My son was cleaning leaves out of the front pond and soon came rushing in to tell me that we had both a huge toad and a huge frog at the pond. Naturally, I rushed back out with him with my camera in hand.
Sure enough, the female toad was huge — round even. I just had to get a close-up of her beautiful warty skin.
But when I saw the frog, I was really amazed at its size. To date, when we’ve had frogs, they’ve all been cute little things. This was a by gosh big’n. I supposed it’s not big by frog standards, but it’s big by my home wildscape standards. Is a good ol’ fashioned American Bull Frog?
Afraid of scaring it off while I took pictures, I whispered gentle, soothing sounds toward its tympanic membrane, or tympanum. Ah, biology classes. You served me well. I’ve remembered those terms since high school. The tympanum — the circular spot near each froggy eye — is how the frog hears. Sound waves hit the membrane and cause it to vibrate, and the information is conducted to the frog’s internal hearing structures. Humans have them, too — we call them eardrums. Ms. Toad above has them, too. Scroll up and see.
Anyhoo, I’d like to dedicate this post to my late Granddaddy, who moved all the way from England to the U.S. and met my grandmother, both of whom later had my dad, who ultimately with my mom had my sisters and me. Granddaddy often told us this poem–one of many, actually — but this was a personal favorite.
What a funny thing a frog are
‘E ain’t got no tail almost hardly
And when he sit he jump
And when he jump, he sit
On ‘is lit’l tail that he ain’t got almost hardly.
I think our froggy would have liked it. I should have whispered that to its tympanum, too, before it hopped away.
Meredith, Hi! What beauties you have in your garden! We usually have toads hanging around. Took some close-up shots 3 months ago. Here they are : http://onenezz.blogspot.com/2010/06/toad.html
Those shots are great, One! My amphibians hid out in a corner near our entryway pond — we got background shots of brown leaves instead of green grass!
Goodness – a bullfrog at the pond! I’ve always been amazed that Leopard Frogs were able to somehow migrate across suburban lawns to my pond, but never imagined a bullfrog! Quite nice.
I felt the same way, Ron — what gets frogs to travel such distances to find water? There’s a larger pond about a half-mile away, but even so, what makes frogs come to me?
Hold on — perhaps the recent heavy rains from Hermine had something to do with it. Maybe the bullfrog went exploring while there was so much water around. I think I’m onto something!
I like the way frogs always seem to have a smile for ya.
It’s because they’re always hoppy to see ya.
Meredith,
Been trying for days to get to see your frog photos, something makes my getting on your site a real challenge. Enjoyed the frog and the toad. Have you ever seen an adult Sonoran Toad, supposed to get up to 6 pounds!
Dude, now THAT’s a big amphibian!
Great photos Meredith. I have a large bullfrog near my backgate. He is living in a kettle garden with a Colorado waterlily. Every evening he sits on the edge of the pot. When I open the gate to walk the dog, he jumps in the kettle and it makes me jump.
cheers,
j