April 27–28. Amphibians at the Shatsk Lakes and a Few Others
A series of photographs continuing from the post about the Olympiad in Lutsk. These are mostly amphibians.
[IMG_1] I was going to post mostly amphibian photographs here, but I can't help starting with a photo of Lake Svityaz and a great crested grebe on it: they warm my heart. [IMG_2] [IMG_3] And this is Pelophylax lessonae, the pool frog. A male. Silent and singing — with inflated snow-white vocal sacs. Note that neither this male nor the subsequent pool frogs have transverse white bands on their forelimbs, shoulders, or forearms. This is a little-known but quite "quick" identification feature (of course, far from absolute). [IMG_4] [IMG_5] This is also a pool frog. [IMG_6] And this one is possibly Pelophylax esculentus, a hybrid. I only noticed the bands on the legs in the photograph. A pity — I should have caught it and examined it more closely. [IMG_7] And this one, judging by the metatarsal tubercles, is indeed a hybrid (I caught this frog after photographing it). [IMG_8] Common frogs, Rana temporaria, were walking around the campsite and in the forest. [IMG_9] While I was getting ready to photograph it, the common frog jumped away. But not entirely; the flash froze it in mid-air at the edge of the frame. [IMG_10] [IMG_11] [IMG_12] Look at the pattern near its eyes! [IMG_13] A small common toad, Bufo bufo. [IMG_14] I'm always somehow charmed by the characteristic toad gait. [IMG_15] So, that's essentially all the amphibians we encountered. Tree frogs were screaming frantically all around, but not a single one showed itself (partly because I didn't go out specifically looking for them). Tree frogs were spotted a year ago when we came to this same place. And the marsh frog, Pelophylax ridibundus, the rarest of the local green frogs, I have only confidently seen here the previous year. [IMG_16] It was probably also looking for amphibians. [IMG_17] [IMG_18] Small fish in the lake... [IMG_19] ...and a little pike, lurking in ambush. [IMG_20] [IMG_21] [IMG_22] [IMG_23] How different the silhouettes of the trees are, isn't it? I tried to capture a certain special morning transparency of these places with my photographs; the camera caught some of it, some was lost. [IMG_24] [IMG_25] [IMG_26] [IMG_27] [IMG_28] A small stream feeds a shallow marsh in which, nevertheless, I immediately sank deeper than knee-level. There are lots of young pool frogs here. [IMG_29] [IMG_30] [IMG_31] Horsetails. [IMG_32] [IMG_33] [IMG_34] A young sand lizard. [IMG_35] Marshes like these are paradise for amphibians. [IMG_36] Not sure. Most likely this is an edible frog, but possibly even a marsh frog. I couldn't catch this one. [IMG_37] Setting aside the marsh frogs that virtually exist somewhere nearby, this photograph illustrates the appearance of an LE-type population system of green frogs. The four individuals photographed here are shown in more detail below. [IMG_38] Pool frog. [IMG_39] Edible frog, a hybrid. [IMG_40] And two more pool frogs. [IMG_41] And this is already the road. A toad pressed into the herbarium. [IMG_42] And a common frog in the forest. That's all...