Well up here in the north we are not thinking frogs yet. Thinking
snow shovels as we got 1/2 foot of the wet heavy stuff last night.
Cardinals, Chickadees, Juncos are starting their early spring calls.
Next week I will start spring recording.
If you wonder how we move that heavy snow and clear everything fast
we just spend a lot of money at it. 5 very big Ford L9000 dumptrucks
with blades in front and under fly in goose formation down the
interstates and clear a 3 lane highway with shoulders in one pass.
We use those big L9000's for the local streets too.
As can be heard they are kept in perfect running condition.
740 kb download
http://home.comcast.net/~richpeet/snowplow.mp3
This is one of those sounds that really suffers under mp3 so bear
with a little in the artifact department.
Rich
--- In Walter Knapp <>
wrote:
> I've been out a bit this week working winter callers. Just the
right
> weather turned up.
>
> Monday, it was back to the Gopher Frog pond. They were calling
well, I
> recorded a full 80 minute disk of them entirely with the SASS/MKH-
20 to
> add to the nearly full disk from two previous visits. While I was
doing
> that, Justin caught one. So, after removing our water filled boots
and
> changing to dry clothes, off into the woods for a photography
session,
> no place near the pond you could wrangle a frog safely. Which also
> resulted in a recording of the release call of the Gopher Frog:
> http://naturerecordist.home.mindspring.com/gopher.release.mp3
>
> Back to the pond, Justin took our subject back to the pond while I
> turned around (this is two ruts through the brush). What's that
hopping
> down the sandy rut? Another Gopher Frog! also photographed. Check
my
> Gopher frog page:
> http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/docs/gopher.frogs.html
>
> Now for Tuesday, which was Brimley day. Went off to see if I could
> expand on the two sites I had found last year when I reconfirmed
their
> existence in Georgia. Was fairly easy, full length of the wildlife
> preserve and a bit west of that. Area about 5 miles by 3 miles.
Could
> not get to a lot along Briar Creek due to flooding, was hoping to
follow
> them up the creek. They are probably a lot farther, but we ran out
of
> time. Was a all nighter.
>
> New photos, including one that does not fit the description, this
one
> was watched calling by both Justin and I before being caught and
> photographed:
> http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/docs/brimley's.chorus.frog.html
>
> Got about 20 minutes of Brimley recording as well, could have had a
lot
> more but devoted most time to scouting. Used the SASS/MKH-20. And
also
> photographed a Pine Woods Treefrog that wandered through, not their
> calling season. And recorded a very excited batch of Southern
Leopard
> Frogs, there were huge numbers of them calling all over the area.
One
> large mudpuddle in the road I counted a couple dozen fresh egg
masses.
> In spite of there being nicer looking water on both sides and
connected
> to the puddle.
>
> While doing that a Barred Owl flew in to a branch over our heads
and sat
> there curious about what we were doing. No other way to describe
it, sat
> up there like a spectator watching a game until we got back in the
> ranger to go.
>
> Now for Wednesday, last night. Mountain Chorus Frogs were the
subject.
> Not a huge amount recorded as they were insisting on calling only
for a
> little while after each car or truck. SASS/MKH-20 from as close as
10'.
> Justin nabbed 9 of them and we sat down for a photo session, they
are
> the easiest chorus frogs to catch so far. New photos:
> http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/docs/mountain.chorus.frog.html
>
> That 9 was not enough to make a dent in the calling numbers and of
> course were tossed back into the fray. It was a roadside
ditch/small
> pool. We had no trouble spotting lots more. Also saw a Gray
Treefrog but
> did not catch him, they'll be calling in a month or so. And Justin
> spotted a large spotted salamander. Yellow spots on body, some red
spots
> on head. Pretty long salamander.
>
> Tried to get a release call from the Mtn. Chorus Frogs. Only a
couple
> brief calls. Need to build some grabber tongs the right size, our
> fingers are too big to set them off.
>
> Anyway, a pretty good out and about this week. Today is rest day.
Each
> of those places are several hour's drive from here.
>
> The American Toads have started, they and pickerel frogs are two
targets
> for the next week or two. And some others.
>
> Walt
>
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
|