Strange Time of Year to be Out

This week I have seen several frog species out on the property that I normally only see during late Spring, Summer and early April. Also over the last week many moths, bugs and other small insects have been out around the lights. I can't remember ever seeing so many insects out at night in the middle of Winter. Three nights ago the amount of insects around the veranda lights looked like a bad night for insects during summer. Anyway back to the frogs.

Three nights ago I heard several Tyler's Tree Frogs calling out but I wasn't feeling too well so I didn't go down into the paddock to look for them to photograph. I was very surprised to hear them at this time of year but I wasn't too sure about their habits on my property as earlier this year was the first time that I have heard them here. The following night I didn't hear any calling out but I did hear numerous Peron's Tree Frogs calling out from the general area where they are found during the wet season as well as many Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs calling out near the dam. Also hundreds of Eastern Sign-bearing Froglets could be heard from all directions.

Last night I was feeling a lot better so I went down with the camera to get some shots. The Peron's Tree Frogs were out in good numbers again. I found that they have moved about 80m from their Summer area as that creek has dried up. The new place is near a shallow waterhole that holds water until mid Spring. The photos are only of two different specimens as the other six or so that I could see were too high in the tree to photograph. I didn't hear the Tyler's Tree Frogs again last night. The Northern Dwarf Tree Frogs were only calling out for a short time after dark and then they stopped calling so I missed getting photos of them.

Peron's Tree Frog from behind

Peron's Tree Frog

Peron's Tree Frog or Emerald Spotted Tree Frog

Left side view of the Peron's Tree Frog

Right side view of the Peron's Tree Frog

Male Peron's Tree Frog calling



Partially inflated air sac of the Peron's Tree Frog



Fully inflated air sac of the Peron's Tree Frog while calling

This is a recording of some of the Peron's Tree Frogs calling out on the property. Throughout the whole recording you can also hear many Eastern Sign-bearing Froglets calling out.




After getting some good shots of the Peron's Tree Frog I thought I might try and find the other froglet. I have looked for them before but have failed to find them. Last night I was very lucky to find a few very easily. The Eastern Sign-bearing Froglets could be heard all around. I haven't ever identified them for certain on the property but I hear them constantly all year round. This year they seem to be in particularly large numbers. I went to where the water was very shallow and the ground had less cover so they would be easier to find. They are small in size (about 1.5cm long), and they usually like to sit partially submerged in the water at the base of grass, which makes them even more difficult to see, as well as their camouflage. I found one nearly instantly, then I found one jumping out in the open chasing a small bug and another jumping out from beneath my feet at the edge of the water.

This takes the total number of species of frogs seen on my property now to 26 in the last 3 years and 17 of those have been photographed for the blog this year! I must apologise for adding an extra species of frog that I had recorded on the property in a few of the last blogs. I had recorded one species incorrectly in my records. I just noticed that one list had 26 and the other had 27. After checking both lists I can say that there are 26 that have definitely been seen on the property.

Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet

The second Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet sighted

An Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet having dinner

This Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet bit off more than it could chew

The third Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet

Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet from the left side

Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet

Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet from above

This is a recording of some of the Eastern Sign-bearing Froglets calling out on the property.

As I was taking the last photos of the Eastern Sign-bearing Froglets I heard very low, deep sound that I have heard before. You had to listen very carefully to be able to hear it. I jumped up excitedly when I remembered where I had heard it. It was the sound that I thought the Wilcox's Frog was making a few months ago. I didn't think to look or even consider that I would find them even though I was in the very small area where they are located between the two dams. Tonight it was much clearer than last time, as more frogs were making the sound.

After hearing the call I looked around to see if I could even see any of the Wilcox's Frogs. Much to my surprise I saw at least 15 on the one side of the bank closest to me. The noise stopped again so I wasn't certain if it was them. Over the next 30 minutes I pin pointed a couple of the Wilcox's Frogs and listened and waited. A few times they began to call but each time my camera went to take the photo the light made them stop calling. I managed to get a recording of their call which quite clear and several photos but I need to get a video of it if possible, but I don't have one!

The first Wilcox's Frog that was sighted

Wilcox's Frog

An attempt to capture the Wilcox's Frog calling

In any of my frog books (which are recently published) that I have, it says that no call is recorded or it is unknown for this species and any Internet site that I look on has the call for the Wilcox's Frog the same as Lesueur's Frog or Stony Creek Frog. Often they are still called the same frog, which is not the case any more. A while ago I know they were classified as the same species. The calls that I recorded for them are quite different to the Lesueur's Frog calls that I can find online. After speaking with a few frog experts over the last few days I have found that their call is known and has been recorded but possibly not that common, especially online, due to how audible the call is.

This is the recording of the Wilcox's Frog calling on my property at Coles Creek. The Eastern Sign-bearing Froglets are calling out throughout the recording also. This is at least four of the Wilcox's Frogs calling out at the same time. It is the faint rumbling/gurgling sound in the background that can be heard for the entire recording.

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

Pearson's Green Tree Frogs near Imbil

Last night I went with a friend to look for owls and other night birds just outside of Imbil and we managed to find a few common species but we also heard the Pearson's Green Tree Frogs calling out again. They were calling out at one of the crossings just out of town. These were very different in colour from the Pearson's Green Tree Frogs that we photographed at Charlie Moreland a few weeks ago.

