Last Amphibian Watch for the Year

The sky over Berry Springs Park

A cold front was coming, but we enjoyed "shorts weather" most of the day. We were also enjoying the practical joke planned for the evening.

A few years ago I cast some ceramic frogs for an environmental installation. They have lived in a cardboard box since. We found them a month or so ago as we were cleaning out and a scheme began to develop - because frogs can be scarce in the winter months, why couldn't we "plant" these frogs around the pond and stream at Berry Springs Park?

We knew TH and HY would "get it" and hoped our joke would not offend the citizen scientists we join each month.

Arriving about 30 minutes early we were not surprised to find TH and HY already bird-watching in the park. We let them in on the joke and walked the routes the team usually takes for the watch, carefully placing frogs where the creatures would be "hidden" but discovered.

DH joined the group in the parking lot and I "guarded" frogs at the pier (met a lovely young man - EJ, who caught a fish just as his parent's arrived to pick him and his brother up from their afternoon of fishing).

As the frogging group arrived at the pier I could tell they had enjoyed finding a new species - Frogus ceramicus, the Christmas Frog, (AKA tellus ranae - ceramic frog). [They found all 10 and, best of all, took them home! One less box at our house.]

Nice catch, EJ! Redear Sunfish.

The rest of the Amphibian Watch was also productive. We recorded a Rio Grande Leopard frog, caught a Blanchard's Cricket frog, photographed an American Bullfrog, and captured an American Bullfrog tadpole. Who knew we would see anything on this winter (soon to be frigid) evening?

Blanchard's Cricket Frog

American Bullfrog tadpole

Closeup of the tadpole.

American Bullfrog was trying to hide - probably from the bad weather coming. You can just see his eye here. Trust me.

Here a few photos of the evening before the cold front hit (dropping the temperature 20 degrees) and frog watchers headed home:

Recording the cricket frog. Note tellus ranae captured and resting on the bench.

Recording the tadpole.

One shot at capturing the bullfrog.

A valiant effort, but the bullfrog was having none of it this evening.

 Wild things and observations:

A Great Egret flew away from the pond area as we first approached. I did not get a photo, but have become fairly familiar with this bird. There were waterfowl in the pond - probably Pie-billed Grebes (HY had identified some before we got there). The grackles were present in quantity - a few hundred. And one titmouse led me on a merry chase. I was capturing audio and followed the raucous sound coming from that little guy. There are always a number of turtles. We see their heads pop up, but the did not get close to shore this day.

Grackles

Waterfowl

Brackets on native pecan.

I love watching the sun go down here.

Photo of the new frogs by KM:

"