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Re: Middleton vicinity frog chorus ID?

Subject: Re: Middleton vicinity frog chorus ID?
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 20:32:51 -0500
From: Aaron Ximm <>

> 
> So,
> 
> this weekend I recorded a frog chorus at Harbin Hotsprings, near Middleton
> and near Calistoga here in northern california...
> 
> Someone suggested these might be "Pacific Chorus Frogs" but I thought I'd
> defer to the wisdom of the group...?  Fwiw I gently looked through the
> grass where I was as I swear it sounded as if one of the little fellows
> could have hopped a half foot into my lap! But alas I could spot no one!

I'd go along with Pacific Chorus Frogs. Or as I tend to know them 
Pacific Treefrogs.

Not seeing them is more or less the stamp of the entire chorus frog 
group. The Uplands Chorus Frog, one we have that happens to be calling 
right now, I usually spot as a short white line that does not seem to 
belong. Only after watching the line for a little does it turn into a 
frog with a white line on his lip. Kind of like the Disney cheshire cat 
in Alice. It's a very small frog.

Chorus frogs are small, usually choose a nook in the grass that has good 
acoustics and affords some protection from prying eyes. They usually run 
under the vegetation rather than hop out where they would be seen. Last 
time I was out west, in the fall, I spent two weeks at my folk's place 
trying to spot the Pacific Treefrog that was in the thick vine by the 
front door at eye level and would occasionally give one of their 
location calls. I never found him, even though I knew his location 
within a few inches. Would have been a lot easier during breeding 
season. You can zero in on them by their calls if you take the time.

> Btw the other two files in that directory are of a pool drain I recorded
> a few hours earlier that evening, with my DSM mics as above, and a few
> minutes later with my new toy, the Aquarian H2 hydrophone with the 1/8"
> stereo termination and made to mate to "plug-in power" mic inputs as on my
> MD... the nearby generator can be heard in both... :/

The other thing you will discover is that hydrophones pick up nearby 
well pumps very well.

Walt





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