froggy welcome home

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Such a pleasure being back and helping Ijams new naturalist/educator Christie Collins host a Family Froggy Night Hike.

The smallest tadpoles—and they were tiny—were probably the Cope's gray treefrogs we netted in the Secret Pond, while the largest tadpole found was probably a bullfrog netted in the Reflecting Pool. It was just beginning to go through metamorphosis. It had short back legs.  

Spring Peeper

 
In all we visited six ponds. We spotted very young bullfrogs in the Plaza Pond plus we heard Cope's and green frogs calling near the Lotus Pond and the first wood thrush singing in 2017. Half the group even saw a barred owl. Yet, even though it was hot today and late in the season for them, the spring peepers stole the evening. They were calling everywhere, mostly from the trees above our heads.

Great family nocturnal fun! 

Click your ruby slippers together. There's no place like home.

Cope's gray treefrog

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