Flying Frogs

[bob g]

The other day I was fishing a creek. It happened to be very windy. While I was standing there casting I would occasionally hear a plopping sound. I thought at first it was just branches from surrounding trees breaking off in the wind and falling into the creek but something about the sound seemed different so I decided to stop fishing and just wait and watch for a while. A few minutes later I saw something splat into the water about 10' away and it started to swim away. The "it" was a frog. In the next 20 minutes about 3-4 more splatted into the creek. They seemed to be coming from an overhanging tree about 50' tall. Has anybody else ever seen this or know anything about it. I was guessing they may be hibernating in the tree from fall and "waking up" with the warmer temps. If thats the case they were only making it into the water by a couple of feet from the dry bank. Two more feet the other way and it would have been more of a thud than a splat.

[Steve S.]

Interesting. I can't say that I've heard of that before. I always thought amphibians typically hibernated underground (in burrows) or in water (in the lake bottom). And besides, most of the local species would've been out for some time already, though treefrogs breed later than some of the other frogs.

 

Where were you (county/town)?

 

Treefrogs are only found in certain areas locally. Otherwise, not sure what would be up in the trees.

[bob g]

around kankakee

[Steve S.]

Catch one and take a pic next time! Any idea on the size (you don't have to pinch the tail)?

 

Would be interested to know what species they were. Intially I would've thought chorus frogs or spring peepers if they were coming from low growth along the river, but 50' trees? Only treefrog native to that area would be grey treefrogs, and they could be out by now with all the warm weather. Adults would be typically under 2 inches long, probably more likely an inch to 1-1/2" (without the legs extended).

 

Wish I would've experienced that.

[bob g]

I would guess a 2 inches or so body length sounds about right. They did look to be pretty small. They would hit the water and it seemed as though they would be stunned for a few seconds and when they came to they would dive and swim to deeper water. No camera and had the baby in the back pack so a little hard to chase them but definitely one of the more interesting things I've seen.

[Travis]

And besides, most of the local species would've been out for some time already, though treefrogs breed later than some of the other frogs.

 

 

Um, I question this remark. I have seen and heard the frogs for three weeks now. In the local ponds and in the rivers. Very active as well.

[Steve S.]

Um, I question this remark. I have seen and heard the frogs for three weeks now. In the local ponds and in the rivers. Very active as well.

 

Um, okay. What do you know about the frogs you're hearing?

 

The first frogs we typically hear are the chorus frogs, who come out at the first warming, sometimes with ice still on the water. Treefrogs like it a little warmer.