The Rain Finally Arrives: 14 Species Sighted/Heard on my Property in One Night

This week the rain finally arrived. Over the 3 days my property had 401 mm. With all that rain the dams and creeks have filled and overflowed so the front of the property is once again under water.....a frog's heaven. I was a little concerned that few frogs had been calling for the first two nights after the rain but on the third night they appeared again in decent numbers. I have noticed a decline in numbers of many species so far. Hopefully the numbers of each species improves as the rain continues over the coming weeks.

The Roth's Tree Frogs have been sighted regularly on the veranda of the house over the last few months. They picked a good spot on the top rafter to watch the flooding unfold. I can't believe the colour variation between all three of these specimens. One is very pale cream with a couple of darker markings, one has several darker markings and one has a very mottled appearance. In fact it looks very similar to the Peron's Tree Frogs on the property.

The Roth's Tree Frogs watching the rain from the veranda

Great colour variation between all three Roth's Tree Frogs

Roth's Tree frogs have the upper half of the iris red and the lower half silver

Some of the Roth's Tree Frogs on the veranda

The Green Tree Frogs have increased in numbers over the last few years. Most nights now, between four and eight can be seen on the verandas. This specimen below is my favourite. It is the biggest of the lot at about 85mm in length.

Green Tree Frog

Front view of the big Green Tree Frog

After getting away from the veranda I made my way down to the dam. The first or should I say, one of the many initial frogs I heard was the Spotted Marsh Frogs. This is one of the first times I have seen them in this area. Usually they are confined to an area of the front paddock.

Spotted Marsh Frog calling

This is a recording of the Spotted Marsh Frog's advertising call.

I was really happy to hear Green Tree Frogs in the bush calling out as well. I could hear them in two distinct locations well away from each other. This is the first time I have heard them any real distance from man made structures here. To be honest it is only the second time ever I have seen them away from man made structures.

One of the Green Tree Frogs sighted in the bush

The Green Tree Frog pictured above was heading towards the area where several Green Tree Frogs were calling from. This is a recording of the advertising call of the Green Tree Frogs. You can also hear all the Graceful or Dainty Tree Frogs calling out as well.

 

 

 

Many Graceful Tree Frogs or Dainty Tree Frogs were calling out. Usually they don't call for long after the rain stops falling so I was lucky to get a recording of them as the rain had stopped several hours prior to me obtaining a photo and recording. There has been a noticeable decline in their numbers so far. This could change though over the coming weeks if the rain continues. They seemed to be limited to smaller sections of the property, where some water was still present or recently dried up. Usually they could be heard over the entire property during or just after rain, during a normal wet season. The long drought may have effected their numbers and distribution within the property.

 

  



Dainty Tree Frog

 

 

Dainty Tree Frogs are also known as Graceful Tree Frogs

Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs were common over the whole property as well. It was noticeable though, compared to other years that the numbers of these has also seemed to have declined.

Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog

Striped Marsh Frogs were very common. Many could be seen hopping around in the grass and many hundreds could be heard in the water. They were breeding in huge numbers and spawn was very common in where they were calling. In a few places the noise was deafening.

One of the numerous Striped Marsh Frogs

 

 

This is a recording of the advertising call of hundreds of  Striped Marsh Frogs. Individually the sound is very different from this. A couple of Dainty Tree Frogs can also be heard throughout this recording.

Across one of the creeks that loops around where the island forms during flooding the Tyler's Tree Frogs and Peron's Tree Frogs could be heard. About three Tyler's Tree Frogs could be heard and about seven Peron's Tree Frogs. It is amazing that each year these two species arrive back in this small area within a few days of flooding rain. I didn't obtain any photos as the water was too deep to be wading through when it wasn't essential. It was about 1.2 metres deep but it was flowing. Within a few days it will be low enough to walk though at about 80 centimetres when it stops flowing.

I could also hear Verreaux's Tree Frogs calling out from the island. I have only seen one individual here before but it has an obvious call. I was pleased as there were two individuals calling out. It was directly across the creek from where I had sighted the specimen last year.


