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Frogs and Other Amphibia 2016


frogesque

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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

Frogs doing well this year. Plenty of new young frogs which is nice too see unlike other years which saw next to none for reasons unknown.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: UK
  • Weather Preferences: Snow; Blizzards; Lightning; Cumulonimbus clouds; High pressure.
  • Location: UK

@Spikecollie - how are your little green hoppers coming along?  Got any picture updates? I love frogs, they're my favourite amphibian; the Fire Salamander is quite nice also, but frogs are more fun to watch. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL

Just thought I'd mention that despite earlier reports of some of my tadpoles completing metamorphosis, in all honestly with the exception of one which I mentioned had lost it's tail, for weeks, and only so often, most I've seen which have turned  have only turned in body shape but have retained full tails. These I have only really seen during warm spells resting atop the duck weed (which has been all over the surface and thick for a long time now). They soon frantically hop about and dive for cover whenever you approach though. I have been worried about a failure of any of them (except the one I mentioned earlier) to transform to their tailess stage though and I haven't noticed any froglets outside the pond, until now that is. A few minutes ago I was up the garden and I noticed a tiny fully transformed froglet hopping about on the path. I can only suspect it originated from my pond as it was close by. So it was quite a relief to see it, as I was starting to worry that this year was another failure for tadpoles to frog change. However earlier I dunked my net in there to see what I could bring up and there are still tadpoles in there. Some had developed their back legs at least but others were still legless. Being as it's September now I can't see many or indeed any of these making it to the frog stage this year now. I've heard though that occasionally tadpoles over Winter and then emerge as froglets the following Spring. Perhaps that's what they'll do?

Edited by Walsall Wood Snow
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  • 1 month later...
Posted
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL

Despite been late October there's a big female frog sitting by the edge of my pond today. She looks pretty plump as well like they do in the breeding season when they're full of eggs. Of course the breeding season won't start for another 4 to 5 months at least, but if she is producing eggs inside her already I would have thought it's incredibly early to do so. Though for all I know this could be normal and they actually get plump with eggs before hibernation (which she clearly isn't doing yet, but it is quite mild at the moment and it hasn't got especially cold yet and often in March it actually gets colder than it has been recently, which is the month they gather for spawning). On the other hand it could simply be body fat, which she has stored up to keep her metabolism going during her hibernation period, which can't be far off. 

On another note despite been able to see little as the pond is still coated with duck weed and now also fallen leaves I still occasionally see the odd tadpole at the surface. Today in fact I saw one on a half submerged leaf and to add to that it was one of those small tadpoles which has got nowhere near metamorphosis. In fact it has been a strange year for the tadpoles in my pond. Despite many seeming to make the change earlier on most seemed to (from what I observed) only get to the stage where their bodies got to frog form but they maintained long tails. In fact I only saw one without a tail at the surface, and one tailess froglet outside the pond a few weeks back as I reported on the 12th of September. In the past though I would see quite a few out and about in the garden after they'd fully formed. As for there been tadpoles still in the pond I don't think it's particularly unusual and I have heard that some individuals rather than complete metamorphosis over the same Spring and Summer they were born in can sometimes over Winter in the pond emerging as froglets the following Spring. In previous years I have noticed the odd tadpole as late as November also. Anyway I didn't think there would be much to report in this thread in late October and being as frogesque started this thread on the 9th of February this year, it could only be just over 3 months until he starts his 'Frogs and Other Amphibia 2017' thread.

Edited by Walsall Wood Snow
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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

Still got some taddys which haven't fully changed yet. They will need to wait until next spring I guess. At least I've had new frogs this year unlike previous years for reasons unknown.

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  • 3 months later...
Posted
  • Location: Weston-S-Mare North Somerset
  • Weather Preferences: Hot sunny , cold and snowy, thunderstorms
  • Location: Weston-S-Mare North Somerset

Loads of frog spawn again this year, a little later than last year by a couple of weeks though.

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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

Earliest spawn I ever seen here and they only came active the end of last week.

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Posted
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL

No spawn yet but I've already seen frogs moving about in my pond since late February. Isn't it about time a 'Frogs and other Amphibia 2017' thread was started. I trust frogesque will start one soon enough. Maybe he hasn't seen any in his pond yet and will wait until he witnesses some activity? Though I notice this thread was opened on 9th February last year. 

Edited by Walsall Wood Snow
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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: Kingdom of Fife: 56.2º N, 3.2º W
  • Location: Kingdom of Fife: 56.2º N, 3.2º W
On 03/03/2017 at 00:37, Walsall Wood Snow said:

No spawn yet but I've already seen frogs moving about in my pond since late February. Isn't it about time a 'Frogs and other Amphibia 2017' thread was started. I trust frogesque will start one soon enough. Maybe he hasn't seen any in his pond yet and will wait until he witnesses some activity? Though I notice this thread was opened on 9th February last year. 

OK, will go for it!

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