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Category: The back yard | Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:37 pm

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When I first constructed a concrete "pond" I thought it would take a long time for the wildlife to find it. Two days after I filled it with water and naturalized it with a variety of plants, a frog moved in and sat on the margin to enjoy the new water view. My wife and I tried to reason out the methodology of its arrival. Perhaps a crow or an animal had dropped it. A few days later several frogs dotted the rim of the pond. I then realized they arrived there on their own. New meaning to saying "Build it and they will come." As time progressed the pond attracted many new and interesting creatures but no tadpoles. Tadpoles became a goal. If a frog laid eggs in the pond the pond would be their permanent home. Slowly the environment changed. Still no frog eggs. At a seminar on vernal pools I learned that 10% of the population of a vernal pool migrates to other areas. This is good! The nearest qualifying body of water was a quarter mile (400 meters) away. This is bad! A lot of hops for a little frog. The years dragged on and still no tadpoles. I even consulted a world renowned expert on amphibians during a bird club talk on the subject. More years. No eggs, no tadpoles.:-( This year there were seven female bullfrogs and one male, lucky frog:-) Still no evidence of eggs. During fall while preparing the pond for winter I saw a very small bullfrog. This is good! It was about 3/4 in (2cm) long. Then another, and another. Seven all together that I could see. Much better! I thought the eggs would be laid in the large pool, they did not. They used the small waterfall pool. Next spring I will look for the small bullfrogs and watch as they grow to maturity. On a peaceful summer evening I will be able to listen with a different ear to the croaking of the frogs, the ones that now call my pond their home.


Last edited: Fri Oct 26, 2018 12:52 am

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Kay wrote on Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:50 pm:

Congrats on creating an environment for bullfrogs! We have tons of em at our lake, and yes, they will be filling the air (and your ears) with their croaking! :)

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Jewell wrote on Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:33 am:

How lucky! I have ever wanted frogs, but no luck. Even the little tree frogs are becoming scarcer in town as the racooons and possums become more plentiful. Wish you could show photos of your froogy haven.

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