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August 02, 2007 - Interlude with frog mania24A • The Suffolk Times • August 2, 2007 Interlude with frog mania When we built our home some 50 years ago, things were much different. Dollars were tight and many corners were cut — but there was one thing that wasn't going to be cut and that was a big picture window looking out over the beautiful farmland. We bought the 6 x 8 double glass pane from Tytes in Riverhead. Some of you knew the Tytes glass place on Route 25. It was the only place we could find that handled big windows. We FOCUS spend a lot of ON time in front of that big window, NATURE for it lets us bring the out - by Paul doors in. Stoutenburgh Barbara loves to rearrange our living room from time to time, but no matter how the tables, chairs and TV are moved, our view through the big window gets top priority. Last week we were having breakfast as usual in front of the big window when we happened to look down at the edge of one of those free- form fish ponds, and what did we see but two small frogs. They sat at the edge of the water and seemed to be enjoying their newfound home. There were no distinguishing mark- ings on them — nothing that would have told us what they were or where they came from. So out came reference books for the next two hours, keeping us deep in frog mania. Our two new arrivals were about an inch and a half long, dark colored with white under- belly, smooth skin and bulging eyes The best we could come up with was that they might be young bullfrogs- An earlier experience with bull- frogs happened some years ago when we had a call from a lady in Southold who had a frog in her backyard. We drove down and there instead of just a frog was this BIG bullfrog, in a rather unusual place, as bullfrogs are usually found near a pond or water area. We kept it for a while to share with others and then released it. In answer to another call we found an American toad, one more likely to be found around your home. We went down to see it. It was a perfect speci- men and we wanted our kids to see it, so I put a pail over it and planned to take the kids back later. We all re- turned that evening and took the pail off. No toad! I felt kind of foolish, as I knew I had left it there but it was hard to convince anyone of that. Had someone removed the pail and let it go? Then one of the sharp -eyed kids said, "I see an eye!" and on closer examination we Some of t found that the toad had night sou Aug itself into the ground and literally disappeared! jtou The most common frog from in our area would be the little tree little gray tree frog that has the ability to change its color depend- ing on where it is — if a green leaf, it turns completely green; on a tree it would be gray. The one that posed for me on a rhododendron leaf was about an inch and a quarter in length. Some of the night sounds you hear come from these vocal little tree frogs The males call to the females Kids are always curious and it's our job to educate them so they will stand up for conservation and preservation of the world around them. Suffolk Times photos by Paul Stmtenbwgh Left: the old- fashioned idea that you get warts If you handle a toad Is not true. Toads are an asset to anyone's garden, for Insects are what they live on. Right: male frogs and toads extend their throats to create the mating calls that bring the females to the pond to mate and lay their eggs. to come join them in the pond. The females deposit their eggs, once fertil- ized, in a gelatinous mass and leave them to develop in the warm water of the pond. In the meantime, the "beat goes on" and the pond becomes the bandstand for other members of the toad and frog family. When mating and calling is over, our songsters leave the he pond and venture to their sounds own particular chosen spot, which could be your garden, or in the top of a nearby tree, where they'll frogs spend the summer stalking insects of all sorts In the meantime, the eggs develop and tadpoles begin to wriggle out of their jelly mass and immediately start to look for food. Many will die along the bumpy road to adulthood, but na- ture has provided enough extra tad- poles so there are always survivors, and it is these survivors that will take up the challenge and start the cycle of hear come m these vocal life once more. Before I finish our little chat about toads and frogs I'd like to relate an incident that brings a smile to my lips every time I think of it. It all took place when I was going to college. We lived in a trailer with our three kids (ever try writing a term paper with three kids hanging over your shoul- der trying to help you ?). Always wanting to broaden our kids' world, we had captured two or three spring peepers and had them in our bedroom (why our bedroom, I don't know). All went well until we were just about to drift off into never -never land when a chorus from the peepers started in. Have you ever tried to sleep with a chorus of tiny frogs calling alongside your bed? Needless to say, we had to move them outside the trailer so we could get some sleep. It was a beautiful lesson in spring peepers calling with their colorful throats all puffed out and ro- mance in their eyes. Years ago, when we were birding in North Haven over on the south side, we came to this rather large vernal pond. The group had casually come together there and, as we chat- ted about things in general, someone spotted a wood frog at the edge of the pond. It blended in so perfectly that it took a long time before everyone could find it. If we eliminate these "ponds" so that toads and frogs no longer have a place to reproduce, we eliminate the toads and frogs — and then who will take over the job of insect removal that they do? Catch Paul Stoutenburgh every week in THE SUFFOLK TIMES NEWSPAPERS. The Suffolk Times • August 2, 2007 Interlud e M � .WI*th froLy manita When we