I have been spending time driving the roads here in Northeast Kansas listening for frogs, hoping to hear the call of the Spea bombifrons along the Kansas river. This frog reaches this far Northeast and further into Missouri along the Kansas and Missouri river valleys and is somewhat difficult to find. I have been driving some country roads along these rivers. I have heard or caught the following...
Johnson County Kansas:
tmtc Psuedacris trisariata calling...I have found 19 thus far on the roads during rainfall. Temps varied from 40 degrees to 57 degrees.
tmtc Acris crepitans- calling and along creek and pond shorelines. This is by far the most common herp in the eastern portion of the state, even more common than the Prairie ringneck.
Hyla versicolor- I have heard a few of these calling but have yet to actually find one yet.
1 Gastrophryne olivacea- I usually do not hear these until later in the spring, but I heard one calling Monday night along an old railroad track with spring pools bordering it. The rr track is along the edge of the Kansas river in Bonner Springs, Ks. and one th other side of the track is an abandoned milo field that often has huge, and up to a foot deep, spring over flow pools. This is perfect for the Spea, so I am just waiting until that day that I am walking the track late at night and in the midst of the deafining calls of the Psuedacris, Rana ssp(which I have not hear yet), Gastrophryne, Hyla, Acris, and Bufo ssp, I hear that faithful call that I have heard so many times in Oklahoma and Western Kansas....the Spadefoot toad...man I cant wait.
4 Ambastoma texanum- I three of these in the Baker Wetlands of south Lawrence, and the other four, three of which were dead, were found in Desoto, Ks.
1 Eumeces fasciatus- Young one found on a rail road tigh in Ernie Miller Nature Park.
I cant wait until the spring comes! Looking forward to some trips...JohnE...If I come out to Illinios to visit Eric, you should try to make it....chad
