10 March 2010

Spring Peepers

It only takes a couple of warmish days for these little guys to begin their mating calls...and today the chorus was in full throat. It's a wonderful sound. According to the internet, they are from a group called chorus frogs and range from Florida to Canada along the east coast. They are called 'pinkletinks' on Martha's Vineyard (Hollis can confirm or refute this) and 'tinkletoes' in New Brunswick. Another name is 'the bells of springtime'. After all of the lovely snow, even I am tired of the cold and mud and I'm pleased to know that spring is close by.

10 comments:

Dennis Allen said...

Spring is coming to Ohio and it feels like a resurrection

Hannah said...

dum dum dum aaaa deee ahhhh,
dum dum dum aaaa deee ahhhh,
dooo beee dooo I can't remember any more words to this classic McCartney hit, sorry.

Linda Starr said...

Aren't those the sweetest little frogs I have ever seen, oh to hear their chorus; I am in Florida, I hope I get to hear them when I am here - and see them too.

cookingwithgas said...

they are singing over here in Whynot- but I have never seen them.
Cute buggers aren't they!

Anonymous said...

those pinkletinks make me wish i lived in the country dan

Jerry said...

I love hearing the spring peepers!! As I was reading this at my desk here at work, I could swear that I heard a peep or two. Then I realized it was the geiger counter chirping down the hall. Gave me a good laugh.

Hollis Engley said...

They are indeed called Pinkletinks on the Vineyard. The Latin name, as I recall, is Hyla Crucifer. The first Pinkletinks on the island were always reported in the local newspaper and the postmaster at the Oak Bluffs post office, Bob Hughes, would track down a couple and have them on display in a jar for a day or two at the beginning of the season. No doubt in violation of some wildlife law, but he turned them loose soon enough. We haven't heard them around here on the Cape yet, but they'll be along soon.

Incognito said...

I adore the sounds of peepers in the Spring; we live in suburbia bordering country and the sound can be loud, but it is one of my favorites. The peepers' calls and my very hairy cat shedding his rasta-type coat are both wonderful signs of the change of season. Tonight we have rain; I am happy.

Elizabeth Seaver said...

Love the photos, Dan (and love the giant bird that "flew" into the pottery at L'town yesterday!)

Joy Tanner said...

i love those peepers. we get them in WNC but they're not around quite yet. best sound of spring, i agree.