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.

Tusked Frogs at my Coles Creek Property

 

Tonight I went down just to look for the Tusked Frogs. I could hear several calling out again tonight as soon as I arrived in the area where they are found. Most of them stopped calling as soon as I approached. A few kept calling so I looked beneath the debris to find them. I didn't have any luck for nearly 2 hours. In that whole time I only got to move a few branches and a little leaf litter and they stopped calling. Just as I was about to give up I heard a strong call on the edge of the bank just beneath a few leaves. I was able to scoop this frog straight out of the water. Unfortunately as I put down my torch to take the photo, the frog jumped into a pile of leaves and I lost sight of him. I was disappointed in myself for not obtaining at least one photo.

 

I thought I will try for another 10 minutes or so down a little further where the water is a little deeper. In this section they were more numerous. I would have heard at least 30 individuals calling out. I honed in on one calling out close to the bank where there was little debris and I found one straight away. I was able to get several photos of this specimen luckily. The photos aren't as good as many of my other shots as I was rushing to get the shots so I could put it back in the water. I don't like having to actually catch the frogs I photograph and rarely do so, but due to where these frogs are found it would be nearly impossible to get a photo without catching them and moving them out of the debris. These frogs are strange in many ways! One of these oddities is they pretend they are dead when they are picked up. This is something that no other frog I have seen or handled personally has done.

 

Now I have got a photo of them at the property again I will leave them be. I wanted to get a recent photo of them on the property in hope to have the property protected in the future as these frogs are listed as endangered in this area.  While searching for them tonight I went into some new parts of the creeks that I haven't been able to access since the floods on Australia Day and I heard over 50 individuals which is quite a lot more than I have ever heard. This is probably due to 5 floods through the property in less than 12 months and this has brought in lots of debris into a few of the creeks on the property which increases the suitable habitat for them. Hopefully this trend of population growth will continue.

 



Tusked Frog

The Tusked Frog from it's left side

The Tusked Frog from it's right side

The Tusked Frog from ground level

The Tusked Frog from above

The Tusked Frog from front on

Hopefully over the next few weeks I will get a chance to go out and find some of the other frogs that are less common on the property. There are 8 or 9 other species of frogs that can be seen occasionally on the property in low numbers. In other areas these less common frogs here are common but I want to get a collection of photos of all the frogs on this 45 acre property. The only other frog that is or was regularly seen that I haven't put in a post in the last 6 weeks or so is the Wrinkled Toadlet. To be honest I haven't actually heard or seen any since the start of the wet season in November 2011. Hopefully they are still on the property. This will be the next frog that I will attempt to find. If they are still here their numbers have definitely declined.

That takes the total to 14 different frog species in the last 6 weeks, all of which can be seen easily on the property and most of which can be seen in massive numbers. Once I get some more photos I will post them. Keep checking in regularly for more updates.

 

Frogging at my Property at Coles Creek with a Friend

Last Saturday night I invited one of my friends over to do some frogging around the property. I thought that it would be a good night for it as many species had ben seen in the few weeks prior and she has never seen many of the species here, even though she only lives 20 km away.

We had quite a lot of rain throughout the day so all the creeks had come up higher again but as long as it wasn't raining more of the species would be out. I rang her just after dark when it stopped raining as it looked like we had a few hours until the next rain was coming through.

As soon as she arrived we went to have a look for the Wilcox's Frog. We only saw a few tonight but at least she got to see them. In this same area we heard some of the unidentified toadlets or froglets calling out, along with many Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs, Striped Marsh Frogs and some Striped Rocket Frogs. We located some of each of these in the area too.

One of the few Wilcox's Frogs that were seen tonight

The next 3 photos show the only place on the property where Wilcox's Frogs are found. This is a small area. What makes this habitat so different from the rest of the property is the hard soil beside the floodway and the small rocks on the edge of the dam, also this water runs through here for a few months during the wet season whereas the majority of the rest of the property the water is still once the flooding recedes.

This is a floodway between two dams with running water

The same habitat from the other side of the floodway

Most of the Wilcox's Frogs are found on the small rocks on this dam wall

 

Just after we saw the Wilcox's Frogs the torch battery started going flat, so we quickly went back to the house to get a new battery. On the way back out of the house we noticed a Keferstein's Tree Frog on the lawn. They are seen here fairly often but more often they can be seen near or on the shed or house. We didn't spend much time looking for any more or trying to get a great shot as this was one species my friend had seen before.

 



Keferstein's Tree Frog

The next 3 pictures are of the main dam close to the house. In this area Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs are the most common along with Striped Rocket Frogs along the banks. Occasionally I will see Red Tree Frogs and Keferstein's Tree Frogs down here also. During the lead up to the wet season Peron's Tree Frogs move from their breeding area and can be seen in this area as all other water on the property except one creek which is quite a distance from here has dried up.

Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs are regulars on these water plants

After flooding this area stays like this for weeks which attracts Striped Rocket Frogs in particular

The Rocket Frogs gather in their hundreds in this area each night

 

While we were walking around hundreds of Dainty Tree Frogs could be heard. As these are quite common in the whole area and we were running short on time we decided to go have a look for the Peron's and Tyler's Tree Frogs as we could hear a few calling out earlier. I was concerned that this creek may have risen too much to be able to cross safely with all the rain during the day. Luckily it hadn't come up much at all. To get to both of these frogs you need to go to the trees in the creek. The water was up just past my groin and my friend is a lot shorter than me so it was up to her belly button nearly. We did find both frogs but it wasn't as suitable tonight as they often don't call out while it is actually raining and it started raining just as we got to their area. Luckily it stopped within 5 minutes and a few started to call out so we could locate them. I was surprised to see that each of the frogs I located tonight were in the same trees as they were earlier on in the week.

 

 

Peron's Tree Frog

 

Tyler's Tree Frog

The next 2 photos are the habitat where the Tyler's Tree Frogs and the Peron's Tree Frogs are found. On occasions they can be heard in other locations on the property but this area has many of each species here. This habitat is different from other places on the property as there are bushy trees that are in the water with branches that are low and close to the water. Most of the other creeks and dams only have trees on the banks, some of which overhang the water.

More Tyler's Tree Frogs are found in this section

More Peron's Tree Frogs are found in this section

Next we headed off towards the Great Barred Frogs which we could hear calling out from down the property. On the way I heard several Tusked Frogs calling out. We decided to go have a look. I told my friend that we most likely wouldn't see them, which we didn't but we did get to hear several calling out. The creeks where they are found had risen a few meters since the other day so we didn't even bother trying to photograph them.

The next 2 photos show the places where the Tusked Frogs can be heard calling out at the moment. All the habitat photos were taken 7 days later and the water has dropped significantly, especially in this creek. Within the week it may be possible to have a good look for them as the water may be shallow enough, if it doesn't rain much. The water in these photos looks deceptively shallow. I pushed one leg into the water on the right and it is full of rotting leaf litter and small sticks and I went up to my groin! I learnt my lesson the other week going into these areas. This habitat differs from other areas of the property as the sticks, branches, logs and leaf and grass litter build up in deep water making it into a sludge.

This is the main habitat area of the Tusked Frogs at the start of the creek

 

The Tusked Frogs are found at the other end of the creek also

 

We saw several Great Barred Frogs just on the edge of their habitat but we could hear dozens of others further in the bush. We both got some great photos of the first few that my friend spotted so we didn't bother looking for the others as we knew it could start raining soon and we wanted to check out the flooded front paddocks.

 

 

Great Barred Frog

The next 3 photos are of the original habitat of the Great Barred Frogs. The other area where they are now found looks identical to this. This habitat is different from other parts of the property as all the grass is very short due to the types of ground cover that grow in this area. In this area many types of ferns grow also. There is also a lot of leaf litter around this area and in some places the leaf litter can reach 30 cm deep. Also the banks of this creek are very steep and there is always water in this creek and the creek in the other area all year round.

Males are heard calling here most nights during the wet season

The water level is quite a lot lower than the top of the bank

The short ground cover is ideal for the Great Barred Frogs

Next we went out to the front paddocks. This is an area of about 15 acres. The whole area was under water. In one of the paddocks it was only about ankle deep, where we heard many hundreds of Dainty Tree Frogs. Even though we saw many we didn't get any decent shots due to the length of the grass here at the moment. The sound of them was deafening for a short period. I was surprised to see so many out the front. They are often seen out there but not in those numbers, and they are not usually as active when it isn't actually raining. Maybe they knew something we didn't. It was just about to start raining again!!

As quickly as we could we waded through the water which started getting deeper. The second paddock at the front of the property had water ranging from knee deep to groin depth. We heard hundreds of Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs here as usual and Common Froglets could also be heard in large numbers. We found many of each species too. Many Striped Rocket Frogs and Striped Marsh Frogs could also be heard. Unfortunately it started to rain heavily so we had to retreat to the house and we missed out on getting many photos of the frogs in the front paddocks.

A good nights frogging overall and my friend had a great time, at least with seeing different species of frogs that she hadn't seen before. After 2 1/2 hours of walking around wading through deep water and getting rained on a few times we were both quite cold. It was great to have someone else out frogging with me enjoying the beautiful frogs that Australia has to offer!

Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog

Another Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog

The Common Froglet just after calling from his post

 

This is one of the front paddocks a week after the heavy rain

The water here is still between 30 and 60 cm deep



The water stays here like this for a few months until it dries up

Thousands of tadpoles can be seen in here at the moment

The Common Froglet mainly stays close to the edge of the tree line

This whole paddock has a thick layer of rotting leaves beneath the water

Striped Marsh Frogs can be seen basically anywhere on the property on land or shallow water. The photo below shows one of the areas where they are more densely populated than the rest of the property. They are heard calling in massive numbers which becomes deafening at times from the small clumps of leaves and sticks at the base of the trees.

Main habitat for the Striped Marsh Frogs

Hopefully in the next week I will be able to get into the area where the Tusked Frogs are found and I will be able to put up a new post.