Not actually hearing the sound, I of course can only guess. But when we first moved to our north Dallas neighborhood, I kept hearing a “chirping” sound in the trees. I wandered all over (it’s a wonder I wasn’t shot!) with a flashlight trying to get a glimpse. Finally, during a rainstorm, I heard it coming from my own patio! I caught it, a small frog, and tried to identify it. I was at a Texas Herp Society symposium soon thereafter and mentioned to Dr. Dixon that I had found what I thought was a Rio Grande Chirping Frog in my residential neighborhood in Dallas. He said that there were established populations in Dallas as well as many other areas of the state. They surmised that they had been hitching rides on nursery stock from the Valley. Since then I frequently discover them under boards or debris in my yard. I assume they climb up into the trees at night during wet or at least humid weather. From the description I would bet that is what Patricia heard! Roger
P.S. I mentioned to the TP&W person that was selling tapes and CDs of frog calls for the Texas Frog Watch program that how pleased I was to buy one so I could let others hear what the Rio Grande Chirping Frog sounds like, and she said that unfortunately they were not able to get that species on the tape! I’m not sure if they rectified that problem since or not.
Roger Sanderson
Director of Botanic Gardens & Wildlife Biologist
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
1 Nature Place
McKinney, Texas 75069
972-562-5566 ext.273
972-548-9119 FAX
Teaching about nature, like fishing and birdwatching, is an eternal series of occasions for hope!