The Pacific Tree Frog, or Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacris regilla), is a teeny-tiny frog with a GIANT voice. I enjoy their songs -- other family members definitely do not. The adult frogs range in size from 2-3cm; the young frog above is about 1cm. He is pictured near a one-teaspoon measuring spoon, and this picture was taken just after losing his tail (August 2006). The Pacific Tree Frog's "song" has been compared to rusty gate hinges, and is frequently heard as background noise for watery scenes in films. We first heard one or two frogs in February, but our recent warmer (52 degree) weather has prompted mating calls. The backyard and pond is a cacophony of froggy noise from dusk to well after midnight each night, and they only seem to stop when something large looms overhead. Springtime!
Cacophony is the perfe t word to describe this sound that will carry us through every night for the next few months. I noticed last evening that I could hear it above the sound that a fairly strong wind makes in our tall trees. Amazing. Thanks for the picture too! I'm going to put a link to your post on mine. Yay springtime! Robin A.
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