Sunny Days!

We did another Chorus Frog drive. This used to be a lovely water treatment, with a water fall. That takes work. I know, working on my goldfish pond.

It's a lovely drive in the sunshine.

We went to the quarry, where we listened for frogs. It's a long straight road! There are several sites along this road, with Chorus Frogs singing. 

We didn't hear any elsewhere, I just wanted to hear them once more. They only sing during their 2 - 3 weeks of mating season in April. Someone needs to pick up their garbage. 

I'd like to see a Chorus Frog. I don't think that will happen!

It is interesting that a Conservative, Scott Reid, has held our riding since 2000. I've seen precious few signs. Suddenly, with PP losing some momentum, the Conservative Party leader's signs have appeared in our riding. The leader isn't running in our riding. Those with the most elected MPs form the government. We don't elect our PM in ridings in Canada. We elect local people, like Reid or Liberal Michelle Foxton, in this riding.  It's like they panicked and put up whatever they had. 

The funny thing is that they are worried PP will lose his seat and his Carleton Riding . Our kids in Ottawa live in between Carleton and PM Carney's Riding. I'll be glad when it is over. Let's deal with this tariff crap and there are multiple families who have two adults who work in the auto industry. The impact on communities is profound, with more and more people being impacted. 

Western Chorus Frog survey #1

April 11th 

I didn't believe them! I was sent the email on April 7th, but we just weren't warm enough, it had to be 10 C. They sent another message Monday morning saying that we are opened up for the season across southern and southeastern Ontario. This is the area (see map) where people are surveying through Blazing Star Environmental. Here is the information about the Western Chorus Frog survey. These frogs range from here up to Huntsville, to western Quebec.

After ditch digging on Monday morning, I thought we could take at a bit of a drive. 

Having mapped out the 4 spots, printed off the materials, printed an extra 'incidental' sheet in case we come across some of them at other than assigned sites, we were ready to go. The spot were all fairly close to home, unlike previous years where we were able to take long, lovely drives. [Western Chorus Frog Survey 2021; Frog hunting 2020]

I navigated, and we made it to site #4, first. It was in town, and I was dubious. There was a teeny creek, with a bridge, but the running water was too fast for frogs. 

Site #3 was next. It was even worse. A kind gentleman, coming out of his driveway in his pick up, asked if he could help me. I said we were just doing a frog survey! He said, "OK, you're on your own!" That said, I couldn't find any water!

Site #2 was another bust. No water anywhere near my site marker. 

This was near the beginning of the road, not near the marker.

Site #1 was where I had asked to go, the other sites were assigned. There were froggies chirping!!! I was so happy. Not only that, but I spotted a pair of wood ducks, coyote scat, and beaver damage to the trees around the quarry. 

The first thing I spotted was beaver damage! I don't think there is any running water at the quarry!

This is a vernal pond, and it is where the froggies were singing. The beaver damage was immense.

I walked back to the quarry, JB parked there, and there was litter everywhere. The quarry didn't have any birds at all. 

western chorus frog from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo:

quarry from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo: 

 

To answer your question, re: putting out the garbage, AC: we have a two-bag limit, with a sticker required for additional bags. The yellow bags are specifically for ditch trash, which the local Otty Lake community coordinates. They don't charge us for them and they are free to pick up at the municipal office. I've put out 6 bags in total, but since there was garbage out at the road, I put it out at a neighbour's house rather than dragging it home along the highway. It was picked up an hour later.

Western Chorus Frog Survey

 It is chorus frog season here in southern Ontario. There are 514 volunteers surveying through this program. We've been sent an email to begin, as they are awake from winter slumbers and calling for love. This is what they look like, but I won't see any. It's a listening survey. They are off in the water.

This photo is from our handouts. It's impossible to see them!

It is a long-term survey, and this is my second year. This is what we are contributing to:

The conditions have to be right:

suitable weather conditions, above 10 C., no wind, little or no rain,

wood frogs and spring peepers singing indicate that conditions are ripe,

visit between 10 a.m. and 18:00 hours,

visit three times minimum, with 24 hours between visits.

There was a great deal of online training available, with sample frog calls, to help distinguish the species:

• western chorus frog, wood frog, spring peeper, northern leopard frog, American toad.

Head office sent a message saying the conditions are right, and to go to it. 

JB was going to have a nap, I told him I was going to go and check a nearby spot, where I have heard the chorus frogs, in the old quarry. Once I arrived, I could hear them. I couldn't see them, but there are thousands! This isn't an assigned site, but they were there last year. This is what they sound like in the video below: Frogging Apr 4 .

Uh, oh. I was near my one assigned site, #300, but forgot its location.  What I had forgotten is that I'd already put the package of materials on my clipboard. 

We are assigned sites, using GPS co-ordinates. I duly looked them up, created screenshots. Two are the same sites from last year, the others we had to find. It did not go well. Not enough detail! 

I had to go back to the house to access the Wifi from the car. Found it. Back I went. By now, it was a balmy 12 C., and sunny, but no chorus frogs, only wood frogs. We're not to trespass, of course. I headed home to volunteer my driver.  

I was assigned three locations on the other side of the lake. Off we went. I had a huge problem. I didn't have my phone GPS with me, the car GPS is old.

"Sundance Lane" – AKA 'R1' on Google maps.

frog survey  

frogging 

It's not easy! 

This lane is so bad, they've put a mirror up to look for traffic.

This is site #1661, Sundance Lane R1 

It was a lovely drive. I liked the burl on this tree, where we had to turn around. Wrong road!

A dead end, I never did hear any frogs.

As always, the twitterpated quail is on the road, looking for love. They do this every year!

It is typical cottage country, with names on the tree.

Back to civilisation!