The night before last we had a visit.
We were delighted! The little green frogs are one of our favourite visitors and we had not seen any since the spring. It had been a very dry summer and not really frog weather but recently it has been raining a lot and I have heard them in the evening but not seen any.
I rushed out to say hello – as you can see they are not shy.
I was able to measure this one’s size through the window and the body length is only 3 centimetres (not counting the head), which is very small compared to the ones we have seen before.
I remember the first time I saw a Rainette. It was a rainy afternoon several years ago and I had just started to draw closed the patio window to stop the rain coming in. She was sitting comfortably on the hand grip of the door frame and I saw her just in time to draw back my hand without touching her.
We were both startled. I had never been that close to a bright green frog before. I didn’t move but neither did she, except to move her head to the side as if to ward off an imminent blow. I felt chilled by the thought that I could have inadvertently squashed her and then by the thought that she was expecting an aggressive blow. She still didn’t budge and I realised she had no intention of moving unless forced to. She was enjoying watching the rain from the window as I frequently do myself. I retired leaving her to her reflections.
From then on she turned up in the garden whenever she fancied, usually when it is warm and damp.
I have identified the Rainette as Hyla meridiaonalis, a little green tree frog that lives in our garden and is common in this area of France. They differ from any other frogs that I have come across as being much calmer and less easily startled. I see them more often during warm, wet weather anywhere in the garden and our old well (see my post The old well ). The well had no water this summer but a plentiful growth of ferns on its walls is a favourite haunt of the tree frogs.
They surprisingly enjoy basking in the sunshine.
Despite being bright green they can be difficult to see.
They occasionally come inside and can take you by surprise because once comfortable they can remain motionless. This one appeared in the dining-room and I only noticed as I bent to put a cup of coffee beside her!
This year they were very quiet as usually we hear them calling from the river in the summer evenings. Their call makes us laugh and I had missed it this year, so I am glad they are back.
You can hear their call if you go to this excellent site and press the button under the Call heading http://www.herpfrance.com/amphibian/stripeless_tree_frog_hyla_meridionalis.php.
December 8, 2012 at 10:51 am
Lovely images of your frog, she/he is such a strong vibrant green. Christina
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December 8, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Glad you like her!
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December 8, 2012 at 10:54 am
Oh, what delightful creatures. I can understand from your photos and descriptions why you are so pleased to have them back.
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December 8, 2012 at 12:31 pm
They definitely pep up the garden!
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December 8, 2012 at 11:54 am
They are lovely little creatures – I like the photo on the arum lily. I’d be pleased to have them in my garden too!
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December 8, 2012 at 12:32 pm
It was unusual not to see them all summer long, I had missed them.
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December 8, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Wonderful photos! Such a tame animal, the perfect kind of photo subject. We have a similar (but without the eyestripe) tree frog here all summer, and I love finding them in the bushes and on the walls of the garage or house.
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December 9, 2012 at 6:23 pm
They look artificial when they stick on the side of a door or a wall, just like the ornaments you can buy!
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December 9, 2012 at 8:52 am
Gorgeous, I love frogs. As a child I used to pick them up to save them from cats.
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December 9, 2012 at 10:44 am
You’d really enjoy talking to these ones!
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December 9, 2012 at 11:18 am
How wonderful to have all those fabulous frogs in your garden, they’re totally adorable! I love the arum lily photo 🙂
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December 9, 2012 at 6:26 pm
If frogs can ever be cute – and why not, indeed? – these are they! RH
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December 9, 2012 at 7:06 pm
There is absolutely no doubt, and I felt some hesitation in your comment, these frogs are cute.:)
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December 10, 2012 at 11:43 pm
The little frog looks so contented! Almost like a cat sitting in the sunlight.
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December 11, 2012 at 6:22 pm
Exactly (but I don’t have to worry about my birds!) 🙂
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December 11, 2012 at 4:27 pm
I love frogs. What a little cutie!
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December 11, 2012 at 6:23 pm
She is the cutest frog I know.
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December 14, 2012 at 12:36 am
How sweet. I have never seen such green frogs, but I really wouldn’t mind! 🙂
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December 14, 2012 at 9:54 pm
They seem to be a favourite with a lot of people.
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December 16, 2012 at 3:35 pm
great photos, and post
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December 16, 2012 at 6:48 pm
Thank you, I’m still working on the photography and I’m looking forward to getting some better shots next year.
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December 20, 2012 at 8:15 am
We had a frog that looked just like this living in a pipe on our verandah when we lived in Darwin which is in the tropics. It was so loud I had to turn the TV up really high on nights when it felt like croaking.
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December 20, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Our frog can be clearly heard but yours definitely wins hands down for volume.
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December 20, 2012 at 11:13 am
Oh, I am so jealous! I love frogs. We used to get them here but not recently. Probably a result of the ever increasing development of our neighbourhood. 😦
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December 20, 2012 at 5:16 pm
She would be an ideal model for you.
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December 28, 2012 at 4:49 pm
I love frogs, these look very handsome! 🙂
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January 15, 2013 at 9:53 pm
The cutest ever, love them, you are so lucky to have these in your garden!
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January 16, 2013 at 7:08 am
One (at least) lives in an old well on the patio and when it rains she starts to call as if she is happy. It does not last long but it makes me smile.
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