built our home some 50 years ago, things were much different. Dollars were tight and many corners were cut — but there was one thing that wasn't going to be cut and that was a big picture window looking out over the beautiful farmland. We . bought the 6 x 8 double glass pane from Tytes in Riverhead. Some of you knew the Tytes glass place on Route 25: It was the only place we could find that handled big windows. We FOCUS spend a lot of time in front of ON that big window, NATURE for it lets us bring the out - by Paul doors in. Stoutenburgh Barbara loves to rearrange our living.room from „ - Kids are always curious and it's our job ✓� µ, r to educate them so they will stand up for conservation /Nl Ipi, rr and preservation of the world pri �ui rll rllh ��� ill' �r �l B around them. I l � r ,�l�r ilri�r r, l /ri�ll� rril4 In,/ r r l � r.,ll'r�, l�lrrllr•,, � .rl� lr � r'�r7/ i /l,lYilill� „/l l dr lil rlll�rl llr l rr %rlr,��ll rr,,,��>;ll�l/ r rrprl�ll� I �p ilrr rl � ,In I , r l�i7ril) � r lu,rr ill r lr r 11 11 i., 11 I) ,hli irdll lrr r r (l �l time to time, but no matter how the tables, chairs and TV are moved, our view through the big window gets top priority. Last week we were having breakfast as usual in front of the big window when we happened to look down at the edge of one of those free form fish ponds, and what did we see but two small frogs. They sat at the edge of the water and seemed to be enjoying their newfound home. There were no distinguishing mark- ings on them - nothing that would have told us what they were or .where they came from. So out came reference books for the next two hours, keeping us deep in frog mania. Our two new amvals were about an inch and a half long, dark colordd with white under- belly, smooth skin and bulging eyes. Th( best we could come up with was that thev might be voung bullfrogs. Suffolk Times photos Paul Stoutenburgh An earlier experience with bull- frogs happened some years ago when we had a call from a lady in Southold who had a frog in her backyard. We drove down and there insiead of just a frog was this BIG bullfrog, in a rather unusual place, as bullfrogs are usually found near a pond or water area. We kept it for a while to share with others and then released it. In answer to another call we found an American toad, one more likely to be found around your home. We went down to see it. It was a perfect speci- men and we wanted our kids to see it, so I put a pail over it and planned to take the kids back later. We all re- turned that evening and took the pail off. No toad! I felt kind of foolish, as I knew I had left it there but it was hard to convince anyone of that. Had someone removed the pail and let it eo? Then one of the sharn -eved kids said, "I see an eye!" ana on closer examination we found that the toad had dug itself into the ground and literally disappeared! The most common frog in our area would be'the little gray tree frog that has the ability to change its color depend- ing on where it is — if a green leaf, it turns completely green; on a tree it would be gray. The one that posed for me on a rhododendron leaf was about an inch and a quarter in length. Some of the night sounds you hear come from these vocal little tree frogs. The males call to the females to come join them in the pond. The females deposit their eggs, once fertil- ized, in a gelatinous mass and leave them to develop in the warm water of the pond. In the meantime, the "beat goes on" and the pond becomes the bandstand for other members of the toad and frog family. When mating and calling is over, our songsters leave the pond and venture to their own particular chosen spot, which could be your garden, or in the top of a nearby tree, where.they'll spend the summer stalking insects. of all sorts. . In the meantime, the eggs develop ind tadpoles begin to wriggle out of .heir jelly mass and immediately start .o look for food. Many will die along he bumpy road to adulthood, but na- pure has provided enough extra tad- poles so there are always survivors, and it is these survivors that will take up the challenge-and start the cycle of life once more. Before I finish our little chat about toads and frogs I'd like to relate an incident that brings a smile to my lips every time I think of it. It all took place when I was going to college. We lived in a trailer with our three kids (ever try writing a term paper with three kids hanging over your shoul- der trying to help you ?). Some of the night sounds you hear come from these vocal little tree frogs Always wanting to broacten our kids' world, we had captured two or three spring peepers and had them in our bedroom (why our bedroom, I don't know). All went well until we were just about to drift off into never -never land when a chorus from the peepers started in. Have you ever tried to.sleep with a chorus of tiny frogs calling alongside your bed? Needless to say, we had to move them outside the trailer so we could get some sleep. Itwas a beautiful lesson in spring peepers calling with their colorful throats all puffed out and ro- mance in their eyes. Years ago, when we were birdirig in North Haven over on the south side, we came to this rather large vernal pond. The group had casually come together there and, as we chat- ted about things in general, someone spotted a wood frog at the edge of thf pond. It blended in so perfectly that it took a long time before everyone could find it. If we eliminate these "ponds" so that toads and frogs no longer have a Place to reproduce, we eliminate the toads and frogs - and then who will take over the job of insect removal that they do? It: the old- fashioned idea that you get warts if you handle a toad is not true. Toads are an asset to anyone's garden, r insects are what they live on. Right: male frogs and toads extend their throats to create the mating calls that bring e females to the pond to mate and lay their eggs.