The Met. Office reckoned it was the warmest and sunniest May on record; it was also dry with measurable rainfall on only eight days. Forecasts of torrential thunder-storms came day after day during the last week but all we got were a couple of brief showers on 30^th and 31^st. The duneland water-table therefore fell rapidly, the Newest Green Beach at Ainsdale with 1000+ small Natterjack tadpoles on 2^nd having completely dried up by 13^th. Fortunately, tadpoles at several other sites, including the Devil’s Hole, survived until at least the end of the month.

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