Spring is about to… well spring! Think longer days, more time in the sunshine and getting out into nature… and maybe even more opportunities for a little frog spotting.
It’s not just us humans this is good for, frogs get around spring, too, and we need your help to record them for our FrogWatch SA Spring Census.
Many of SA’s frogs have been enjoying our wet and woolly winter weather, but spring can bring about changes for them to party (well, mate).
As frogs are cold blooded the warmer temperatures of spring tends to make many of the species around Adelaide and SA active.
As well as being a good time to see a frog in spring, it’s also a brilliant time to hear them. The frog calls you’ll hear during spring are males calling for a female!
It’s a real frogs’ bonanza because apart from spring being breeding season, it’s also a plentiful time for them to get food, including insects such as mosquitoes. So, for a frog, spring really is as good as it can get.
A couple of frogs you’re most likely to see or hear around this time include the Mt Lofty Ranges tree frog and the common froglet.
The Mt Lofty Ranges tree frog is known to frequent suburban gardens, ponds, wetlands and creeks so you may not have to go far to hear their calls. These calls are often described as being cricket-like, so mistaken identity is possible! Record it all the same and FrogWatch’s experts will be able to make an assessment for you.
Another common frog you’re likely to see or hear is the aptly named common froglet. Like its name suggests, it’s one of the most widespread frogs across Adelaide and it’s the males that you’re most likely to hear produce an extremely distinctive clicking call.
Regardless of the frogs you hear or don’t hear (that’s important, too) we want to receive recordings from you between 1 to 8 September for FrogWatch’s Spring Census.
Uploading frog calls
Uploading frog calls is as simple as the click of a button. Okay. Maybe a couple of clicks of a button.
Your best bet is to download the FrogSpotter app, create an account, pick a location, record the frog call and then if you’re really advanced… tell us what frog you think it is! Don’t worry if you don’t know, because FrogWatch’s frog nerds will!
For a more detailed guide on how to use the FrogSpotter app check out this helpful video.
You can also upload calls directly to the FrogWatch SA website.
Missed the census dates? No problem, FrogWatch accepts recordings all year round!
The FrogWatch Spring Census runs from 1 to 8 September.