Frogs Galore by torchlight at Jarowair Our Patch 15/11/2013

We have recently had some much needed rain over the last few days at our patch with  +25mmls almost filling all of the rain-water tanks - thank goodness.

Around 8.30pm I went outside to check if the dog had wandered off, and stumbled upon a huge Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk Frog on our walking track that leads to the creek.  This is only the third time that we have seen these amazing amphibian's since owning this patch of land (although they are often heard).  I raced back to the house to get the camera, Brendon and the kids to show them as the children hadn't ever seen one before - the frog behaved perfectly letting me take a few photos by torchlight - what a magnificent frog they are!

The sound of the frogs mating at our little dam from across the creek was enticing so Brendon and I set off with the torches to see what else was around.  The sounds at the little dam amongst the Common Rush Grasses was deafening - we could hardly hear each other speaking.  Despite there being clearly an enormous amount of activity the frogs were really hard to see as most were in the water under the grasses.  We did manage a few photos of the ornate burrowing frog, bleating tree frog and a Great Brown Brood Frog clinging to the base of an ironbark tree.

We then decided to go for a walk all around the property and found a huge Green Tree Frog on the front door and on a power point outside of the shed,a tiny Eastern Sedge Frog,  a couple of Dainty Tree frogs including one tiny one and a whole heap of garden-orb weaver spiders.  While walking down to the back of the property I found another scarlet-sided pobblebonk frog near the chicken-pen where it is dry and there isn't any water nearby at all!!  I couldn't believe that we could see two in one night in different locations - when we are always looking for them! We also saw spotted marshfrogs and a robust velvet gecko with a regenerated tail, the salmon-striped marshfrog still remained elusive along with the emerald-spotted tree frogs.

After a great night walking around the property, we were saddened to find the carcass of a dead koala right at the back of our property near a large pile of logs.  This was a real downer on the evening, as we hadn't done a thorough walk of the whole property for over two weeks and I hate to think that possibly this koala may have been unwell and we weren't able to help it?  It is possible I guess that it could have died of natural causes, but the main possibility is that there has recently been dingoes or wild dogs in the area taking the neighbours chickens and ducks and one of these could have possibly gotten it while it was moving from location to location. :(  Not a nice thing to report but I will add it to the Koala tracker profile for research purposes.

Hope you enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed taking them!  J & B.


Scarlet Sided Pobblebonk Frog 15/11/13

Gorgeous! 

I took this photo with my hand near the Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk Frog to show it's size.


This is the second Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk frog we saw that night.

Bleating Tree-Frog - this shows how thick the rushes are making the frogs hard to see.

Unsure on the ID of this one yet - similar to a broad palmed rocketfrog? It was rather yellow underneath when it moved.


Eastern Sedge Frog

Brendon's hand near the tiny Eastern Sedge Frog to show how small it is.
Great Brown Brood Frog

Spotted Marshfrog


Spotted Marshfrog pair - one with the orange strip, one without

Spotted Marshfrog with orange stripe.

Bleating Tree-frog

Broad-palmed Rocket Frog

Ornate Burrowing Frog

Small Common Green Tree Frog

Common Green Tree Frog

Common Green Tree Frog on the front door.

Common Green Tree Frog on the front door - taken from the inside.

Comments

  1. What can one say other than ...Brilliant!

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  2. Love your frogs! You have an amazing variety there, sign of a healthy environment I'm thinking. I didn't realize the pobblebonks were so big! Great images of these beautiful little amphibians. Saddened to hear about the koala.

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    1. Thanks John- we love them too- the pobblebonks are such a rare sight- it took years to see one here. It is amazing how they just wait for the rain to come!

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  3. Fantastic array of very exotic looking amphibians! How blessed you are to be able to enjoy so many wonderful frogs. It takes me back to my college days in Texas when we would go frogging at night by the moonlight.

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    1. Thanks Hannah for your comment, sorry I have missed seeing it before x

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