Here's our little snakey. Back for another year.
jo
What lives in or near your Pond
Jo - what kind of snake is it? He's kinda cute.
He's a midland water snake. You're right. It is a cute little guy. This is his second year here (and probably he's not much older than that). We're happy that he returned. Here's another picture I just took while he was slithering around. Note the duckweed he picked up...
Haha - he looks right at home.
Trying to get a picture of the frog today..but he kept moving about.
Found this interesting white spider on a spent pink tulip by the pond.
He/she was very interesting looking. The spots on it's side seemed to match the pink in the tulip.
This message was edited May 4, 2008 3:30 PM
Bea, what a cool looking spider! I haven't seen one likes it down South.
First for me too! I have never seen a spider like this. Been living in OR 20 months..from CA the rest of the time. She/He is very different looking. If anyone knows the name of this spider..let me know. Thanks
Looks like a type of crab spider.
We used to get those in florida.
I loved how white they were.
I believe you are correct. This link shows a better picture of the pink markings on its side. Thanks for the help.
http://www.everythingabout.net/articles/biology/animals/arthropods/arachnids/spiders/crab_spider/
Youre very welcome!
Ive always loved those lil guys.
Im constantly moving them around the garden so they don't get squished hehehe.
Here is Sandy. Look close,she has a bug sitting on her right eye. I waited and waited for her to eat that bug,but she never did.
How funny! It is difficult I image to catch a bug when it is sitting on your eye. Think about it! Frustrating for the poor frog.. :)
HA! I see your point BeaHive! Somehow I expected that long,skinny tongue of hers to whip out and snatch that bug☺Every so often she would blink the eye but never made another move. I was trying to snap the pic at the exact moment she ate the bug but I gave up☺
We caught the frog wars in the act - between a sparrow and frog.
I have several photos, just wasn't sure you'd want to see them as they're monther nature at it's ripest.
The bullfrogs are surely tough fighters and must have big appetites!
I'd be interested in seeing your pictures. Not sure about everyone else.
would love to see them.. kids, cover your eyes!
Here is my cat Bubbles.
I'll just sit here and pretend that I'm not interested in those bird feeders.
Well no luck, Mom nevers lets me play with the birds and they look like they would taste....Make that....fun to play with.
Well, there must be something else to do around here.
Hummm.... Here fishy fishy........
ok, viewer beware... don't scroll down and just skip past my post if you don't want to see the frog with his lunch...
BTW, Bubbles, you are too cute!
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Great pictures everyone! A raccoon ate my fav fish and most likely the parrot feather frog, so lots of pond drama around here. Wow DaysDawning, that really is some shot! Once you posted it I just had to look ;-).
DaysDawning, Last year I had asked a friend about what frogs ate. I was worried they wouldn't get enough to eat in my small pond. I was also wondering if my fish were in great danger. She told me that they are carnivores and will eat anything they could catch, like mice and birds. I was really surprised I always just think of them sitting on their lily pads slurping up flies.
HollyAnnS...same here. I wouldn't have believed it had I not witnessed it myself. I wonder if the "friend" request (in your picture on 4-22 Post #4849097) was actually a 'dinner' request of the poor innocent robin. The look in their eyes!
Sorry to cause temptations sunnyg! I love your description of the noises your frogs make. Our frogs make such a racket that sometimes we just have to speak up just to get them to quite down! It's truly an amazing.
I have a peek-a-boo, too!
I also thought they just ate insects..boy was I wrong! Poor little tweety bird!! Breaks your heart!
While doing a pond clean out today (FUN! not!) my frogs had no choice but to come out from hiding. I was able to catch the big one for a few seconds and take a closer look. Sure was cute until he wiggled loose, bounced off my face and then into the rocks and hid until we were done. The Koi did not cooperate when it was time to round them up. They are quick little buggers & slippery too! They kept jumping out of the plastic container once we caught them. Now they want out of the holding container. I hear them spashing around..not happy campers!! I wish I could have taken pictures during the clean
out as I would have had great frog pics to share...but you really
do not want a nice camera in the pond while rounding up koi!
