Spring peppers! Pseudacris crucifer.
Without a doubt, one of my favorites sounds ever is the spring peeper. Their chirping call marks the beginning of spring. This is what home sounds like to me.
Spring peepers breed in early spring, typically March and April here in Ohio. Males call from the water and surrounding vegetation to attract females. Their call is a series of high-pitched peeping sounds. Check out the video at the end of this post to hear them!
Their call can reach over 90 decibels which considering that noise above 70 dB may start to damage your hearing over a prolonged period of time is pretty dang wild. It can even be heard up to two miles away. Somehow I got lucky enough to have them basically right outside my bedroom window. I promise that is not sarcasm. It’s the best noise to fall asleep to!
Although I’ve lived near peepers my whole life, last year was the first time I ever actually saw them in my action. Even when calling, they can be incredibly difficult to spot.
After seeing them last year though, it’s now become my spring mission to hunt them down and photograph them in action. It’s incredible to watch them up close!
Shot with a Canon 7D mark ii and a Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens.