Unusual place for frogs/toads to breed??

[frankbover]

I live in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, UK so have plenty of wildlife around (not always welcome in garden). I have all three types of newt as well as frogs, toads, a grass snake, slow worms etc. Have lived here four years but this year had new experience. I have a total of 6 water butts to collect rain water from green house shed etc. This year have found in one of the water butts, the top of the butt is approx. 5 feet from ground level, has large population of tadpoles in it. There is a hedge which overhangs the water butt but it is seldom occupied by birds. If it was just the odd tadpole I might think that somehow they had come in on feet of birds etc. but there must be hundreds of them. Is this a usual location for tadpoles?? I've rigged some pieces of wood so that as/when the adult frog/toad want to get out of the butt they cam climb out and then presumably jump to the floor. The tadpoles are various sizes, some have a pair of legs whilst others are no larger than a match head.

Frogs, toads and newts bred in the two ponds we have again this year but the frogs chose to breed in one pond whilst the toads bred in the other, the newts are using both ponds (and eating some of the tadpoles).

frank

[Yusil]

Well, Some frogs don't care where it is, so long as it's a water source, they'll lay their eggs there.

Some frogs lay eggs in shallow ditches where water has collected, some in buckets outside that has water collected in it.

If these tadpoles are already developing, it's probably best to let them finish or maybe gently release them into the pond nearby. Or maybe care for them if you can.