Mallard like repetitive sound. Frog? Toad? Insect?

[ohitsallama]

Random question I thought I would ask here - I am a birdwatcher in Atlanta, GA and went out to a nearby park this morning around 7:30am. It was in the 30s with a good frost covering most everything. Anyway, I was standing still and then I heard what I thought was a mallard duck. I looked overhead and saw nothing, then realized it was coming from the forest floor. It was a repeated 4 notes very similar to a mallard. It was repetitive though like an insect or frog might be. 4 duck like quacks and then a moment of silence before it would repeat. I could not pin point the sound... it seemed to move with me somehow. I would turn one way and then it would seem like it was coming from behind. Very strange. Some kind of frog? Insect? It's December so I would think frogs wouldn't be calling.

[Mentat]

... I could not pin point the sound... it seemed to move with me somehow. I would turn one way and then it would seem like it was coming from behind. Very strange...

A "Chupacabra" stalking you?

[frogluver]

Since you say the call sounded like a Mallard duck, the first thing that comes to my mind is the Wood frog (Rana sylvatica, more recenty Lithobates sylvaticus). Most people who hear the call of this frog, often mistake it for the sound of a duck (I've done that lol ;P). Here is a link to the species profile.....if you scroll down you can click to hear a chorus. Wood Frog - Rana sylvatica I tried to find a single Wood frog recording but had no luck. Did the call sound similar to that?

I know there are Wood frogs in Georgia (more north than Atlanta though) but maybe the Wood frog population there has increased? The link above was last updated in 2008.

Wood frogs are very hardy creatures and will mate when snow is still on the ground or even when ice is still in the pond! I think the breeding season for the Wood frogs in Georgia in Jan-Feb; but maybe some of the frogs are coming out of hibernation early.....I've observed a similar behaviour in the WFs here in Alaska.

I always love trying to solve frog related mysteries hehe !!