local BBC Kent website. 

There has been a flurry of records come in over the past day or so. It appears that significant numbers of common frog are now starting to spawn. The Brady household visited a number of ponds on Saturday, unfortunately without much success. Erin and Kyle were thrilled by the model boats on the pond in Herne Bay park though! 

 

Although frogs still haven't spawned in my garden pond, Erin and Kyle did manage to net a few smooth newts yesterday evening. The pond does hold a number of frogs, some of which are even in amplexus. The spawn watch is on!

Kent's First Frogspawn Record for 2009

Earlier today I received an email report through the new Getting Toads Out of a Hole project page. The online record indicates that the first frogspawn has now started to appear at Ashford. 

If you have seen frogs laying spawn in your garden pond, please do consider sending your records in. We want to build up as complete a picture as possible of the distribution of both frogs and toads across the county. 

KRAG Database Search Goes Online

I have previously written about the new search functionality that has been added to the KRAG database. Well thanks to Mike Phillips at KRAG and Jen Drage at Aye Aye Design, search submissions can now be requested online. If you would like to undertake a search of the 20,000+ records please visit the KRAG website for more information.  

Going Home

Well yes, the photos are not great. Unfortunately the launch was held in a gallery with many expensive paintings - so subdued lighting, and my iPhone has no flash... Jan Clemons and I spent some time looking at the paintings and trying to work out how many ponds eadch was worth. Don't ask Nat about what the old bloke clearing the glass was up to though!!

A good event that I was pleased to attend. The goal of creating so many new ponds is clearly a good one that I am more than happy to promote. Even Alan T's brief speech was mildly entertaining. However, the most important part of the day was the networking with so many folks who are so evidently commited to conservation. Good stuff.