I did look stunning in my waders & fishing boots however!
BeaHive, thats a nice picture you've painted. So I go to bed with laughter and enjoyment! Thanks. This is the nearest I can come to some photos of 'who is visiting my pond' frog-wise. Though I've some lovely shots of the birds spalshing in the birdbath, next to my pond.
I could not walk away from this couple. A male and female frog, Reading Love Stories! Mr. frog has a pipe in his mouth certainly deep in his book, while Mrs. Frog is relaxing and dreaming of Prince Charming!
I love it!! I have to start looking for frogs for my garden. Saw one that hangs from a tree on a swing with a silly smile on his face that I really want, too.
bedouin..glad to bring a little laughter and enjoyment to all! Life is short, you gotta have fun! Love your frog couple! I love anything frogs..they are so cute!
I think this is a toad, not a frog. Since my pond is not quite up and running yet, he's my only visitor. He's not as intelligent as your frogs, bedouin. But, he's not nearly as hungry as yours, DD! :-)
Nanegoat66 I'm sure the frogs would get on well! Maybe mine will read the love stories to your frog while croaking to attract other listeners! Sigh, Harlequin Books have certainly brought much enjoyment to our world! Why should frogs & toads & anole lizzards not enjoy them as well! :)
All is fair in love and ... well, you know.
Very cute frog art! I love your peek-a-boo frog DaysDawning…great shot! We had some murder and mayhem in our pond thanks to what I’m assuming is a raccoon. Here is a pic of my favorite fish waiting for me to hurry up and feed him. He would always swim up when he saw me, and hang out and wait for me while I went back into the house to get the fish some food...sadly, he ended up raccoon dinner :-(
sunnyg That is so sad!
Sunny, That is sad.
When I started this thread I was thinking about the animals that we glimpse coming and going getting drinks and finding shelter. Even though I know that herons and raccoons steal fish and that frogs eat bigger things than a few bugs. II don't think I really put it all together in the way that this thread has. Our ponds and the habitats that we create really do show the complete life-cycle. The start of life, frog eggs, tadpoles, birds nesting near by. The families growing, baby bunnies, chipmunks and others. Then the final days with losses of these creatures that we have observed and come so close to. Or the next season when they return each year bringing a new life cycle with them.
I want to thank you all for your postings and encourage you to continue. I think my eyes and mind have been opened a little wider because of your contributions.
I'm headed out of town for several weeks but when I come back I will post some pictures of the ponds I will be sitting by while I'm gone. Holly
sunnyg, so sorry to hear about your fish loss. I had a similar experience with a racoon demolishing quite a few dozen goldfish I kept replenishing the pool with! Someone on the pond forum posted photos of what she had done to protect her fish from these predators. She built a little bridge over the pond, with an almost invisible mesh stretching across the pond and I believe it must have been attached to the underside of the bridge, bringing the mesh up in the shape of a dome, so she was able to have plants in the pond as well.
I dont know which thread it is on, but here are the
'GOLDFISH, PROTECTING FROM RACOONS' postings.
DG Water gardens: Racoon protection: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/search.php?q=water+gardens%2C+protecting+pond+from+racoons&submit=%28%3A+Search+forums+%3A%29
Thanks for the well wishes I really appreciate it. I will check out that link Bedouin, thanks for posting that. The invisible mesh thing does sound pretty ingenious. I wrote about the nutty system we are using right now in this thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/842054/ Thankfully, we haven’t had to put this to the test yet. LOL I agree Holly, this has really been an enlightening thread, and I look forward to seeing your pond pics in a few weeks. I have some frog “mug shots” from late April that I will post later and I hope to see more of everyone’s pond critters and visitors as the season progresses.
mug shot #1
#2
#3
A Robberfly was stalking the pond hehe.
Maybe your frog was stalking him LOL.
Sunny.. You should name your little guy Zorro. I love his little black mask.
This guy in the picture used to hang out up in the waterfall part of my pond. We just completed a clean out of the entire pond.. Now it is pick your new spot time... He & St Francis are now the keepers of the pond!
