Welcome to Exploring Nature, an illustrated blog series that (re)discovers the
natural world through art, science, and observation.
Illustration by Erica Sloniker,
Marketing and Visual Communications
Transcript:
Spring Frogs at Moses Coulee Preserve
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Nestled in the cliffs in Moses Coulee is an import desert water source that every spring attracts thousands of Pacific Tree Frogs.
I came to Whisper Lake for a night concert. It was anything but quiet. The chorus of frogs was soothing, calming—the quintessential sound of spring.
Pacific Tree Frog Facts:
Male tree frogs attract females in a loud, two-part kreck-ek or ribbit, usually repeated several times
A vocal sac stretches out when a male is calling
A dark stripe runs across each eye to the shoulder
Glands in skin secrete a waxy coating
Typically green or brown, but also can be shades of copper, gray, and brown. Stripes and spots can also occur
Toes are slightly webbed with sticky pads, allowing it to climb in search of spiders and insects
2 inches in length
Smallest and most commonly seen and heard frog in Washington
Frog eggs attach to underwater branches and grass, protected by jelly that retains water
Tadpoles seen forming through frog eggs toward the end of egg development and tadpoles outside of eggs (see illustration)
10 weeks after hatching, tadpoles form lungs and begin transforming into adult frogs
This spring, I’ll be taking a closer look at the nature that surrounds me and keeping my ear tuned to the water’s edge.
