While I was enjoying an epic tour of Jordan and Israel, Kathy McCormack was keeping our Amphibian Watch rolling by leading my site for me. THANK YOU!!!
Here is her report:
After being rescheduled for the next night due to rain, the March 2017 monthly amphibian monitoring at Lake Creek Dam was cold and quiet from a frog and toad standpoint. About an inch of water was flowing over the dam. Just once, one cricket frog clicked about a dozen times at the creek, but no recording was obtained. No frogs or toads were seen at the creek or at the stone wall along the sidewalk, no snakes were seen fishing below the dam, but several bats were seen flying over the creek shortly after sunset.
However, three Great Horned Owls put on a show the entire hour that we were there – calling to each other and flying between trees and across the creek. Because the leaves hadn’t come out fully yet, and it was overcast, we were able to see their big, silhouetted bodies in the trees and on top of a nearby home’s roof exhaust pipe.
Many thanks to Myra for showing up on the original night, and to Hunter and Carolyn for coming out on the next night. Thanks, also, to Bill who was ready to drive over to the site if there wasn’t anyone else there.
The environmental data for the monitoring hour of 18:35 – 19:35 was:
· Air temperature – 52.0 deg F (11.0C)
· Water temperature – 59.0 deg F (15.0C)
· Sky – mostly cloudy (0)
· Water Level – above average (AA)
· Relative Humidity at Sunset – 53%
Amphibian Watch Report:
A few Northern Cricket Frogs, individuals rarely calling, for a "C1" this evening.
No recordings or pix.
After a near-washout last month, we were treated to a more normal, even raucous, evening of herpy encounters. Had a snake sighting (but no capture for any up close and personal enjoyment). FIVE SPECIES were observed and documented!!
Seven of us ‘regulars’ enjoyed a lively evening and we shared the fun with a fishing resident who may join us regularly in the future. Thank you: Myra, Randy, Bill, Kathy, Reggie, and Linda for coming out on with me this month. Welcome to Tim Anderson, a new friend and nature nerd who seems to love all things aquatic as much as we do.
Environmental Conditions (at 15:55):
Air Temp: 22.7C
Water Temp: 23.4C
Sky: 0 (clear)
Water Level: Average
Relative Humidity: 63%
General Observations:
The area has dried out since last month’s rains. The creek bed below the dam was dry. Algal mats were starting to form, but only covered about 10% of the surface.
Amphibian Watch Report:
1] The Blanchard's Cricket Frogs were already calling full chorus as we approached the dam monitoring site. They were all along the stream bed below the dam and calling all around the rim of the dammed-up area we regularly monitor. They called continuously, full chorus [C3] the entire monitoring hour. Even with significant noise from road traffic, I managed to get several adequate recordings, and also recorded (and have a video) of an individual only two feet away from our group right on the cement dam apron. Randy caught an individual in his trusty net, and I have pix of that individual.
2] There were a few individual Rio Grande Leopard Frogs calling, very occasionally, [C1] for the evening. I tracked one down on the grassy bank and got one recording.
3] Kathy caught two medium size Gulf Coast Toads, and we all took pix.
4] Three of us heard a lone Bullfrog call, just a few times, near the end of the monitoring period. I have a recording of it, very faint, in the recording intended to document the close-by leopard frog.
5] We visited “The Limestone Wall” after the monitoring hour to look for chirping frogs. At first it appeared that it would be too cool and dry to find any. Then, looking deep into the cracks, we saw several. Kathy finally captured one, so we have pictures of two individuals in cracks and a third “in hand”.
