Spotting Natterjack Toads in Dune Slack Pools

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7 Sep 2026

Spotting Natterjack Toads in Dune Slack Pools

A Hidden World Between the Dunes

Britain’s coastal dunes are far more than mounds of sand. Behind the first ridge of marram grass, the wind often scoops out shallow hollows that reach down to the water table. These damp dips are called dune slacks, and in spring and early summer they become one of our most secretive wildlife spectacles. The star of the show is the natterjack toad, a rare amphibian that depends on these warm, temporary pools. Unlike the common toad, which tolerates almost any pond, the natterjack is a specialist. It needs shallow water that heats up quickly, sparse vegetation for calling, and open sand for hunting. Find a dune slack in the right condition and you may hear a sound like a distant ratchet being turned – the unmistakable rasping call of a male natterjack.

The Perfect Nursery: Warm, Shallow Pools

Dune slack pools are often no deeper than a few centimetres, and many dry out completely by late summer. That might sound like a problem, but for natterjacks it is an advantage. Because the water is shallow, it warms rapidly in sunshine, speeding up tadpole development. The toads also avoid fish, which cannot survive in pools that periodically vanish. Look for slacks with bare sand or short moss around the edges, and water that is clear rather than choked with reeds. Ideal pools are slightly acidic and low in nutrients, often fringed with creeping willow and rushes. On a sunny April morning you might see strings of eggs wrapped around submerged stems. Natterjack tadpoles are smaller and darker than common toad tadpoles, and they often gather in the warmest, shallowest corners.

Listening and Looking: Fieldcraft for Natterjacks

The best way to confirm natterjacks are present is by sound. Males call from the water, usually at dusk and into the night. Their call is a loud, harsh rasp that carries surprisingly far – up to a kilometre on still evenings. It has been described as a cross between a cricket and a tiny chainsaw. If you hear it, stand still and scan the pool margins with a torch, keeping the beam low and angled away from the water to avoid disturbing them. Look for toads sitting half-submerged among moss or floating vegetation.

By day, natterjacks are harder to find because they shelter in burrows or under debris. But if you spot one, identification is straightforward. They are smaller and more slender than common toads, with a grey-brown or olive back. The giveaway is a thin yellow stripe running down the middle of the back. Common toads never have this. Natterjacks also tend to run rather than hop, and they have a distinctive, slightly upturned snout. Watch for them on damp sand at the pool edge, especially after rain.

When to Go: Dusk, Damp Weather and Early Summer

Timing is everything. Natterjack toads emerge from hibernation in March or April, and the breeding season peaks from late April to June. Warm, humid evenings after a shower are perfect – the toads are most active then, and the pools are still full. Avoid cold, windy nights, when calling drops off sharply. If you are planning a shoreline walk, aim to arrive an hour before sunset. Start on the drier paths behind the dunes, then move quietly towards any slack you can see. Keep your distance from the water’s edge. A red-filtered torch is less disturbing than a white one, and it helps you see without alarming the animals.

April to June – peak calling and spawning.
Dusk to midnight – the most reliable window.
After rain – toads move between pools.
Still, mild nights – calls carry best.

Beyond the Toads: A Dune and Shoreline Safari

A walk to a natterjack pool is never just about one species. Dune slacks are rich in other wildlife. Watch for sand lizards basking on bare sand, especially in the morning. Listen for the churring of nightjars on heathland edges at dusk. In the pools themselves, look for dragonflies emerging – the emperor and the black darter both use dune slack water. The surrounding dunes support orchids, sea holly and thyme, while the shoreline offers waders such as oystercatchers and ringed plovers. Follow the tide line for mermaid’s purses and cuttlefish bones. If you walk quietly, you may also surprise a brown hare or a roe deer grazing on the dune grassland. Keep dogs on a short lead near pools, and never let them enter the water – tadpoles and eggs are easily crushed.

Tread Lightly: Protecting These Fragile Habitats

Natterjack toads are protected by law in the UK, and their dune slack homes are increasingly rare. Climate change, coastal erosion, and water abstraction all threaten the shallow pools they need. You can help by staying on marked paths where they exist, keeping to the drier sand, and never netting or handling amphibians. If you find a pool with calling males, enjoy the sound from a distance and leave no trace. Report any sightings to your local wildlife trust or biological recording centre – accurate records help land managers keep these pools open and healthy. A few simple choices mean the rasping chorus of the natterjack will continue to echo across British dunes for generations to come.

Wildlife

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Stay on marked paths, keep dogs close and take all litter home. Small actions help protect rare plants and nesting birds from disturbance.

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5 Comments

Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

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- John Abraham says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
  
  I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
  Reply
  - Robert Sonnysays Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
    
    I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
    Reply
Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply

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