Monitoring Frog Populations around the Sunshine Coast

The first several photos are taken at my property a few nights ago when a heap of Peron's Tree Frogs were calling out in a location that was easy to access.

Peron's Tree Frog

The same Peron's Tree Frog

Also called the Emerald Spotted Tree Frog

Peron's Tree Frog performing its advertisement call

The Peron's Tree Frog performing its advertisement call again

Last night a friend and I went out with Eva to do some monitoring of animals, frogs in particular at four sites around the Sunshine Coast. This is a really interesting process and is done in a scientific manner to make the research valid and accurate and is done over a period of many years to look for trends within areas and across the whole region. At each location water testing is done to test the temperature of the water, the dissolved oxygen in the water, pH of the water, and the salt concentration as well. A special device that records and detects micro bats is also used. The time and weather conditions is recorded as well as the moon cycle.

Each site has a 100 metre stretch of creek that we follow. Only animals within this zone are recorded. The distance at which they were found along the transect is recorded as well as any other information like whether it was seen or heard, the gender and size etc. Some photos and sound recordings are taken as well. Before we move into a new area our shoes are washed in a solution to kill any potential chytrid fungus that may have been picked up to ensure that it is not transferred into another system if it is present. Last night it was quite a warm night. It was very still and dark as the moon, which was at half moon was not up until later in the night. We left from my property at 6 and we continued through until approximately 1 am this morning until we returned home.

Last night we started off at a site at Cedar Creek. All the sites were easily accessible and easy to move around once within the transect,  compared to some of the sites I went to a week earlier. Heaps of species were seen at all the sites which was good for us to see. At this first site dozens of Pearson's Green Tree Frogs were seen and heard with a large range of colour variations. We also heard Great Barred Frogs, Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs and Dainty Tree Frogs within the general area.

Pearson's Green Tree Frog

The same Pearson's Green Tree Frog

The Pearson's Green Tree Frog again

Another specimen and colour variation of a Pearson's Green Tree Frog

Another specimen and colour variation of a Pearson's Green Tree Frog

After a short drive we arrived at destination number two which was on Belli Creek. This site had more species and was the nicest to visit as well. Here we saw possums, a melomy, a bandicoot, a massive carpet snake, heaps of very large spiders (15 - 20 centimetres across including the legs), a variety of other insects, several micro bats as well as a good variety of frogs.


Pearson's Green Tree Frogs were in good numbers here as well.

Pearson's Green Tree Frogs are also called Cascade Tree Frogs

Several large male Giant Barred Frogs were found here.

Giant Barred Frog

Another Giant Barred Frog

The same Giant Barred Frog as above

Many different types of insect were seen including this one which resembled a cockroach but I am unsure as to what it actually was. It was about 6 centimetres long, not including the antennae.

One of the many insects that were seen on the trip

Another shot of this large insect

Only a few Wilcox's Frogs were seen on the transect.

Wilcox's Frog

Another male Wilcox's Frog

Theses two males were fighting each other but I missed a photo of them wrestling. On they way back I did manage to get a photo and recording though. While they are wrestling they make some unusual noises that are not part of their normal call.

A male Giant Barred Frog

Another male Giant Barred Frog

Many Tusked Frogs could be heard along the creek. This female came out just as we were making our way over this shallow pool. She was most likely making her way to the males that were calling out only a few metres away. We also found a few foam nests of eggs from the Tusked Frogs along the bank too.

Tusked Frog

This carpet snake was quite impressive. Not the biggest I've seen by any means, but still a decent sized snake. It was a good 3 metres long and about 30 - 35 centimetres in circumference along the majority of its body.

Carpet Snake

Several Great Barred Frogs could be heard but we only managed to locate a couple.

Great Barred Frog

The same Great Barred Frog

On the way back we managed to capture and record the sound of the two male Giant Barred Frogs fighting.

Two male Giant Barred Frogs fighting

Two male Giant Barred Frogs fighting still

This is a short recording of the noises that the male Giant Barred Frogs were making as they were fighting.

The third site was Six Mile Creek near Cooroy. We didn't see many frogs here even though the habitat is very similar to the other 2 spots. The soil is much drier and sandier which could effect the frogs. We heard a few Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs, Dainty Tree Frogs and Tusked Frogs. We only saw one Dainty Tree Frog and a large female Giant Barred Frog.

Dainty Tree Frog

Dainty Tree Frogs are also called Graceful Tree Frogs

Large female Giant Barred Frog

The last site was Cooroora Creek. We saw many smaller, young male Giant Barred Frogs, a few very large female Giant Barred Frogs, a few Striped Marsh Frogs, Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs as well as hearing some Dainty Tree Frogs and Tusked Frogs. Some micro bats were active here as well. Several large snails and birds were also seen at this location.

Striped Marsh Frog

Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog

Large female Giant Barred Frog

Large female Giant Barred Frog from front on

It was a very rewarding night and I learnt a lot again. I was pretty exhausted from a big day on the farm and then following up with this until around 1 a.m. when we arrived back at my house, had really worn me out but I would definitely do it again. As I was going inside the door I saw I had one last frog species to photograph. One of the resident Green Tree Frogs was sitting under the light near the door getting his fill for the night. No wonder he looks so healthy and big!!

Green Tree Frog

More pics and updates when more frogs are photographed and recorded.

Two Vulnerable Frogs for the Sunshine Coast

Last night a friend that told me that they had heard a Northern Banjo Frog calling out at Pomona during the day. I thought that this could be a good opportunity to obtain a few better photos of this species from this area. I have seen them many times before, but usually in northern New South Wales. I have seen them on my property at Coles Creek also but I haven't seen or heard them often when out and about around the Sunshine Coast.

