Bad day in Frogland

[Vetivert]

Started making the move to a new plot today, across from my current plot. Larger, long abandoned, covered in tall grass and rotting pallets. The scythe was ready.
Two minutes into the action a frog plops out of the overgrowth - I shoo it away to safety and return to my trance-like state of reaping. Before long, another, and then another. Tiny, small, large - I'm sure I've stumbled upon the matriarch. Is this Frogland? I've been searching for this kingdom since my childhood. Every frog in the allotment must be living on this plot. I tread carefully and bundle all of the snailey pallets into a new palace for my countrymen, already daydreaming of a pond in spring.
A little while later I'm turning clumps of sod. Another frog takes me by surprise as it leaps across the brown earth. But its guts are hanging out. I was horrified; I still am. I should have put it out of its misery but let it hop away. I'm sure it met the end of my scythe; didn't hear it coming. Maybe strimmers are better for the tall wilderness.

[Vetivert]

[hippydave]

Strimmers will not discriminate between grass or from either, ask me how I know.

[Paulh]

The only slow worm I have seen is the one that I ran my mower over 40 years aoo.

[galina]

It is horrible when this happens.  I still remember being sick when I speared a mouse digging parsnips years ago. And OH also got a frog with the strimmer.  Unfortunately it happens.  Sad though.   

[pumkinlover]

The manure heap used to be the worse for this. Now I don't have one I haven't had this problem.
Like others I feel dreadful when I have hurt any amphibians by accident.

[Redalder]

Been there, done that - it is horrible. Now if I am going to strim I run a grass rake through each bit before I do it, can't face any more part frogs to deal with.

[galina]

That is a really neat idea Redalder.  What we do when strimmering highish stuff is to first only take the top off to give animals at the bottom a chance to scarper.  Will suggest your idea to OH. 

[Vetivert]

Sorry to read of others' bad experiences. I figured maybe noisy power tools would warn the critters of impending doom but based on the comments this isn't really the case.

Thanks Redalder and galina for the practical tips. Will first scythe high,  rake and then mow lower metre by metre from now on.