Alpine Newts in Argyll

15th April - more fully developed crest and breeding season markings.

 

Some photos of alpine newts - Ichthyosaura alpestris - in Argyll. A non-native species which was released into a garden pond a few decades ago, and is now spreading into the neighbouring hills. 27th March 2022

Star Slime

 Fencepost of the Week #187

This fencepost has been used as a butchering block by some bird feasting on frogs. The ground around was littered with discarded globs of star slime - the inedible jelly which frogs and toads lay their eggs in. At this time of year the slime does not yet contain the eggs, but if you look around near the slime, you can often find a blackish blobby mass of eggs.

 

Mediterranean Tree Frog

Two mediterranean tree frogs - Hyla meridionalis - from The Camargue, France.

Hyla meridionalis - Mediterranean Tree Frog

Hyla meridionalis - Mediterranean Tree Frog. (Juvenile)

Spring Toads

Common toad - Bufo bufo. A male toad on station at the pond edge, looking out for females approaching the water.

Common toad - Bufo bufo. Underwater.

Common toad - Bufo bufo. Basking.

Common toad - Bufo bufo. Swimming in the sunshine.

Common toad - Bufo bufo. Dusty, dry female nearing the end of her journey to the breeding pond.

Dark Spotted Frog

A couple of colour variations on Pelophylax nigromaculatus - the dark-spotted frog, a common species of water frog in Japan.

Pelophylax nigromaculatus - dark spotted frog

Pelophylax nigromaculatus - dark spotted frog

The Night Toad

I was out watching fireflies last night, and I met a toad, on a bridge.

Bufo japonicus - Japanese common toad

Bufo japonicus - Japanese common toad

Bufo japonicus - Japanese common toad

Bufo japonicus - Japanese common toad

Tree Frogs on the Farm

 Here are some photos of moriaogaeru - forest green tree frogs - Rhacophorus arboreus.

moriaogaeru - forest green tree frog - Rhacophorus arboreus

moriaogaeru - forest green tree frog - Rhacophorus arboreus

moriaogaeru - forest green tree frog - Rhacophorus arboreus

They lay their eggs on branches overhanging bodies of water, cocooned in thick globs of protective foam. When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles will drop into the water below.

tree frog egg clusters overhanging an irrigation channel

Fire-bellied Newts Breathing

I got some slightly fuzzy photos of Japanese fire-bellied newts - アカハライモリ - coming up to breathe in a breeding pool just outside of Kyoto.

Cynops pyrrhogaster - Japanese fire-bellied newt

Cynops pyrrhogaster - Japanese fire-bellied newt

Cynops pyrrhogaster - Japanese fire-bellied newt

Cynops pyrrhogaster - Japanese fire-bellied newt

Cynops pyrrhogaster - Japanese fire-bellied newt

Green and Golden Bell Frog

Litoria aurea - Green and Golden Bell Frog

These are green and golden bell frogs - Litoria aurea - that were calling in a lagoon at night, and were attracted to my torch beam. They are not native to New Zealand, but introduced from Australia.

It's worth noting that this image is a composite of six separate photos - each of a single frog in a spotlight.

February Frogs

Here's a few photos of the male frogs - Rana temporaria - hanging around by the breeding puddles on the forestry track behind my house. For most of the year they are pretty shy and difficult to photograph, but with spawning season in full swing, they have more important things to worry about than hiding from photographers!