Frog ID

[wander]

These very small frogs were sitting all over a bunch of rocks soaking up the sun. They are very small, about 15mm long. They appear to be fresh from tadpole state as there tadpoles with legs about a similar size in the water. They do not seem to match any of the frogs in Parks Frog App (which we have enjoyed using). What sort of frog are they? We did not hear any calls we could attribute. The triangle between the eyes and the tip of the nose was typically a very reflective copper finish that I could not really capture with the camera, it kept over exposing no matter how I fooled about with the exposure.

[Overlandman]

Hi Wander,
You didn't write where you were located, but if you are looking at the Parks Frog app,
I guess you are in Tasmania,
The frogs are juvenile Brown Tree Frogs (Litoria ewingi)
There are a few colour variations, & they do look different as a Juvenile
Regards Overlandman

[whynotwalk]

Yep - I'd agree with you Overlandman. One of the Museum Vic images of a brown tree frog is a little more like your's Wander http://museumvictoria.com.au/discoverycentre/infosheets/frogs-of-victoria/brown-tree-frog/

If you did hear a call, it's a distinctive, repeated "ree reee ree". Nice set of pics!

cheers

Peter

[wander]

These were at Glassworm Tarn, thanks for your answers.

The only frog we heard there was a lonely Pobble Bonk.

[taswegian]

Interested in their calls.
I was out this avo and past a couple of wet spots.
The first there was a very melodious cplonk, then the second place I passed some way from first they were rapid fire plonk, plonk, plonk.

I assume from comments above you could identify a frog just by its call? Or within a level of certainty?
Is that a reasonable assumption?

[MickyB]

Here is a link to a great website where you can ID frogs from Australia.

This is the definitive guide to the frogs of Australia, providing descriptions, distributions, images, breeding calls, and more for every frog in Australia.

http://frogs.org.au/frogs/

[Overlandman]

This is a link to information on the the Parks Frog Log, if you have an iphone, ipod or ipad you can download this handy app from the itunes store, frog log is for Tasmanian frogs, the Bird in the hand app (Tasmanian Birds) is also very good.
The app plays an audible frog call, gives you a photo & details of the species, a distribution map & if you see a frog for example you can log the sighting & send the information to Parks.

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=7715

[taswegian]

Thanks MickyB
That is a very detailed site and the calls are really sueful.
Very varied indeed.

Wonder if there is a bird site as good as that?
Overlandman I have a Bird app for Android and its pretty good but will have to ask my daughter to load up that app on her Ipad.
Wonder if Parks have heard of Android?

[whynotwalk]

Wonder if Parks have heard of Android?

Funny you should ask ... I've heard they're about to release an Android version of "Bird in the Hand" - a friend is trying out a beta version. Maybe the frog one will follow. I'd look out for news on their website,

cheers

Peter

[taswegian]

Thanks Peter.
Please keep us posted.

[GPSGuided]

Came across these amphibious creatures on two recent walks. Anyone care to ID them?

1) Govetts Creek, Blackheath, Blue Mtns. Right in the middle of Blue Gum Forest, near the junction with Grose River.



2) Found tadpoles in many many puddles on the Little Marley fire trail, near its junction with the Marley Trail. Similar also found along Marley Trail south-east side, going towards the Deer Pool. What's interesting was, I wondered how they'll survive once the rain stops and the heat dries up all these little puddles on the dirt track? Or just a bad spot to lay eggs?

[MickyB]

I had a look on the 'Frogs of Australia' website.
The frogs of Blue Mountains section had a few frogs that look similar (Stoney Creek Frog, Broad-palmed Frog, Verreaux's Tree Frog etc ) but I couldn't find any that had the orange on the face and legs. The orange colour on the frog looks very similar to the orange in the water. Not sure if it's possible with that species but maybe its changed it's colour to camouflage itself.

[GPSGuided]

Thanks MickyB! I too had a look earlier but without the expertise, they all had different levels of resemblance.