Christmas Bells

Christmas Bells
Christmas Bells - Blandfordia nobilis

Saturday, July 28, 2007

A Froggy visitor to my window

I love enthusiasts - genuine enthusiasts. There are people who one is lucky enough to meet, from time to time, who are genuine enthusiasts about their hobbies, or more probably, their overwhelming obsessions. I have found them in the world of Native Orchids. I grew up amongst such people in the world of bird watching. I have met them from around the world, as Peony growers. Of course, they exist as Butterfly and Moth experts.

I am stating the obvious, I guess, for in every one of life's endeavours, there are people who become totally immersed in their subject. Good for them.

The really good ones that I have met are always generous with their time and knowledge; they share information with others; and specially they encourage the young.

There are other people who regard their knowledge as a "possession", to be jealously guarded.
Once you find such a person - move on. They are a waste of space, and even if you learn something, you will not learn very much. Worse, you might even pick up some of their bad habits.
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Here is a good story, of people being generous with their time and their knowledge.

My Blogging friend, Gaye from the Hunter, has written a frog story recently (after the Hunter Floods, of course, you can imaging her world filled with frogs). Anyway, Gaye put up a story about frogs, and a link to a comprehensive frog website. ("FrogsAustralia Network")

Here is a link to another Frog site "Frogs of Australia". This has loads of amazing stuff. All regions of Australia are broken down with frog lists, and then there are pages for each species, with descriptions and call descriptions, and in most cases, joy, oh joy, recorded frog calls you can easily play just by clicking on the "Hear it now" icon. Unlike some sites, the call plays immediately, not via a separate download.

The "frog freaks" have done a terrific job on this website. Congratulations to them.
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Then, following a comment I made on Gaye's blog, a young frog enthusiast contacted me, and offered to help me identify my one and only frog photo. On 8 March, on a wet and windy night, I was working at the computer when I noticed that a Tree Frog had climbed up onto my window to snaffle some juicy moths which were attracted to the light from the window.

Naturally I grabbed my camera, but I would have to say, photographing a frog through a window is not as easy as it might seem. Anyway, I got one half-way decent photo before the flash scared it away.

My problem was that I had a photo of the underside of a frog. But most frog markings are described from above - that's where most of the colourful bits are.

So, the young Science Student, came into his own, and quickly told me what I had seen - Peron's Tree Frog. Good one. well done that man. Now, using the Frogs of the Southern Highlands and Illawarra web page, I can listen to the sounds, so I can identify this frog by call, when I hear it.

My frog-enthusiast friend has a photo library on the web, under the name of "Liquid_Ghoul". He has great photos of frogs, and lizards on his "Flickr" site.


This is the underneath view of a Peron's Tree Frog, on my study window, as identified by "Liquid_Ghoul". Thanks to him and to Gaye for sharing their knowledge. 'Tis a wonderful thing they do.

And thanks also to all those other "enthusiasts" behind these two different Frog websites.

By the way, is it just me, or do frogs look particularly "naked" when seen through a window, like this? I guess it is just that we seldom see them this close, and from this "intimate" angle. With fingers like this, these guys would make great "Basketball" players

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

hello Denis,

you would not believe that your froggy post acknowledging and praising those who give of their knowledge so liberally and happily, brought a tear to my eye. But it did.

I have also come in contact with those who meter their specialised knowledge sparingly, or not at all, so some, while giving generously to those who might seem (in their eyes) more worthy. This is beyond my understanding. But it is there.

I have also come in contact with those who will give generously and without limitations to all and sundry of their specialised knowledge and vast experience. These people I admire, but at the same time, I know the sharing and giving of their knowledge, experience, time and effort simply comes natural and is no special trait of theirs - it is purely part of who they are. It is a pleasure to have come in contact with these people who enrich our lives and knowledge base, encourage us to question and search.

I have no specialised knowledge, as such, to share, but I have plenty of enthusiasm and life experience. My aim with my nature blog, and sharing that I participate in in other places, is to raise awareness of the wondrous nature that we live amongst and have a duty-of-care over. At the same time, I learn.

I have contacted Hunter Valley newspapers detailing some of my observations that local residents might find of interest in my nature blog. I'm hoping to reach students, families, and people who might not previously have given much thought to the intricacies and value of nature.

Our children and young adults of today will be the future care-takers of our planet.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject of sharing knowledge and experience.

Regards
Gaye

Anonymous said...

>>By the way, is it just me, or do frogs look particularly "naked" when seen through a window, like this? I guess it is just that we seldom see them this close, and from this "intimate" angle.<<

I laughed out loud at this comment, Denis. And you are right, the frog does look particularly naked.

The only Perons Tree Frog that I have seen was dead - freshly killed by a Stephens Banded Snake in the rainforest of Barrington National Park. It was an amazing sight, that remains fresh in my memory - a scene of struggle, death and survival.

Gaye

Denis Wilson said...

Gaye,

"It is in giving that we receive". Nice people deserve recognition, anyway.
I was thrilled to have been sought out and assisted by Evan, but I had been too busy up until last night to publicly thank you and him.
Denis