WA Press: Even without this heat, it's never easy for frogs

[Herp News]

THE OLYMPIAN (Olympia, Washington) 31 July 09 Even without this heat, it's never easy for frogs (Chester Allen)
All this hot weather has me a little worried about my frogs.
Well, they’re not really my frogs, but I’ve been keeping track of frogs in a couple of local ponds and one lake, and this hot weather is just more added peril for the ugly little creatures.
There must be more than 200 frogs – I think they are Oregon spotted frogs, but my frog identification skills are shaky – living in one shallow, algae-draped pond.
I first noticed the frogs – they’re about 3 inches long – when I walked up to the pond a few weeks ago and spooked a frog out from the shoreline grass. The frog leaped into the water and started a chain-reaction jumpfest that rippled around the pond in about 30 seconds.
It kind of looked like the old Kingdome “Wave” from the 1980s.
All the frogs jetted to hiding spots under the hair-like strands of algae. I sat down to see what would happen next.
First, one pair of boogly eyes popped out of the water. Then another pair and another.
Soon, hundreds of eyes were peering around the pond, but not one frog moved. I didn’t move either.
Then a few frogs emerged from the green algae and kicked over to the shallow banks. Soon, just about all of the frogs were squatting in the shallow water. One frog nabbed an electric-blue damselfly that was hovering nearby.
These frogs had their early warning system down.
We humans tend to look down on frogs. They’re old – they’ve been around for millions of years – happily squat in stagnant, bug-filled water and they look kind of goofy.
Yet, the frogs are still here even though many creatures, including humans, think they taste just like chicken.
Since spring, I’ve seen great blue herons, raccoons and largemouth bass on frog-hunting expeditions.
And the predators have been busy at this little pond. Heron and raccoon tracks dot the shoreline mud, and a half-eaten frog carcass bobbed near a patch of water weeds last week.
Just before dark, largemouth bass detonate on swimming frogs in boils the size of trash can lids.
It’s not an easy world out there for the frog.
Many frogs can’t handle the impact of human change – a drained pond is a frog-free zone – and we’ve introduced lots of new predators to the Northwest, including largemouth bass and bullfrogs, which happily eat other frogs.
If you were 4 inches long, a bullfrog would probably think you tasted just like chicken.
The frogs are shy during the day, but they make a huge racket at night. Sometimes just one frog is croaking and bellowing away, and then the whole pond lights up with sound.
It’s easy to find frogs here in South Sound. Just about every runoff pond, lake and wetland has a lot of frogs.
Quietly sitting and watching frogs may not sound too exciting, but these creatures have rituals just like we do. And it’s a lot of fun to see all those little eyes poking above the surface. It kind of reminds me of playing “Red Light, Green Light” when I was a kid.
There is a much bigger pond about 200 yards away from the pond that is shrinking fast in this hot weather. I hope the frogs can somehow sneak over to the big pond one night – before it gets too late.
Did You Know?
Oregon spotted frogs are native to Western Washington and once lived in Washington wetlands from the Canadian border to the Columbia River. Due to habitat loss, pollution, environmental changes and predators, these frogs now live in only seven remote locations in Thurston and Klickitat counties. The Oregon spotted frog is listed as an endangered species in the state and is a candidate for federal Endangered Species Act protection.
Even without this heat, it's never easy for frogs - Outdoors Highlight Story - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington