Toads and spring flowers

I realy like toads. Of course, a lot of people think that this litle amphibian is full of warts, that it's hideous, and many things more… Well, I allways say - to those who think like that - : Have you ever taken a look at their eyes, and if you didn’t - you should, because you would see then that they have eyes in colors of noble metals like bronze, silver, and even gold. And to top all that, this is a realy garden friendly animal. It eats slugs, like the Spanis slug, which is a big problem in most of the gardens across the whole Europe.

So, this saturday I went to Češnjevek to the fishing ponds, because I heard that toads have started their mating season.

It was a sunny day and the common toad, also called European toad (Bufo bufo), is to be honest, very common in our country, so I knew I will find this sort there.

I saw a few pairs right away, while I was driving by the first pond. 

When I came there, I saw a few in the first pond next to driveway. It is one of the smallest ponds, so probably it’s the warmest one for now, because in all of the others I haven't found any toad activity yet. Well, their mating time has just begun, and I will go there next weekend again, to see if there are any more of them, and also to take some more of the close-up pictures, that I couldn't do then, because toads were still very cautious. At the peak of their mating seson, you can walk straight up to them and the males won't even care. 

The patterns of some of the males were like jaguars and some of the females were almous red. 

While I was walking round the pond, I was also stuned by the ‘’fields’’ of Spring Crocus (Cornus vernus).

Snow flakes are still in full bloom.

Wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) flowers were gently smiling to the sun.

Sweet Violet (Viola odorata) was growing together with Common primrose (Primula vulgaris).

And the Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) was allready there as well.

But the Dog’s tooth violet (Erythronium dens-canis ) will still need about a week to come out.

I realy love spring when everything awakens from 'the sleep'.

So, read you next time!

Uroš

Spring emerges for Agile frog

It finally came. The spring, that is. It’s getting warmer and warmer, so yesterday I decided to go for a walk through the forest to check out, if there are any frog activities yet (although, it is not warm enough yet) and if there are any of harbingers of spring.

So, this is what I found:

I went through a forest, which was very swampy, and I suspected that there should be some frog activity in a few weeks. So, I checked a few of the tiny forest steams, to find a place where they would naturally be to bread. It didn’t take long to fiund these two:

Male and female of  Agile frog (Rana dalmatina).

They were probably the first pair of Agile frog (Rana dalamatina) here, because in an hour of walk, after finding these two, I couldn't see any other frog anywhere else.

Then I climbed to the top of a hill, since I had to get to the second wally, and so I went through this beautiful Scotsh Pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest.

I finally came to the Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum). Everything around me was in the White.

Next weekend I’m going again!

So read you next time.

Uroš

Frogs and toads of Slovenia on CD

As you probably realize, I’m in frogs lately. Just the previous day I was looking for something bout them on internet and I found this:

It’s a CD with sounds of 13 frog and toads that live in our country, recorded by Tomi Trilar and it was published by Slovenian Museum of Natural History.

O this CD you can found calls of Yellow-bellied Toad (Bombina variegata), Fire-Bellied Toad (Bombina bombina), Common Spade Foot Toad (Pelobates fuscus), Common Toad (Bufo bufo), Green Toad (Bufo viridis), European Tree Frog (Hyla arborea), Common or Grass frog (Rana temporaria), Moor Frog (Rana arvalis), Agile Frog (Rana dalmatina), Italian Agile Frog (Rana latastel), Lake Frog (Rana (Pelophylax) ridibunda), Edible Frog (Rana (Pelophylax) kl. esculenta) and Pool Frog (Rana (Pelophylax) lessonae). All spieces of frogs and toads that live in our country. 

I was listening this sounds for all day long, and I think I will start so sound like a frog to. Well but the main thing for me to buy these CD is to learn sounds of frogs and toads, because this spring I will try to find them in their mating season, because I want to take photos of them. Right now my main goal for this comeing spring is Green Toad (I just love her color), Common Spade Foot Toad and Moor Frog.

Well anyway you have probably already seen my photos of Yellow-bellied Toad, Pool Frog and my favorite for now European Tree Frog.

Here are some sounds from CD (you can find more on their offical page):

Alternation of two males of Yellow-bellied Toad - Bombina variegata.

Male advetrisment call of Green Toad - Bufo viridis

A chorus of males of Moor frog - Rana arvalis

At first you would not think that some frogs can soud like these.

Gosh I can’t wait spring! But wither has just began so I have planty time to learn their songs. :D

So, read you next time.

Uroš

European tree frog - Hyla arborea

This week, again at my girlfriends, I took photos of European tree frog - Hyla arborea. Actually, I have cheated a little bit, because I didn't find this frog in nature. I asked my friend, whom works at Ocean Orchids company, and these tree frogs have come to live in the greenhouses, where they have perfect conditions to live. So, I asked her if she can catch me one, because I need a photo of it for my diploma. Well these are the photos of the frog. Of course I let it go free in nature.

So, read you later!

Uroš

Pool frog and Yellow-bellied toad photos

These are few photos of a pool frogs (Rana kl. esculenta) and Yellow-bellied toad (Bombina bombina)  that I took the other day when I was at my girlfriends. They were both still babies, but already looked as adults. I really like frogs so I want to take a photo of as many as I can. 

(click on photo for better quality)

So read you later.

Uroš