Spring peepers seem to be gone from this site as well as the toads. Green frogs and Bull frogs are out and about. The ones using the tow path are around 2.5 inches or so. Here’s a pic of a Gray tree frog that was calling from the parking lot!
Month: May 2015
After the storms
The spring crickets are calling and some fire flies are showing off! These are not the same crickets we will hear ion the dog days of summer, those ones are the fall variety. I like to come visit the FW sites after a good soaking because the rain brings out the frogs. It was a pleasant surprise to hear several toads singing and the green frogs were having a dispute nearby. The Spring peepers have called it quits at the Watershed Center, curious if they have wrapped it up elsewhere.
Followup on Bradley Woods site
Although some places had a significant amount of rain last night, we still running a deficit and the smaller Frogwatch sites are showing evidence of this. Both monitoring sites at Bradley Woods have all but dried up with a spongy detritus lined bottom. After a day in the 80’s and a visit temp of around 70 degrees, I figured the rain soaked visit would be more productive… I did see some large male and female Bullfrogs at the lakes edge along with some Green frogs and 2 American toads. The American toads were not calling and only 1 Green frog gave it’s distinctive plunk. On the Western side of the pond, I was welcomed with a Green frog’s alarm call!
Bullfrog in pond
Bullfrog under leaf
Bullfrog swimming
Bradley Woods Frogwatch event
Juvinile Green Frog
Cleveland Metroparks naturalist Mark Warman conducted a Frogwatch survey at Bradley Woods this past Thursday on May 7th. We were greeted at the first survey site by a racoon looking for diner, and probably the subject of our survey! On the approach, Mark spotted the first amphibian, an American Toad. The site was home to several juvenile Green Frogs and American Toads and Spring Peepers could be calling from other locations. Nothing was calling at either Bradley Woods location but there was activity at the main lagoon. American Toads were tuning up, some distant Spring Peepers and a Green frog made his presence known. On the pond edge was several Bullfrogs of good size, but they didn’t say much. Several American toad satellite males were approaching a broadcasting male and clasped onto each other for a brief moment and I was able to record a release call. The male being clasped issues this call along with a vibration that triggers the other male to release it’s hold due to mistaken identity. While we were observing the toads, we heard a very soft grating sound coming from several locations near the ponds edge. Upon closer inspection, Mark noticed a small catfish moving under the leaf litter. I have heard catfish make sounds when captured, but never in the field! Here’s a recording of what we observed.
Ohio Frog Blog 