FrogID Week with Yarrilinks!
FrogID week ran from November 3-12th this year and is Australia’s biggest frog count! It’s a citizen science event that encourages people learn about frogs and record what they encounter. The FrogID app, developed by the Australian Museum, is free, easy to use, and identifies frogs based on their calls.
On Wednesday 8th November Yarrilinks gathered with some frog enthusiasts at Rupanyup for a twilight walk to try it out. Things got off to a slow start as we walked around the reservoir as we couldn’t hear anything, although everyone enjoyed the warm evening and seeing the trees planted by the Rupanyup Landcare Group and the Wimmera CMA.
At the northern end, we stopped and listened very carefully – there was the faint sound of a common eastern froglet (Crinia signifera). As the sun started to go down and we headed back to Jack’s Billabong, we all heard a familiar noise: there’s no mistaking a pobblebonk! Also called an eastern banjo frog (Limnodynastes dumerilii), this species is well known for its distinctive call. We listened a little longer and identified a Peron’s tree frog (Litoria peronii), which is also known for a distinctive call (other common names include the laughing tree frog and the maniacal cackle frog!). After everyone left, Rupanyup Landcare president Adrian Tyler couldn’t resist going back for another look…and he recorded yet another species, the plains froglet or Eastern sign bearing froglet (Crinia parinignifera).
In total there are about 13 different species of frog found in the Wimmera. Some of them call all year round, and others only in certain seasons. In addition to the FrogID app, we also used an identification booklet produced by the Wimmera CMA: The Glovebox Guide to Wimmera Wetland Frogs. Copies can be obtained from the CMA office in Horsham, or you can contact Yarrilinks Landcare facilitator Alicia for a copy.
Alicia: landcare@yarrilinks.org.au / 0455 166 445.
