Trapped frogs - where did they come from?!

Singing Gardener

I spent sometime this afternoon tidying an area at the top of the garden and initially found a small brown frog in a large empty black plastic trough with high sides. It clearly couldn't get out so I released it. I then started to empty yesterday's rain water out of a large aluminium tray with sides about 9 inches tall which I sometimes use for standing pots in to water them. To my surprise there were about 7 more similar frogs swimming in the water in the tray who also were unable to get out as the water wasn't near enough to the top of the tray.

I released them all and thought nothing more about it until later but am now wondering - if they couldn't get out then how on earth did they get in? I quite often let the aluminium tray fill with water and this has never happened before.

Fairygirl

They jump  - they can manage quite sizeable heights 

Singing Gardener

I suppose that makes sense, although the one in the dry trough didn't seem to have managed to jump out. Presumably it's less easy to get out because they can't jump from swimming.

I was busy fantasizing about it having rained frogs yesterday but apparently that phenomenon is extremely rare and when it does happen it rains dead frogs rather than live ones.

Redwing

This time of year frogs are preparing to hibernate.  Probably they are looking for suitable places.....and finding them.

Singing Gardener

@Redwing I hope I didn't do the wrong thing in disturbing them then! They mostly seem to have headed under my garden shed though so presumably will be alright there.

Redwing

Under the shed sounds good.