These Red Tree Frogs or Desert Tree Frogs were sighted near the house. This is common as usually they are all seen around the ponds, shed and house. During the drought many (approximately 30) plus a few Keferstein's Tree Frogs had moved into the water tanks. During a normal wet season they would be always seen around the house. I am pleased to say that only two were seen around man made structures so far since the rain. Most were sighted around the creeks, floodways and around the dams.

A Red Tree Frog enjoying some water in the rain gauge

This Red Tree Frog or Desert Tree Frog was on the veranda

One of the many Red Tree Frogs on the edge of the creek

This is a recording of the advertising call of the Red Tree Frog. The Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs can also be heard calling

Striped Rocket Frogs were sighted in large numbers. I was hoping to see some of the Broad-palmed Rocket Frogs in the areas where they are usually seen but I was unable to locate any. In the places where the Broad-palmed Rocket Frogs are seen numerous Striped Rocket Frogs were spotted. Hopefully the others will show over the coming weeks. The Striped Rocket Frogs seem to push the Broad-palmed Rocket Frogs into a smaller area each season.

Striped Rocket Frog calling

Striped Rocket Frog from above.

This Common Froglet was sighted easily as I approached the dam. This was the quickest that I have found one. As I heard it calling I moved in and it continued to call. Usually as you approach they stop calling and move to a new location. Many could be heard around the dam. The Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet seemed to be much more prolific than the Common Froglet at this stage. As the seasons change the numbers of these two froglets can change significantly during a good wet season, so this may not be due to the drought. I could hear many of these calling out during the day in the front paddock as I left. Even though I could hear many more, I was unable to locate an Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet to obtain a photo tonight.

Common Froglet

A Common Froglet calling also known as a Clicking Froglet 

 

 

Some more pictures of the numerous Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs.

 

 

An Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog on the sedge in the dam

A pair of Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs in amplexus

An Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog calling from a lily pad

Another Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog calling from a lily pad

Another Dainty Tree Fog calling. This specimen and many others were near the other Green Tree Frogs that were calling out in the bush.

Dainty Tree Frog

This is a clearer but softer recording of the Dainty Tree Frogs performing their advertisement call. There were not as many present in this area so you can hear the call more clearly.

One of the many hundreds of Striped Marsh Frogs that were breeding in the creeks.

Striped Marsh Frog

I was really happy to see and hear one of my favourite frogs again, the Great Barred Frogs. I could hear them as soon as I walked outside. Their call carries a long way and is very distinct. They are a very predictable frog. They always appear a few days after flooding in the creeks and they are always within a 50 metre stretch of the same riverbank. I found about four tonight but could hear many others.

Great Barred Frog

As I was walking away from where the Great Barred Frogs are located I saw a huge frog jump by me. I thought it was a large Great Barred Frog by the size but it was in fact a female Wilcox's Frog. It is the largest specimen I have ever seen. It was an easy 7 centimetres in length. I didn't realise they grew so big. Within a few minutes I sighted another female nearly as big. I didn't locate any males all night.

A large female Wilcox's Frog

The same female Wilcox's Frog from above

The other large female Wilcox's Frog

In the front paddock I found many Spotted Marsh Frogs. This is the area where they are more common. When I first spotted this specimen I thought I had found the Salmon Striped Frog again on my property. I have many people doubt that I have ever sighted them here and some believe me but are sceptical. Luckily I have photographic evidence. Unfortunately this was not one. I thought it was as it was quite large compared to the normal Spotted Marsh Frogs and the orange stripes were very distinct. Also the body shape seemed more arched like the Salmon Striped Frog. Usually the Spotted Marsh Frogs sit flatter on the ground. A Salmon Striped Frog has another orange line coming out from the back groin up the belly, which this frog lacked, which is the most distinguishing feature of the Salmon Striped frog.





