•Review wildlife writer Rob Ward says toads are doing well in the Forest in contrast to the rest of the country, where they are apparently in decline. Rob took these two pictures of toads locally...one shows the distinctive strands of toad spawn compared with the tapioca-like mass of eggs produced by frogs.

Several readers say some of this year's baby frogs are already hopping out of their ponds, perhaps growing quickly past the tadpole stage because of the warm weather.