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Frogs in my Parents Garden: |
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manders Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 No. of posts: 13  View other posts by manders |
Posted: 25 Apr 2005 My parents have had a garden pond for the last 30 years. At first we had the usual common frogs, by the bucket load. Later we started to notice a larger greener frog that used to stay in the pond all summer, they tended to hide under a shelf and were difficult to spot. One year a clump frogspawn was seen on the bottom of the pond. At the time I (aged 10ish) did some rooting through the text books and decided they were possibly edible frogs, but was never 100% sure, the tadpoles didnt seem big enough. Ok now 30 years later, I decided to try to answer this once and for all, as it allways bugged me what they were. Common Frog breeding season is now over, and we have several frogs permanently sat in the pond, one at least does not have the dark patch behind they eye, and looks fat, as though it mught be getting ready to breed. It is however, neither green or very large. Could it be just another colour variation of a common frog, and would these still be sat in the pond now? Secondly if the larger frogs turn up again this year, what should I look for? |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 25 Apr 2005 If you haven't already seen them these pages might be of use: http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/common_frog.htm http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/marsh_frog.htm If you let us know the vague area you are in, (nearest large town) it would help as green frogs have a limited distribution. A picture would confirm the ID. Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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manders Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 No. of posts: 13 View other posts by manders |
Posted: 25 Apr 2005 I am near widnes in Cheshire (north of the mersey), I uderstand from the cheshire website there have been sitings of marsh frogs in this area but as yet unconfirmed. We certainly have frogs that dont have the eye patch or the light colored lateral fold, but I also suspect these may be just colour variations. My parents tell me the bigger frogs tend to come in the summer and sit around croaking in the pond. So i aim to get a photo, this summer, if they show up. Unfortunately the pond was enlared and deepened about twenty years ago, so its impossible to say if weve had spawn on the bottom, any time after that. Im also trying to dredge my memory as to whether they had vocal sacs or not, but its probably easier to see if any show up this summer. |
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rhysrkid Senior Member Joined: 14 Nov 2003 No. of posts: 98  View other posts by rhysrkid |
Posted: 13 May 2005 If the frogs croak during the day - sounding like a cackle or odd laugh and at this time of year then it is almost certainly marsh frog (or close relative) as common frogs have already spawned. Rhys |
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evilmike Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2004 No. of posts: 85 View other posts by evilmike |
Posted: 13 May 2005 i get frogs croaking away all year round, its not very common but i do hear it coming from the depths of the rockery or the pond and thats from common frogs, so i wouldnt use whether it croaks as a definite answer to whether there marsh frogs just incase its a vocal common one having a chat Mike Lister BSc hons Ecology & Env management |
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rhysrkid Senior Member Joined: 14 Nov 2003 No. of posts: 98 View other posts by rhysrkid |
Posted: 14 May 2005 Thanks for that Mike. In my expereince, the marsh frog is much louder in its vocalisations and they call all day and all night - non stop (providing the weather is good), so perhaps I should have mentioned that. In fact people tend to make complaints as they keep them up at night! The calls are very different (although without analysis it is difficult to separate the different water frog species) but I guess to be really sure we need to see a photo or hear the call. Rhys |
- Frogs in my Parents Garden |