The year of the FROG

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JakeScott
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The year of the FROG

Post by JakeScott »

I'm one of those herpers who tries my best to avoid the trillions of frogs and toads that happen upon the road on any given night. Not because I don't want to hit them, it's really that I feel like I'm playing a kind of Bizzaro World Frogger game.
Back to the point of this post; Last night the rains were here in full-force, causing the anurans to come forth in their attempts to renew life. A few Hylids forcing their cry through the deafening uproar of Gastrophryne carolinensis was filling up the retention pond behind my home. Hearing this, I remember my computer holds tons of photos just rotting away on my hard drive. So, I felt the need to post a lil something from the year (a year) of froggin'.
Mostly from early this spring, and some comprised of the herping season of '09. Some have been posted before, but I completely forget. Since the old forum is now kaput, I have no reason to not re-post some images.

I'll start out with the Hylids, since I can hear them struggling out there as I type.

Hylidae

Squirrel Treefrog (Hyla squirella):
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This is from N. Florida and just outside a friends house. A quite common urban encounter in the summer months.

Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea):
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Also from N. Florida, this young animals was seen crossing a rural road on a rainy evening.

Barking Treefrog (Hyla gratiosa):
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Highly marked.
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Less dorsal markings.

Pine Woods Treefrog (Hyla femoralis):
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A very dark individual found in late January in N. Florida. Not a common sight that time of year.

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A very light color phase from the warmer, summer months.

Cope's Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis):
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Distinguishable from H. versicolor by it's call, and sometimes, location. This individual was found in a flooded forest where a river had overflowed its banks.

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Bird-voiced Treefrog (Hyla avivoca):
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Found calling in a flooded forest in the eastern Florida panhandle in early May.

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This is the habitat H. avivoca and H. chrysoscelis were found.

Pine Barrens Treefrog (Hyla andersonii):
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A rarely encountered and beautiful frog. This was found calling at the base of a steephead in the western panhandle of Florida.

Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans crepitans):
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This individual is a resident of northwestern North Carolina.

Florida Cricket Frog (Acris gryllus dorsalis):
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Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris ocularis):
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Northern Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer crucifer):
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The peeper is the one calling and a curious female chorus frog.

Southern Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer bartramiana):
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A highly orange frog from N. Florida.

Ornate Chorus Frog (Pseudacris ornata):
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This frog is from eastern Georgia and is displaying the tan phase form.

Illinois Chorus Frog (Pseudacris streckeri illinoensis):
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This is a male that was startled and stopped calling when approached. These frogs are not common and I would like to thank Mike Pingleton for the opportunity to view and photograph these great frogs! These are all from extreme S. Illinois.

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A female actively searching for a mate.

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A male actively waiting for a mate.

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BINGO!

Southern Chorus Frog (Pseudacris nigrita nigrita):
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A solid white line runs the entirety of the upper lip of the P. n. nigrita.

Intergrade S. x FL Chrous frog (P. n. nigrita x P. n. veriocosa):
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This animal was found right on the boarder of both ranges and has an interrupted white line on the upper lip.

Florida Chorus Frog (Pseudacris nigrita veriocosa):
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Minimal white markings on the upper lip. Mainly spotting.

Brimley's Chorus Frog (Pseudacris brimleyi):
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Both these, along with several others, were calling in mid March from a slow moving stream in E. Georgia.

Upland Chorus Frog (Pseudacris feriarum):
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Found from their calls under a major overpass in extreme S. Illinois on a cold March evening.

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Pseudacris habitat in S. Illinois.

Microhylidae

Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad (Gastrophyrne carolinensis):
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The only representation of this family that I have photos of from the year.

Ranidae

Disclaimer: I do use Rana instead of Lithobates out of stubbornness.

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeianus):
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An example from S. Maryland.

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A large dark male, easily distinguishable by it's large tympanum.

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A light colored male.
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A close up of the yellow throat of this large male.

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A large female, for good measure.

Pig Frog (Rana grylio):
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The webbing of this frog does extend to the last phalanx on the third toe, however in this photo it's hard to see because it's folded over and against the toe.

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Same frog floating in calling position. From N. Florida.

Green Frog (Rana clamitans melanota):
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A absolutely horrible in situ photo. Found in S. Maryland.

Bronze Frog (Rana clamitans clamitans):

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Male showing it's dimorphic eardrum.

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A large female.

Mink Frog (Rana septentrionalis):
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From Central Maine.

River Frog (Rana heckscheri):
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A male from N. Florida. These frogs are found along slow moving rivers (as their namesake) but are just as at home in ponds, swamps and marshes.

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A N. Florida Female.

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Side-by-side.

Southern Leopard Frog (Rana utricularia):
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Pickere Frog (Rana palustris):
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Found in W. Arkansas.

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica):
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Maine habitat.

Bufonidae

Southern Toad (Bufo terrestris):
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A dark individual from E. Georgia.

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Calling it's deafening call.

American Toad (Bufo americanus):
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A Central Maine animal.

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A large animal from W. Arkansas.

Oak Toad (Bufo quercicus):
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One of the most difficult frogs to photograph calling(behind narrow-mouths). They can hide under a single piece of grass and are very good at ventriloquism.

Scaphiopodidae

Eastern Spadefoot (Scaphiopus holbrookii):
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introduced

Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis):
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Greenhouse Frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris):
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Marine Toad (Bufo marinus):
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Sorry for the lack of commentary, but this was more for the pictures.
Thanks to Dick Bartlett for the time and effort we put into finding a lot of these animals. Many a mile was driven on many a night. And he had to put up with my childish personality.

-Jake Scott
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kyle loucks
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by kyle loucks »

Great shots Jake!
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Chad M. Lane
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Chad M. Lane »

Great post, it's refreshing not to see a all/or mostly Snake post!



