Weekend Treefrogblogging

Ribbet!!

April is a great time to listen for one of the most vocal inhabitants of the area: the Pacific Tree Frog. You think the folks at Sound Politics are shrill, then you haven't heard this tiny frog sing!

The photo above was very hard to come by. While the tree frog is mighty vocal, it isn't always easy to see. At only 1 to 2 inches in length, they are easily hidden within the grasses and reeds that have accumulated springtime rains. If you get too close, or make noise, they will become quiet making it even harder to pinpoint their location. My close up image benefitted from the unique swivel feature of my Nikon Coolpix 995 camera, as well as its zoom, to get a good angle without having to get so close I'd scare it away, but it took me almost an hour to find the frog.

I was also able to record the singing. Here is a sample of a very perfect "ribbet":

Small creatures like frogs give us an important gauge on the effects of climate and environmental changes, as their well-being and ours are closely tied to our ecosystems, and so every April, the loudly singing Pacific Tree Frogs should be sweet music to our ears indeed. We should do all we can to ensure it remains that way.