While we were there we also heard one other frog call out twice from not to far into the bush. I have not heard a frog call like that before, so I would be interested in locating it at some point. While we were looking for the Pearson's Green Tree Frogs we noticed many tadpoles in the water. There were many average sized tadpoles in the water but we also saw 15 or more of these very large tadpoles. The body of these tadpoles was about 1 1/2cm across and about 2 1/2 - 3cm long, not counting the tail. I am unsure what type of frog these tadpoles could turn into, to be this size and at this time of year.

There were at least 6 individual frogs calling out in the area. All of the photographs below are of the one specimen. While we were looking around for the Pearson's Green Tree Frogs we noticed these two spiders close together on the stones. Both of these spiders were about 8cm across including their legs.

The first spider that was spotted

 

 

This spider has lost two of his legs

 

 

 

Pearson's Green Tree Frog

Pearson's Green Tree Frog from above

Also known as the Cascade Tree Frog

Pearson's Green Tree Frog from the left side

Also called Pearson's Tree Frog

The same Pearson's Green Tree Frog

Pearson's Green Tree Frog again

Pearson's Green Tree Frog from the right side

This is the call of the Pearson's Green Tree Frog near Imbil.

Over the coming weeks I hope to get back out to this site to see if I can hear these other frogs calling out again and hopefully obtain a recording or even a photograph.

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

Pearson's Green Tree Frog at Charlie Moreland

Last night a friend and I went out to the Charlie Moreland Campground, which is a few kilometres south of Kenilworth, to do some bird watching. We walked down to the edge of Little Yabba Creek. When we arrived we heard many frogs calling out. Most of them sounded very familiar, so we didn't look around for them. I am sure they were Copper-backed Toadlets. Directly below us though I heard another frog call, that I have not heard before. In the general area we could hear at least 5 males calling out.

I got several good photos of the frog and managed to get a recording of his call as well. He wasn't very active until the other frogs began to call out in the area again and then he started to move around a lot more and even jump around. We did notice that the frog changed in colour significantly from the time we arrived to the time we left. When we first spotted the frog it was very bright and the pattern on its back was very obvious. After a few minutes it had turned very dark in colour, which made the pattern on its back harder to distinguish.


This frog is called Pearson's Green Tree Frog. Thanks to the people that helped me identify this frog correctly. I did not consider this to be the frog at first as it is not generally this colour. It is generally green in colour, hence the name. The frog also goes by the names Cascade Tree Frog and Mountain Stream Frog.

Pearson's Green Tree Frog from the right side

 

Pearson's Green Tree Frog from the left side

 

Also called the Cascade Tree Frog

 

The same Pearson's Green Tree Frog from above

 

A Pearson's Green Tree Frog partially submerged in the water

 

Another Pearson's Green Tree Frog

 



Another Pearson's Green Tree Frog sitting in very shallow water

 



Also called the Mountain Stream Frog

  

 

This is the recording of the Pearson's Green Tree Frog calling out at Little Yabba Creek just above the fast flowing water.

 

 

 

 

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

Verreaux's Tree Frogs at My Coles Creek Property

About 2 weeks ago I heard a different sound not far from the main dam close to the house. At first I thought that it could be a cricket. Over the next week or so I heard the call regularly and it was coming from the same general area, which made me think it was more likely to be a frog. I knew for certain that it was a different type of frog to any that I have heard on the property, if it was a frog. I only heard 3 individuals calling out on any given night and they have continued to call out up until last night. A few nights ago it was only 4 degrees here at about 3 in the morning and I heard it calling still!!

This frog began calling out after the 100mm of rain that we had a few weeks ago made the dam flood again. I have lived here for 3 years nearly and I'm surprised after all this time another new frog species turned up. That takes the total number of frogs seen at this property in the time I have lived here to 26 and 17 of those have been seen and photographed for the blog this year.

After I was certain that it was a frog I rang a friend to help me look for it. We both looked for it very carefully and we managed to get a few recordings of its call and we got a few nice pictures as well. It was very slow moving when we found it, which was no surprise as it was quite cold the night we looked for it.

I am sure by the look of it and its call that it is a Verreaux's Tree Frog but they are not meant to be found this far north. I live just south of Gympie which is 300 km north or so of their range. Apparently they are just found over the Queensland border and south. This shows that there range does extend further north than any of the distribution maps show.

Verreaux's Tree Frog from the left side

 

Verreaux's Tree Frog from the left side again

 

Verreaux's Tree Frog from above

 

Verreaux's Tree Frog from the right side

 

Verreaux's Tree Frog from the right side again

Verreaux's Tree Frog

 

 

This is a recording of the Verreaux's Tree Frog  calling. The call of the Verreaux's Tree Frog starts at about 5 seconds into the video.

 

 



 

 

A few nights ago when I was down towards Elanda Point I heard another frog calling out that I couldn't identify for certain by its call. It sounded familiar but I don't think it is a frog I get on my property. I looked for these frogs for about an hour but couldn't find them. I am pretty sure they were beneath the ground calling. There were 4 individuals calling out within the small area where they were heard. This is the recording of the frog at Elanda Point calling.

