Frog population decreasing, think I found the reason

[Lisak1]

Any snake update @addy1 ?

 

[addy1]

Yeah snakey is still around. I was checking out 1000 gl water fall, walked around the corner, almost stepped on the tail of snakey. It took off under the water fall rocks and headed under a bush near by. Stopped maybe 1/2 foot from me and we had a stare down. The sucker is about 4 feet and has a good girth to it.

I see it now and then mainly laying around the edge or on the plants in the 1k gl tank. So far still have frogs doing their thing, fish swimming. I will not have a clue if it snacks on a few.

I figure if we have stare downs now and them maybe it will learn to not run and IF I decided snakey needs to move on we would be able to catch, doubt it though. To many places it can go and hide in quickly. IE plants, water, rocks etc

We are living in peace right now. I am very aware of where my hands and feet go though.

 

[addy1]

Well.................. I saw mama snakey laying by the big pond sunning on the rocks, while I was mowing. She saw me gone into the pond
So I went down a bit later, grabbed my camera, just in case.
As I walked up looking at the rocks, no snake, down by my toes, 6 inches or so, baby snakey came out with a fish in its mouth.

This is baby snakey

Here is mama snakey

Mom and baby were hanging on the edge of the 1000 gallon pond, baby stayed still mom ran then came back for baby

 

[mrsclem]

Wow, little guy must have a big appetite!

 

[Tula]

Well.......snakes doing what snakes do......poor little fishy.

 

[addy1]

It is one of those feel sorry for the fish or it is part of nature............... I saw the catch, sort of caught a fast movement at my feet and just starting clicking the camera no clue if I caught anything in the shot. Then saw it go back into the pond via the bog.

Went down later and found mom and kid hanging out on the edge of the 1000 gallon pond, mom ran kid sat. The went down later and found fatty laying on the bog rocks. She is probably 4 feet long. Kid is about 18 inches.

I love nature thrilled to see them. The fish have a tons of places to hide, anacharis, deep area, the snakes catch those near the edge of the pond in the plants. I seldom see fish there. If I had a tiny pond then the blame would be on me free easy food they have a big pond able to swim away

 

[poconojoe]

Wow!
That's crazy!
Nice snake.

 

[brokensword]

It is one of those feel sorry for the fish or it is part of nature............... I saw the catch, sort of caught a fast movement at my feet and just starting clicking the camera no clue if I caught anything in the shot. Then saw it go back into the pond via the bog.

Went down later and found mom and kid hanging out on the edge of the 1000 gallon pond, mom ran kid sat. The went down later and found fatty laying on the bog rocks. She is probably 4 feet long. Kid is about 18 inches.

I love nature thrilled to see them. The fish have a tons of places to hide, anacharis, deep area, the snakes catch those near the edge of the pond in the plants. I seldom see fish there. If I had a tiny pond then the blame would be on me free easy food they have a big pond able to swim away

I know nature will be nature, but I grow fond of various frogs and fish and there will be no snakes in my pondhouse. There's plenty for them to eat outside, they don't need my inhabitants. Hope you haven't grown fond of any of your fish, @addy1 and lil Miss Snakey snacks on them. You're much more tolerant than me, that's for sure. Had a couple of garter snakes somehow get in (I think through a chipmunk hole) and darn near killed myself evicting it. VERY glad we don't have your kind of snakes around!

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Just another thought... this is mating time for them. What you have going there might be Mr. & Mrs. water snake, rather than Mama & Jr. If that's the case, you might want to prepare yourself for an onslaught of baby snakes this fall (they're live bearing)

 

[addy1]

Hope you haven't grown fond of any of your fish, @addy1 and lil Miss Snakey snacks on them.

I like them all, do I name them, no, do I know how many I have , no, can I tell you if a specific one is missing, no. I probably have over 200 goldfish. The 1000 gallon tank has less, like 25 or so. We are right near woods, natural streams, fields. There is really no way to keep them away unless I put poison or some sort of traps down, but another will show up.

I have seen water snakes in the pond off and on, they come they go. We have 6-7 foot black snakes, we do have copperheads, hawks , owls, fox, etc, watched a owl catch a fish one night.

There is no way I can protect the entire pond. Except from herons, which still fly over just about every day.

Just another thought... this is mating time for them. What you have going there might be Mr. & Mrs. water snake, rather than Mama & Jr. If that's the case, you might want to prepare yourself for an onslaught of baby snakes this fall (they're live bearing)

lol maybe it is a mister, is the mister that much smaller than the mrs? Need to look it up

And they live up to 10 years

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Females grow faster & are larger than males. Not sure if there are any other differentiating features.

 

[addy1]

I am not going to worry about it, our rat snakes like to eat them, the hawks like them. Etc This little froggy is not worried................

 

[brokensword]

I am not going to worry about it, our rat snakes like to eat them, the hawks like them. Etc This little froggy is not worried................View attachment 139691

...yet! Wait until he reads your previous post...

 

[addy1]

...yet! Wait until he reads your previous post...

lol it sat there until around 730p

 

[CometKeith]

The 1000 gallon pond had around 8 resident green frogs, today I saw none. But as I walked up to the pond a tail went into the water.

I think we have a resident snake enjoying the frog snacks. Darn healthy looking! Caught it on the pond cam!View attachment 138485View attachment 138486View attachment 138487View attachment 138488View attachment 138489View attachment 138490



DRYing in the sun, color really changes
View attachment 138491View attachment 138492

Great pictures Addy! Can you do anything about him? Poor little green frogs!!