is this a frog or a toad?

[fairy frogmother]

It is huge and currently basking in my pond. I think it is a frog but not 100% sure and I know there will be some nice person that can put me right

PS sorry about poor image quality, a phone pic at night

[ron1863]

Looks like a frog to me but I'm no expert

[fairy frogmother]

Thanks for the quick reply Ron. I am still not 100%. It has very clear leg bands but no dark spot behind the eyes which I thought was one of the defining features.

I keep trying to creep up on it with a torch to get a better look

[Hedge Witch]

The shape of the head gives it away for me - much more pointed-shaped head.

[The Woodman]

It's a frog but I'm not convinced that it's a Common Frog. Whereabouts in the country are you, fairy frogmother? Kent by any chance?

[Lance Morgan]

Frog

[fairy frogmother]

I am glad it raised a question with you too Woodman, I don't feel such a noob now

I am down on the South east coast near Dover.

[The Woodman]

If it's big as you say and up to 15 cms long (and that's big as frogs go), I think it's a Marsh Frog Rana ridibunda. You're in the right area and I hope someone who is more familiar with the species than I will come along shortly to confirm or otherwise.

I saw them last year near Maidstone (that's why I asked) for the first time and was impressed by their size, far bigger than our Common Frog. I believe they were introduced to the SE and have colonised quite nicely.

[fairy frogmother]

That picture does look very like the one in my pond, same colouring and shape I think but I didn't spot the grey vocal sacs - do both males and females have these?

It is big with very long legs, and when I saw it next to one of the more regular frog visitors visiting it was almost twice the size. They were males though so quite small and they were calling as I was watching (made me jump so much I nearly fell in the pond

I have seen this one in the pond a lot, and it seems to spend most of the day there popping up now and again but disappearing if it catches the slightest sight of anything.

Thank you very much for the help. I am crossing my fingers that there are actually two of them so my sumo frog can produce hundreds of taddies

[The Woodman]

You'll only see the vocal sacs when the male is calling. If you can catch him calling you'll see the sac inflate and deflate for each single call.