I've talked about the wild birds and peacocks looking for a mate and nesting. But there are also signs of spring from the amphibian and reptile sectors.
In the reptile kingdom, I saw a couple of turtles out sunning on the log in the pond yesterday for the first time this year.
In the amphibian sector, the frogs are out too. But getting a picture of one of them continues to elude me. I've even tried walking along the edge of the pond with the video going, and though you can see a splash in the water or hear a little cheep from time to time, you can't actually see the frogs.
However, when it comes to the audio, well, for a couple of weeks now I've been hearing the "spring peepers." I stood down in the bottom pasture beside the bog yesterday and took this little video. It's not much for looks; it's the sound that matters.
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Here again, being able to SEE the little critters just doesn't happen. They hide down in all that vegetation - you can see what I mean from where I zoomed in on it near the end of the video. I have never been able to spot even one little frog, much less get a picture of it.
For one thing, the minute they hear or feel the vibration of me getting close, they shut up. For another, I really don't want to crawl around in that marshy area peering under clumps of weeds, trying to see a frog. With my luck, I'd come on some kind of water snake!
That in itself might be a little unsettling, but we have a plethora of water moccasins around here, and I really am not keen on a poisonous snake bite.
So I fear the shy little frogs will continue to elude the paparazzi.
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My neighbor has a lower pasture that gets flooded occasionally. When it does, the peepers come out and sing all night.
Yes, the peepers start here even before it’s warm. I guess the longer daylight hours must trigger them or something. Or maybe just warm enough the water isn’t frozen!
I was just thinking about the spring peepers today. Not a sign of them yet. It was 70 here today, so it should’t be far off. I have a water garden in my flower bed, but I should call it lovers lane for the toads. Last year we had 15 toads in it at one time. I am going to try to get a picture of them this year. I cleaned it out today, so if we get some more warm weather, the song of the toad will begin.
Wow, that’s a LOT of toads! I think that’s toad-ally awesome! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!
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Hopefully you’ll hear your spring peepers soon.
Wow! They are very loud! I love the sounds of frogs because they do remind me of Spring. We don’t get frogs up here at 7,000 ft much, though. We don’t have any bodies of water for them, plus it’s much too cold most of the year. It’s been snowing since Sunday night up here and it’sbeen in the teens at night. Spring is still long way off for us still. bleh!
~Lisa
Yeah, I reckon frogs wouldn’t cotton too much to a lot of snow. And they definitely need water, so the enviroment there doesn’t sound too great for them.
I’m sure you are really REALLY going to enjoy spring when it finally gets to you!