I made my way to the location at Pomona but was unable to hear any of the Northern Banjo Frogs. As soon as I arrived though I could hear 3 other types of frogs. Two of them I could identify easily as soon as I heard them. The first frogs that were heard were many Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs, possibly 50 or more and the second was several Giant Barred Frogs. The other call I knew was familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it for a few minutes. I knew that it was a common call at my property during the summer. After listening to it for a short period I realised that they were Tusked Frogs calling out.

Firstly we honed in on a Tusked Frog calling out to obtain a clear recording. We located this Tusked Frog very easily under a small log. We lifted the log to obtain a few photos and placed the log back once we had finished. Within a few minutes he was calling again. Tusked frogs can be identified easily by their distinctive call. The belly of Tusked Frogs is marbled black and white and the thighs are marbled red and black. These markings along with the eye patterning can identify this frog apart from others in the same area. Also male Tusked frogs often have unusually large heads compared to the rest of their body.

Tusked Frog

Male Tusked Frog

Tusked Frog from the left side

The eye pattern of the Tusked Frog is helpful in identification

Tusked Frog from above

This is a recording of a Tusked Frog calling out from beneath a log, sitting in the water at Pomona. This advertisement call can go on for quite a while and can end with a second part to the call. I stopped recording before this happened due to traffic noise and barking dogs.

By the time we had finished photographing the Tusked Frogs the Giant Barred frogs had just about finished calling. We heard one call a few times and we made our way to the general area and we spotted him. We waited for quite a while for him to call again but it didn't happen. As a result I missed obtaining a recording of them.

This Giant Barred Frog was sitting on the edge of a very steep bank about 2 or 3 meters out of the water. This is often where Giant Barred and Great Barred Frogs are found on steeper creek banks like this. You are more likely to find them on steep banks compared to flat banks on a creek. These frogs have a few obvious distinguishing features. The first is their size. They are a large frog and as far as I know they are the second biggest in Australia.

Their back has spots/patterns in varying size that are darker in colour to the brown body colour. There is a dark triangle shape on either side of the nostrils.  The eye is the most obvious feature though. Their eye is a golden colour, which is lighter on the top half, compared to the lower half of the eye. There is also a dark stripe  that travels along the snout, through the eye and comes down behind the "ear" of the frog. Barring is also obvious on the legs.

Giant Barred Frog

Giant Barred Frog from above

The same Giant Barred Frog

 

 

 

I didn't find the Northern Banjo Frogs that I went to look for but I was pleased that I got to see two of our vulnerable frog species on the Sunshine Coast. I knew the Giant Barred Frogs were at this location but I was unaware that the Tusked Frogs were also here. I have not heard them on any occasion that I have been here before.

More pics and updates when more frogs are photographed and recorded.

Giant Barred Frogs

The friends that came over to my property to go frogging with me went to a location at Pomona to do some frogging last week. They didn't think they would find much due to the colder weather but were surprised to see one species. My friend told me that they were the same as the Great Barred Frogs on my property but they were much larger, at least twice the size! I didn't think much of it at first but then I realised that they don't get much bigger than they do at my property. I thought they could be Giant Barred Frogs but it was unlikely as they are listed as endangered and are extremely uncommon around the whole Sunshine Coast.

A few nights later they said they were going back to get some better photos so I decided to go along with them. As soon as we arrived I could hear a few individuals calling out. They sounded very much like the Great Barred Frogs but were much deeper with a slight variation in call. Within a few minutes we had located one of the frogs. They were Giant Barred Frogs alright. Firstly their size is larger but the distinguishing features are the more pointed nose and the yellow around the pupil. This is the first time I had ever seen them so I was very excited! My friend said that this was only a baby compared to the ones the other night. We found several other specimens on the walk. As well as finding several of them we heard about 15 to 20 others calling from around the area. We didn't find any that were as big as a few they saw on the first night but still very impressive!

I have since reported this location to the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and to DERM in Queensland to ensure they can be protected at this site.

Giant Barred Frog

The same Giant Barred Frog

The same Giant Barred Frog from behind

Another Giant Barred Frog

Another Giant Barred Frog

Another Giant Barred Frog

The biggest Giant Barred Frog for the night

The Giant Barred Frog with ruler comparison (approximately 11 cm)

The same Giant Barred Frog from above

The same Giant Barred Frog again

 

While we were looking for the Giant Barred Frogs we also found possibly 60 or more snails. These were large snails too. The shell had a diameter of about 50 - 60 millimetres.

 

One of the many giant snails that were seen

 

When I went to lean on one of the trees to get a photo of a Giant Barred Frog I nearly put my hand onto this millipede. I didn't realise they got this big. This specimen was about 60 - 70 millimetres long. Everything in this area seems to be giant!!!

 

The giant millipede located on the trunk of a tree

 

The same millipede from above

 

While we were at this location we also heard one Green Tree Frog and a couple of Great Barred Frogs. A Squirrel Glider come in for a visit while we were walking around also as well as a Few Ringtail Possums, one of which had a baby on its back. A beautiful way to finish the walk. Unfortunately I only had my close up camera so I was unable to get a photo of the mammals in the tree. My friend did obtain a few nice shots of them though.

Sadly this will most likely be the last Frog Blog until the rains come after Winter as most frogs have begun to hibernate. If any other frogs are located between now and then I will post them, if not see you in the near future.

Thankyou for taking the time to read my blogs. I hope they have been informative and pleasurable to read and view. I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have taking the photos and creating them.

Bye for now.