Introducing two 'common' visitors to the compost heap

One of my greatest  hopes when Rick built the double-bay composter on the allotment was the development of a "wildlife area" at the back - nothing planned, just a random stack of old sunflower stems, twigs and anything too sturdy to break down on the heap within a reasonable time frame.

I was hoping it'd be a nirvana for frogs, toads, lizards, hedgehogs, slow worms, ladybirds, lacewings and other insects beneficial to the plot and happy to gobble up pests. As the woody stuff built up it's developed into a hidey hole for frogs, but today I ticked two more off the list - this common lizard lounging around on the wood frame of the composter in the sunshine, and this rather camera-shy common toad, nestling in a fold in the cardboard that's topping the pile to keep things moist below. (The common toad boasts one of my favourite Latin names, Bufo bufo).

To give you a sense of scale, the lizard was about the length of my hand, tail included, and the toad was about the size of an egg. Not as cute as Duck Dinner Dash's current allotment fauna, but satisying to see nonetheless.

Now I am hoping for a hedgehog and a slow worm to turn up next weekend, or do you think that's asking too much?

Comments

[Rebsie Fairholm]

Cor, that's a lovely lizard. I'm jealous.

I have slow worms and hedgehogs (and toads) but no lizards. They do a great job of keeping my veg plots slug-free though, so I've no complaints.

I'm sure you'll have more reptilian chums moving in over time. Random stacks of old twigs is just what they like.

[alan]

I have found a large slow worm with four young in our plastic dalek heap today.
Now bearing in mind they are protected any ideas how I can persuade them to move on while we empty the bin please?

[Jane Perrone]

If you keep lifting the lid and making a noise they should move on of their own accord if they're regularly being disturbed ... I am sure they'll be back once things have gone quiet again you've emptied the bin!