Large Spotted Marsh Frog



Side view of the Large Spotted Marsh Frog

 

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


Frogging Around my Property with Jono

Last Friday night Jono from Frogging Around http://froggingaround.com/blog/ came over to my place to have a look around at the species of frogs that I get on my property. It was a windy day and evening and it was cooler so this did effect the numbers of frogs that we saw. Many of the species for this time of year were out but in much lower numbers. As it gets wetter on the property the other species will turn up again.

Jono arrived just after 6 p.m. and we started looking down near the main dam near the house. We found a few Wilcox's Frogs straight away. We saw another male Wilcox's Frog trying to mate with a cane toad, which is becoming a regular sight here now and I saw one in a tree for the first time ever. I have only seen them on the ground prior to this at any location. All around the dam and creeks we could hear Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs as well. There were quite a few but not near the number as the past few weeks due to the cooler night.

Wilcox's Frog in a tree

While we were making our way around the dam we could hear and see two Peron's Tree Frogs calling out as well. They were not in very good spots to try and get photos so we kept moving on to the next part of the property. Making our way through one of the dry creek beds we spotted many Striped Marsh Frogs, all of which were small, young frogs, most likely from last season. We also sighted a couple of Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs.

Next we went up to near the house to spot another species which is regular most of the year round, the Green Tree Frogs that live around the verandas. We spotted one of the regulars. Next we went to the tanks where the Red Tree Frogs and Keferstein's Tree Frog live during the cooler months. We spotted only three tonight. They are so similar in appearance on the property that I have trouble identifying them unless they are calling, and the fact they live together and breed in the same place makes it even more difficult. After some discussions with a few frog experts, most of them agreed that they are more likely to be Red Tree Frogs.

Red Tree Frog

Next we made our way down to the rainforest section of the property to where the Great Barred Frogs and Tusked Frogs live. I was hopeful that we may see a Great Barred Frog as I heard the first one of the season calling only the night before. That in itself was surprising as I normally don't hear them here until after the creeks start to flow again in this area. Unfortunately we didn't see any but we did hear several Tusked Frogs in the area.

In the front paddocks I didn't think we would see much except for Striped Marsh Frogs which we did see many of, most of which were small also. We also sighted a first for my blog from my property. I have seen them on the property a few years ago but I hadn't photographed them. I had only seen two or three back then but tonight we saw about ten in total with little effort. With this species of the Spotted Marsh Frog now added to the list, that takes the total number of frogs photographed for the blog on my property to 18 this year, but the number of species seen on the property still stays at 26 as they are one species that has been identified.

All of the Spotted Marsh Frogs were small in size too. The first four or so that we saw looked like the first two photos. The others that were seen looked liked the last photos. I'm unsure of why there is a big difference in colour and skin texture, considering they were all found within the same general area and they were all about the same size. The frog experts that I consulted suggest that most likely they are all Spotted Marsh Frogs, as they can be highly variable in colour etc, within the same area.

One colour of the Spotted Marsh Frogs located

A different angle of the same Spotted Marsh Frog from above

This is the other colouring that the Spotted Marsh Frogs had, which is the colouring that I saw on them a few years ago on the property and have seen elsewhere.

Spotted Marsh Frog

The same Spotted Marsh Frog from above

A different angle of the same Spotted Marsh Frog from above

As we were making our way back to the house this fully grown Striped Marsh Frog jumped out in front of us. We saw heaps of them but only a few were fully grown.

One of the few large Striped Marsh Frogs sighted

Just before we went up the track to the house we heard some rustling in the grass. My first thought was a bandicoot, but after hearing it move again I knew it was an echidna. They can be regularly seen in this spot when the property isn't in flood. A nice find to finish off the night.

An echidna

Even though the quanity of frogs wasn't there compared to normal on my place we still saw relatively large numbers of some species and we did hear or see 8 different frog species for the night. Not too bad for this time of the year. A few minutes after Jono left a Dainty Tree Frog called out right near where his car was parked and about an hour later I heard the Great Barred Frog calling out again. I wished this happened while he was here as then it would have taken the number of species he saw or heard to 10 for the night on my property.

A good night frogging and good to finally meet Jono, another frog enthusiast from the coast.

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