Monday 6 April 2020

Frog hunting

Citizen Science being what it is, I signed up to monitor chorus frogs. Finally, it was above 10 C. and they were awake. They haven't assigned me the two spots where I have heard them. Our frog pond and wetland, which surrounds our property, or another location where I have heard them.
We went to my sites, and had some issues with traffic! I'd forgotten my camera, and was restricted to my videocam. There was a crowd! Why she stopped there, I do not know.



Site 300

I did not think this was a good spot for them. This is a beaver dam pond. Not a frog to be heard. A lovely pair of ducks, though.

mergansers from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

 I even got out of the car and walked. JB read his book.



I heard some frogs.  Poor JB, "Turn here, turn here!"
Look at this hole! I was a bit afeared to go too close, but I sucked it up... it was wet inside.



The wetland was wet, and joyful, with the sounds of spring peepers and wood frogs. No chorus frogs.

frogs from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

spring peepers

wood frog

This wetland skootched along here, right to the road. Still some ice, but they were singing!




mallards from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Neither of my two designated spots had frogs singing, but driving along I heard some more frogs. JB parked and I explored. Sure enough. This is the quarry.
In Canada, the western chorus frog is listed as threatened in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence - Canadian Shield under the Species at Risk Act (SARA)[5][6]


They are so funny. I found some beside the quarry. The pond is a vernal pond, and feeds into the quarry.  When I was out in the open, they stopped. I walked behind these tree branches, and they began right away.



chorus frogs from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

chorus frogs 3 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We went down to my other assigned site, 301, but I think I only heard a handful of peepers, as well as lots of canada geese. I won't go back there. Here is the distribution map.

This is why many mayors of rural, cottage country towns, have told summer residents to stay home.


8 comments:

Tom said...

...I have yet to enjoy the frog chorus!

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Love those sounds!!! YAM xx
(Hanging in...just...)

Karen said...

It will be awhile before we hear ours. Still ice on the ponds.

Elizabeth Edwards said...

very cool, i've always loved frogs and toads. hope u r having a quiet week. take care. ( ;

Red said...

You're very persistant!

RedPat said...

I never get to hear them here in the city!

Ontario Wanderer said...

Great frog photos. I have difficulty even seeing them but the Peepers are really loud by our pond.

Christine said...

great frog shots.