Annoying Visitor

I just love our yard and how so many different and amazing critters are attracted to the pond….that was until recently. We have a first time guest who has already worn out his welcome. It started in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. We always sleep with our bedroom windows open to get fresh air and to listen to the sound of the stream flowing into the pond. At around 1:00 am a new sound could be heard.  A very loud and annoying sound.  It rang out every few seconds throughout the whole night.  It sounded like a giant frog. Of course Don slept through it all and in the morning I was beginning to think that maybe it had been an annoying dream. Then late Wednesday afternoon I heard it again. Definitely coming from the pond. When you get up close it is so loud and it almost sounds electronically generated. I started trying to locate the source of the sound but it would stop once I got close to the edge of the pond. Once I turned away it would start again. Ok…..is one of our neighbours trying to ‘punk’ us with some hidden speaker. This time Don heard the racket too so he came out to investigate. We checked everywhere but we could not find any critter  or speaker so we gave up and went back inside…..and then it started again. We could hear it in our kitchen with all the doors and windows closed. Don went out with a big metal stick and began poking around all the rocks and crevices. Nothing. We gave up and went to bed.  And then it started again. It lasted all night. At around 3:20am the neighbourhood Robins joined in to the chorus.  Of course Don had no problem sleeping through all the racket. I love nature…but this guy has got to go. I’m surprised that he hasn’t attracted some prey animal to come and get him since he is doing such a great job of announcing his presence.

It has now been 3 nights of frog serenades. Although we can hear him loud and clear we have not caught even the slightest glimpse of him which would lead me to believe that he must be very small.  I just can’t believe that something that small could produce such a loud, reverberating sound. Check out the video and listen to his song……

UPDATE:

I think I have discovered the identify of our visitor…..a boreal chorus frog.  When I read the description I knew I had found my loud mouth frog:

• These secretive and largely terrestrial frogs are often heard, but seldom seen. Their tiny size makes them difficult to find, even when the males are calling. Their calls are relatively loud, but deceiving, often sounding as if they’re calling from someplace else!
• Despite their tiny size, these frogs call so loudly that if you stand at the edge of a large chorus, your ears will ring.