Thanks,
Chad
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jonathan
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by jonathan »

Nice post! So many neat species that I've stared at in field guides since I was a little kid but have never been able to travel over to see.
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Mike Pingleton
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Mike Pingleton »

Jake, that was just awesome. Some great photos in there!

-Mike
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Bill Love
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Bill Love »

That's an awesome collection of anuran shots! I know how tough it is to nail alot of those. I've never gotten good shots of little grass frogs or any of the chorus frogs, so those in particular stand out to me.
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Phil
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Phil »

This post made my day. Thank you. :thumb: I especially like that andersonii pic, they are some beutiful frogs.

Phil
Ecto Hunter
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Ecto Hunter »

you've just inspired me to go on a frog walk.....RIGHT NOW!
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Steve Atkins
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Steve Atkins »

that mink frog is awesome, as is the entire post.

Is there any other way to ID a pig frog other than the webbing on the toe? I visit a particular pond that is loaded with frogs, I hear bullfrogs and pig frogs calling, but I'm not sure what I'm looking at.
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JakeScott
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by JakeScott »

Thanks everyone, for the kind words!
Bill Love wrote:I've never gotten good shots of little grass frogs or any of the chorus frogs, so those in particular stand out to me.
Oh the evil little buggers (grass frogs) can be so damn difficult! They especially like to call in the middle of watery areas and where swarms of misquotes are at there highest, making it even more hellish. Chorus frogs was something that really interested me this year, and I can say, many, many, many miles were put behind us looking for them.
Ecto Hunter wrote:you've just inspired me to go on a frog walk.....RIGHT NOW!
That's what I'm talkin' bout!
fox cove 4 wrote:Is there any other way to ID a pig frog other than the webbing on the toe? I visit a particular pond that is loaded with frogs, I hear bullfrogs and pig frogs calling, but I'm not sure what I'm looking at.
Well, they can be IDed by the webbing, but also their nose is less blunted and more pointy. Obviously if you can follow them by their call and see them, that would work, but that's not always easy to do. They range from Extreme eastern TX to south South Carolina hugging the coastal lowlands. Hopefully this helps a little.

Thanks!

-Jake Scott
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Daniel D Dye
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Daniel D Dye »

Jake,

You finally got around to it.

Awesome collection of photos. :thumb: I recognize some of of them.

The Copes are still singing loudly outback.

Great job!!!

Daniel
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BillMcGighan
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by BillMcGighan »

Can't say enough.... Great stuff, Jake...
Three thoughts hit me reading your post.
1. You've almost created a visual field guide of eastern animals.
2. As follows, you need to hit the west now!!!
3. Cringe – Even though I’m sure it was a labor of love, I couldn’t help but think of the exponential quantities of mosquito bites, getting those wonderful shots!!!! :lol: :cry: :roll:
Thanks for that one, Bill :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
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Josh Young
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Josh Young »

Amazing photos Jake. I am extremely jealous of the andersonii and the several chorus frogs. I did manage to finally get a nigrita and femoralis as lifers this year though which I think you already know from facebook. Some nice shots of the avivoca another frog I'd like to see some day. I was really hoping to get a hecksheri at the campground over in Nassau County when I met you but hopefully I'll get one soon. Again amazing photos, keep em coming.
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Ross Padilla
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Ross Padilla »

Wow, great shots.
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Great pics. Someday I'm going to buy a camera that's larger than a 2.1 digi. Then I will be able to take great frog pics too... :lol:
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JakeScott
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by JakeScott »

Bill, at some point that would be awesome. But I would have to stay focussed. Thanks for the comments

DD, Indeed you have. I have been trying to get this posted for awhile, but I was really wanted to get the carpenter frog, but that will have to wait until next year, since they are done calling now.

Josh, yeah the andersonii is my favorite of the bunch, no doubt! My photo of it was rushed tho. Next year, my friend. haha.

Ross, appreciate it!
Brian Hubbs wrote:Great pics. Someday I'm going to buy a camera that's larger than a 2.1 digi. Then I will be able to take great frog pics too... :lol:
Ohhhh Hubbs, that's not possible. Not the camera part. :D

-Jake Scott
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Josh Holbrook
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Jake - Great stuff. Did some frogging myself last night - found a H. femoralis from the southern end of their range in Palm Beach Co. What's the habitat preference on the Fl. Chorus frogs? They're one of the few "commoners" I've left to find.

-Josh
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JakeScott
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by JakeScott »

Josh Holbrook wrote:What's the habitat preference on the Fl. Chorus frogs? They're one of the few "commoners" I've left to find.
They seem to be quite a bit more difficult to come across in recent years. Find a shallow pond, ditch/canal or flooded pasture or field with plenty of emergent grass. They are one of the few chorus frogs that will call all year.
I've never seen one in your area, but I do know for a fact they are there. If you find some, let me know how many (roughly) you heard or saw.
Thanks Josh

P.s.- Heading down for the long weekend, this weekend. Keys maybe, not sure.
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Daniel D Dye
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Daniel D Dye »

Well, I guess I won't invite you over this weekend. :(
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Josh Holbrook
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Jake - a group of us are going for Chameleons. Want to join up?
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Josh Young
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Josh Young »

Do you think I have a chance of finding a bird voiced treefrog still? Im going up to Georgia this weekend and think they range there. Sucks you are going to be down my way and I'm going north.
Kfen
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Kfen »

Wow what a great post with some stellar photography! I thought the same as Bill said, I couldnt for the life of me get a decent pic of a little grass frog. Well done.
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Frankie1981
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Re: The year of the FROG

Post by Frankie1981 »

Aweseome post, thanks for saving these pics from your hard drive!
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