Croaking bloke really a shy guy

Something different. This is an ultraclose-up of a southern bell frog taken by the side of my fish pond.

This species of frog was one of six introduced from Australia in the mid19th century and is not only the largest one but the one that has been the most successful colonising New Zealand. These frogs are normally very shy, and will leap into the water before you get anywhere close to them.

This particular frog used to be cautious of my approach but seems to have become used to me now. Consequently, I was able to get very close to it a couple of days ago, resulting in this super-detailed photo.

These frogs are most often heard rather than seen and, in our district, are most common at the Queen Elizabeth Park wetlands especially when the mating season is in full swing during spring. Their croaking is almost deafening! The tadpoles are a favourite food for many of the birds that inhabit the wetland presenting an awful spectacle as they are swallowed wriggling alive.

Photo / Roger Smith The southern bell frog is one of six species introduced from Australia in the mid-19th century.