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Sunday, November 22, 2009

Intruder Alert!



This intruder has appeared in one of our shallow fish ponds. How he got there is anyone's guess - the nearest running creek is 100m plus away. Looks like he might be a Green and Golden Bell Frog. Beautifully bright greens and golds.

Supposed to live no further south than Gisborne, but I've got news for you - this one's very happy 250km further south, 320m above sea level near Dannevegas, at around 60mm long (excluding legs), but maybe lonely. If he came in as an egg on a bird's foot, it is a wonder the always ravenous 15 or so goldfish didn't devour the tadpole.



Great camouflage, hard to see but he loves to sun himself during the day. Can jump 500mm from poolside if disturbed. Haven't heard him croaking yet. Pix taken hand-held at around 36x zoom, yes that is normal sized clover behind him at the pool's edge.

4 comments:

euminedes said...

I love frogs! funny wee buggers and love the noise they make..

pdm said...

PM - I am sure as a country boy (Dannevirke being a rural town0 you would know that frogs can travel across country. As do eels by the way.

Lucy said...

He is lovely.

KG said...

Blonde, living the the Northern Territory I came to have a somewhat different view of the noise frogs make...
It sounds incredible, but during the wet season, even with the television sound turned full up it was impossible to hear it over the sound of the frogs at night.
They have the same problem in Hawaii with a species of introduced frog.The things get into toilet bowls, drainpipes, cars and just about anywhere.
And the sound of a frog being eaten by a snake is blood-curdling....