Mariton: Wood Frog
by Tim Burris, Preserve Manager
While checking the trails and scouting for invasives I came across this Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica). Don’t see it? Look at the photo below. When I saw the movement, I assumed it was an American Toad. I am seeing a lot of toads along the trails right now. I was pleased that I took a moment to actually look. I was also pleased that I remembered to grab my camera before heading into the woods.
I love wood frogs. They are one of the first frogs to emerge in late winter. They breed in vernal (temporary) ponds, sometimes when there is still a glaze of ice . Their “barking or quacking” call can be heard hundreds of yards away and sounds like a huge flock of waterfowl gathering. The sound is so incongruous, because it often comes from deep within the forest. They return back to the forest after breeding, which is where I found this Wood Frog.