 

 

 

 

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

Large Toadlets or Major Toadlets

Last Friday night I thought I would check the front paddock for frogs again as the rain earlier that week had made the dam overflow again so the front paddock had several inches of water over it again and had done for a few days. I didn't think I would see much though as it was quite cold. Much to my surprise I saw a few dozen Striped Marsh Frogs and Striped Rocket Frogs. Most of them were quite small so they were probably young from earlier this year.

In amongst the soft reed type grass I could hear approximately 150 frogs calling out. It sounded familiar but different from anything I had heard before. I decided to have a good look for the frog. After about 1 hour I had yet to locate one of the frogs, but I saw a frog about 30 mm long out the corner of my eye jumping into the swamp grass. It looked similar in shape to a Tusked Frog. I found a spot where a few of the frogs were calling from so I slowly moved the grass away. The frogs continued to call. but I could not see a frog in the area. So I started to cut the grass off in this small patch level with the ground. I had cleared an area about the size of two dinner plates to ground level. Then the frogs began to call again. I still could not see them. This meant they must be under the ground. After scratching the surface a small amount I found the frogs. I thought they were Tusked Frogs at first, but their call was totally different and their appearance was quite different too. They have been identified as Large Toadlets by someone that I would consider to be an expert in frog identification.

The pictures are not near as good as normal as I had changed the settings a few days before and forgot to change them back. As I was wet and muddy I didn't want to be touching the camera too much so I had to use auto on the camera which doesn't work near as well.

Last night I went back to the spot where the Giant Barred Frogs were found a few weeks ago to look for owls. I was surprised yet again to hear about 4 calling out last night still. Unfortunately I only had my zoom lens with me so I was unable to get any photos of them again.

Large Toadlet



Large Toadlets are also known as Major Toadlets

This is a recording of the Large Toadlets or Major Toadlets calling out in the front paddock of my property.

 

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.

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.

Frogging with Friends at my Coles Creek Property

About three weeks ago a few friends came over to see the Tusked Frogs before they began to hibernate for the winter. While they were here we decided to have a look for a few of the other species of frogs that they hadn't seen before. Unfortunately the colder weather had already arrived so not as many frogs were out. Luckily the main frog they were wanting to see was the Tusked Frog and they were heard in large numbers still.

We started off in the area where the Tusked Frogs are found. We heard many but didn't see too many. While I was searching for one I spotted it but it swam below the debris and my friends didn't get to see it. A short time later I lifted a log and we found  a nest of eggs just on the waters edge, but I only got to see the frog for a brief second before it jumped in the debris on land. Both my mates missed it again. We continued looking along the creek bed and finally we hit the jackpot! We found a male calling from the entrance of a burrow on the bank of the creek. This particular burrow was just on the water line. He showed very well and we all got to view it and were able to get some nice pictures.

Tusked Frog

 

Tusked Frog at the entrance to the burrow

The Tusked Frog in his burrow on the bank of the creek

We could only hear the odd call of the Great Barred Frogs and after we had finished in the area where the Tusked Frogs are found we couldn't hear any so we went to the Peron's Tree Frog site. We could hear a few calling out so we waded through the water to the trees to obtain some photos.

 

Peron's Tree Frog

Peron's Tree Frog from another angle

We heard a couple of Tyler's Tree Frogs but they were too high in the trees or in trees that were in water that was too deep to walk in. So we missed out on getting any photos of them on this night. While we were on this bank though we heard a Great Barred Frog. We only heard one frog calling which I was very surprised to hear. This is the first time I have heard them calling from a different location, from the 2 sites where they are found on the property. The ground cover and leaf litter is much the same but the creek at this location is very different. We had a quick look for him but couldn't see him from where the call came from. One of my friends had a look under some of the leaf litter in that spot and he located him in a small depression covered with a thin layer of leaves.

Great Barred Frog

After that we decided to have a look for the Wilcox's Frog. As soon as we arrived in the location we found many specimens. While we were observing them we heard a very faint and deep toned call. There was nothing else there that could have been making the call. We also found one of the Wilcox's Frogs in the area where the call came from with it's air sack partially inflated. I did obtain a recording of the sound but unfortunately it isn't very good quality but you can make it out. There was a great colour variation of the frogs that were out tonight. The first of the photos below shows a variation in colour that I hadn't seen before.

A Wilcox's Frog with a different colour variation

Wilcox's Frog

Another specimen of the Wilcox's Frog

While we were out that night we also saw a few other species of frogs. Most of which we didn't bother taking photos of due to time and the fact they are more common. These frogs included Striped Marsh Frogs, Striped Rocket Frogs, Northern Dwarf Tree Frogs, Keferstein's Tree Frogs and Green Tree Frogs. While we were walking along one of the tracks we saw an Ornate Burrowing Frog briefly. Sadly before we could get a photo it jumped into the longer grass and we were unable to locate it again.

We had a great night out frogging even though the numbers of frogs was down compared to the last few months due to the cooler weather.