Frog and Lizard

The Frog and Lizard, a good name for one of those trendy pubs up west,  but no,  just a short blog entry to record a couple of sightings made at Rainham a few days ago, and I can't think how else to record them.

The Marsh Frogs are very vocal at this time of year, the males competing for a female by calling very loudly, If you can observe a Marsh Frog while it's calling  you will see that it inflates its vocal sacs, also makes for a more interesting photograph, these calls seem to get louder and louder, causing other males  to compete with an even louder song. until it all fades away, and the silence of the reed bed returns.

I did notice one Marsh frog had moved under the boardwalk at the Dragonfly pool, giving its song some very effective echo, clearly the loudest song  in the pool, and probably the most attractive to the females.

These Marsh Frogs are an introduced species, and one of the larger frog species you will find in Europe.

Male Marsh Frog

Common Lizard

Haven't seen to many of these Common Lizards this year, the RSPB at Rainham have made good efforts to prepare suitable sanctuaries for them around the reed beds for them to hibernate overwinter.

They like to sun themselves on the boardwalks, but this one was basking on some overhanging vegetation, stayed just long enough for a quick photograph, quite prehistoric looking I feel.