first frog (1 Viewer)

[Gary Polliard]

First frog in the pond this year. Bullfrog sitting on toad eggs.

 

[Azzy]

What a charming frog Nicely captured. With the rains we've been having over the past couple of days, the grass frog has started calling again and I've been seeing painted frogs hopping out and about after dark.

Still watching the development of the tadpoles too... so far my highest count is 10, so there has to be many more than that which I can't see. Will fish a couple out some day soon to photograph and hopefully ID.

 

[Gretchen]

So Azzy, I'm surprised that your frogs are breeding at this point. I don't really understand much about the cycles of wildlife "down under". Do frogs always breed with winter coming on?

Gary, nice picture! How can a person tell those are toad eggs? (different size or ?)

 

[Gary Polliard]

So Azzy, I'm surprised that your frogs are breeding at this point. I don't really understand much about the cycles of wildlife "down under". Do frogs always breed with winter coming on?

Gary, nice picture! How can a person tell those are toad eggs? (different size or ?)

Toad eggs are laid in a long string as these. Frog eggs are in clumps like grapes. Every year hundreds of toads come to the pond to mate for one week in the year. Then one morning they are all gone except for the thousands of eggs. They will grow and young tadpoles will swim in masses around the pond for weeks until they mature and go to the land as half inch toads. The ground surrounding the pond will look as if it is moving with all the baby toads. It is something unique although small in the nature world that I look forward to observing every year. It is an event that happens once a year signaling spring. The attachment is also another clue

 

[Gary Polliard]

What a charming frog Nicely captured. With the rains we've been having over the past couple of days, the grass frog has started calling again and I've been seeing painted frogs hopping out and about after dark.

Still watching the development of the tadpoles too... so far my highest count is 10, so there has to be many more than that which I can't see. Will fish a couple out some day soon to photograph and hopefully ID.

Australia is a place that would be amazing to go and see with all the different wildlife. My misses is not nature oriented so she would probably find a beach somewhere to spend her time. Me, give me the brush and backcountry. I love reading all the threads from the "land down under"

 

[Azzy]

So Azzy, I'm surprised that your frogs are breeding at this point. I don't really understand much about the cycles of wildlife "down under". Do frogs always breed with winter coming on?

Gary, nice picture! How can a person tell those are toad eggs? (different size or ?)

I believe it is quite common actually for frogs here to breed this time of year. Reason being, a lot of water sources in south australia are highly seasonal and most natural water sources dry up over summer, which is certainly no good for breeding. We only got decent rain after the end of summer. I know frogs often breed early spring, and providing there's enough rain, a water source will last till the tadpoles grow up early in the summer. Then once the rains come again, like they have now, a lot of frogs that have burrowed come up again to breed. We'll have decent weather until mid-may and it won't get too cold at night for them just yet. After all, it doesn't snow in Aus except for the alpine regions and Tasmania, so the cold isn't too much of a problem for them. We get a few frosty nights in winter, but you'll rarely see a layer of ice over the pond, unless it's a particularly cold night and even then it'll only be a very thin layer. So basically, spring and autumn I'd say would be peak breeding times, and if it's a wet summer, all through then too. My pond however is permanent and I'm sure the frogs are taking good advantage of that

 

[Gretchen]

Toad eggs are laid in a long string as these. Frog eggs are in clumps like grapes.

Ahh, I'm actually quite interested in frogs, in a casual way, but never knew that toad eggs had that toadly different appearance. I think I've only seen the masses of frog eggs in the past.

I suppose with careful looking the tadpoles are identifiable too...

The ground surrounding the pond will look as if it is moving with all the baby toads.

I've seen something like this a few times - quite amazing! The little ones hopping everywhere are quite wonderful.

Thanks for the answer Gary.

Azzy thanks too. Makes sense that water is the most important ingredient and when it's available you can reproduce! My sense in the US (or parts I know) is that frogs pretty much just have one shot a year...

 

[Gary Polliard]

Ahh, I'm actually quite interested in frogs, in a casual way, but never knew that toad eggs had that toadly different appearance. I think I've only seen the masses of frog eggs in the past.

I suppose with careful looking the tadpoles are identifiable too...


I've seen something like this a few times - quite amazing! The little ones hopping everywhere are quite wonderful.

Thanks for the answer Gary.

Azzy thanks too. Makes sense that water is the most important ingredient and when it's available you can reproduce! My sense in the US (or parts I know) is that frogs pretty much just have one shot a year...

The eggs have "hatched' and there are a bazillion tadpoles swimming around. Today is to be sunny and I will take some photos. More frogs are appearing and soon the frog eggs will appear. The pond is coming to life as spring gets into full swing.