Frogs Only Please.....

[Figgy]

One of the best things about having a small wildlife pond in your garden is being able to go out late in the evening with a torch. This evening me and my eldest daughter popped outside to see what we could find. As usual I was greated with one of the resident frogs who doesn't seem to mind the torch:

It wasn't look before we spotted the newt too, sneaking up on the tadpoles which seem to be taking their time developing into little froglets:

 

[CountryEscape]

Sometimes my bullfrogs think they are hiding from me. Some are very friendly, and don't jump until I am within 2' of them. There is one in the goldfish pond that almost always watches me feed the fish, stays put. Sometimes I forget it's sitting on the edge until I walk right past it before it jumps in.
This big girl (I think girl) was sitting between my deck and pond, which is a 3' wide area, the other day. If you put your hand flat on your lap, she was wider and longer than that, to give you an idea of her size.

And this one in the stream stayed there all day long, even while I was planting flowers along the edge of the stream, and spreading mulch not 2' away from it! The algae is almost completely gone in the stream now, as the parrots feather and water fringe are taking over.

There is a bullfrog in and among the lilies ... can you see it?

 

[Riftlake]

I've seen several photos and videos of bullfrogs snatching birds, fish, and other frogs and salamanders, and gulping them down. How bad is it? Those of you that have bullfrogs in your ponds, are they always, or just rarely getting your fish and other frogs? Would they mostly leave the goldfish alone if there were rosy reds or some other small minnows plentiful to prey on in the pond?

 

[CountryEscape]

I have to admit I saved a large goldfish from a bullfrog in my pond a couple of weeks ago. Well, not actually saved it, as it died 2 days later. But, other than that, I've never known of any fish to go missing, and I have small fantails in my goldfish pond. The bullfrogs are also in the koi pond. I did have 2 dead sparrows last year, one in the waterfall filter and the other in the bottom of the goldfish pond. They will eat anything they can get into their mouths. For the most part, though, I believe they eat bugs. My bullfrogs learn to watch where I am, as when I'm digging in the dirt around the pond, and come upon a grub, I always toss it to them, try to aim for a lily pad so the frogs can have a snack. Today, I did just that, and the bullfrog ended up getting two grubs. He said Thanks!

 

[addy1]

The tiny ones are getting legs

Look at the green on this one, it just glows.

This cutie was in my stock tank

 

[CountryEscape]

OMG, love the bright green on that frog!
OK, you know when you go to the State Fair or County Fair, and someone has those wooden frogs with ridges on their back, and they are sold with a round stick that you rub on those ridges, to make a frog sound? Well, I have a frog in my backyard making that sound! I think it's a toad, but too tired to look it up. Anyhow, first time windows have been open for over a week, and I've missed hearing the frogs. Finally got into the 70's today, and only to the 50's tonight.

 

[tbendl]

They are so adorable! While I was working on the yard Saturday my neighbor popped his head over the fence and was asking me questions about my pond. I was telling him about the frogs and he said he wondered why he had so many in his yard lately. He's now considering a pond as well...

 

[addy1]

Sunning on the lily pad

getting ready to hop away

 

[CountryEscape]

I want baby frogs/toads, darn it! I never see them as tadpoles, nor as getting ready to lose their tails, but I sure have the adults! Guess I do have different sizes, so maybe they are year old, 2 years old, etc., assuming I have the same frogs returning year after year. The frog on the skimmer water line is fairly small, and in the second pic, the closest frog is by far the largest of those three. This is my 5th year of having a pond, having built my koi pond in 2011, and goldfish pond and stream in 2012. Love the bullfrogs! And, to think I thought "green frogs" were bullfrogs with green heads! So much I have learned about frogs on this Forum and this thread in particular!

 

[addy1]

I love my frogs, I don't know if those tiny ones are the toads or spring peepers. My tads are from so tiny you can barely see them to around 1/2 inch. The green frog tads, by end of summer, are around 1.5-2 inches in size.

I just found 4 more masses of frog eggs. They are having a good time in the ponds.

 

[rodsboys]

Couldn't resist, here's a couple of my frogs....lol

 

[ZmanArt007]

Can you guys help me figure out what species this guy is?

He's been hanging out by my pond for awhile now.

 

[addy1]

Rare blue spotted, big eyed frog! What a find!

 

[addy1]

these little ones are hopping everywhere, need to watch where I put my feet.

This little one is in the bog, that is pea gravel next to it.

 

[addy1]

Water cooler gathering