# Hardcore Herping, sleepless nights : Episode 2



## Nephrurus (Dec 31, 2007)

After the relatively dismal haul the night before, we decided that an effort should be made to get some slightly different species. Hazzard, Maddog77 and myself jumped in my car and headed northish. Maddog77 had previously been up this way following rain and found 16 species of frogs in 4kms of road. 

The in-car thermometer read 19 degrees outside temp when we arrived at 9:00. That's where it stayed til about 3:00am. 

We started driving down a road and almost immediately stopped for the much needed toilet break, and to search for the Red-backed toadlet _Pseudophryne coriacea_ we had heard calling. 
Here are the red back pics. 









The second photo shows a calling male in his nest. Just to the left of the photo are some of his eggs he's guarding. He's actually waiting for a storm to wash these eggs into the nearest stream. 

Walking up the track, i stepped to one side as to avoid stepping in someones wee...... and almost stepped on a pair of Krefts Dwarf snakes _Cacophis kreftii_. 








These small elapids were foraging through the leaf litter and seemed genuinely unconcerned about our precense. 

Maddog77 suddenly started gesticulating wildly... He'd just heard yellow bellied gliders (threatened species number 1 for the night). 

We drove a bit furthur along the road and stopped to find some Tusked Frogs _Adelotis brevis_. 

Pretty little frogs with a heavily patterned belly. 










There was also a striped marsh frog hopping about _Limnodynastes peroni_. Nice to see them in the bush, not the backyard. 






We'd passed a stream before finding the tusked frogs, so we walked back up to check the stream. We heard a strange call, so jumped down to check it out. after a bit of triangulation we found that the frog calling was a large _Mixophyse_. Having not seen any myself, I initially thought this was the great barred frog _Mixophyse fasciolatus_. 








It was not until we started taking a few photos did we notice the blue area on the eye(pictured on another specimen we found). This identifies it as _Mixophyse balbus_, the southern barred frog. 













I'd written off the chance of finding balbus as they are so impossibly rare in the Sydney region (extinct I believe in the Sydney basin) that the chance of finding one didn't enter my mind. (This is threatened species number 2 for the night). 

Furthur along the track we found some more barred frogs this time _Mixophyse fasciolatus_. These are a much prettier, coppery coloured frog. Their call is much different as well. 
















Driving furthur along we spotlighted the 3rd threatened species for the night. Maddog77, whilst leaning out the top of the sunroof of my car, spotted a young spotted tailed quoll. A fantastic sighting.

We walked to a stream furthur on down the track and found a _Litoria wilcoxi_ and a _Litoria phyllachroa_. 














By this time it was either very early or very late. We decided to head for home. Maddog77 wanted to continue driving the park roads, but he was vetoed as he actually is mad. 

Here is what i saw as i neared by house. 




The sun rising through the mist!

All the best
















-H


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## dintony (Dec 31, 2007)

What a great read!! 

Thanks for sharing....

But please tell me what sort of camera you use.... ??


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## cockney red (Dec 31, 2007)

*SPECIAL.:shock::shock::shock::shock:*


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## croc_hunter_penny (Dec 31, 2007)

wow they are great photos of the Cacophis krefftii, I love the face markings!

It was interesting to read about the male Pseudophryne coriacea that guards the eggs while waiting for the rain. Learn something new every day 

I can't wait for Episode 3!


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## bigi (Dec 31, 2007)

frogging unreal


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## Jozz (Dec 31, 2007)

I get 2-3 photos each time I refresh, so it takes me a long time to download these posts! It is always worth it!!! Awsome photos as always


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## sparticus (Dec 31, 2007)

great photos as always and absolutely fine speciemans...just not sure about the last photo


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## Jonno from ERD (Dec 31, 2007)

Atleast there were bloody snakes in this one.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Dec 31, 2007)

awsome pics. id love to see a dwarf crowned snake. love the great barred frogs


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## $NaKe PiMp (Dec 31, 2007)

dude you kicked ***,i never seen quolls or yellow bellied gliders

or a balbus damn you must take me herping

ive got redbacked toadlets near my house though


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## mattmc (Dec 31, 2007)

great find guys. seen them all but its always great when you gou out and see something rare. did you actually sopt the yellow bellied gliders. quoll. thats pretty hectic.
looking forward to part 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and so on.
cheers
matt


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## urodacus_au (Jan 1, 2008)

Nice one Henry, pics are getting better and better....

Jordan


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## scam7278 (Jan 1, 2008)

great pics as usual neph 

whos the scruffy chubby faced guy ?


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## tooben (Jan 1, 2008)

looked like a good trip.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Jan 1, 2008)

oh can you take me next time  i went in the last 2 nights on foot cause im to young for a car and i saw nothing


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