Earlier this week I photographed my first American Bullfrog in Reeves Slough at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. The light was simply awful, though.
American Bullfrog at Reeves Slough – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/250, ISO 800, +0.7 EV, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 400mm, natural light
The trees that surround the slough block the best morning light at this time of year. Not much can be done about that.
I had been photographing tiny, young American Green Tree Frogs when I heard a splash nearby and saw movement on the surface of the water.
To my delight, the bullfrog didn’t dive under the water, and I was able to take a series of images of them.
American Bullfrogs are native to Oklahoma, but they’ve also been widely introduced outside their natural range.
In places where they aren’t native, they can cause problems for local ecosystems because they’re large, voracious predators. They’ll eat insects, fish, other frogs, snakes, and even small birds and mammals.
Their size and appetite can put a lot of pressure on native amphibian populations, and since bullfrogs reproduce in high numbers, they can quickly dominate wetlands where they’ve been introduced.
These bullfrogs were introduced in Utah, and they have been causing problems there since they first arrived.
I didn’t get great photos of this bullfrog, but I’m happy I had her or him in my viewfinder. Or is that hoppy? 😊🐸😊
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my American Bullfrog photos plus facts and information about this species.
Fascinating pic… made more so by your narrative. Thanks Mia.