Month: April 2012

the Valley was hopping last night!

/ Steve Sens / Leave a comment
 This male peeper had his colors reversed, I’ve never seen one with light markings on a dark body.
Here’s a video of him making noise!
This one was calling from the edge of the towpath and can be heard calling when the temperatures drop. I hear some calling last year after a 3-4 inch spring snowfall.
 A female Green frog. You can tell the females from males because their eardrums are about the same size as their eyes. The Green frogs started calling several weeks ago during the warmup, and began again last night, but will stop calling with the temperature drop. With the Valley’s water levels being so low, compared to last year, she was probably coming from the adjacent pond to the more permanent deeper lock, where the larger frogs breed. There tadpoles can take up to 2 years to metamorphose, so they need the more permanent water environments.
 
Here’s another Pickerel frog. They are still calling from the canal, sounding somewhat like a descending snore. I didn’t hear any last year, but this year they seem to be abundant.

Warmer temps get things moving again

/ Steve Sens / Leave a comment

I went for a night walk in the Valley last night to see what was active given the temperature finally rose above 60. After a couple weeks of temps in the 40’s, the activity picks up where it left off, in much smaller numbers. Last time out, I heard the Green frogs tuning up, but none were calling last night. The anura that start calling later in the spring are much more sensitive to the weather and temperatures then the early spring species. Most abundant were choruses of Spring Peepers followed buy 5-6 Pickerel frogs and lastly 2-3 American toads. I was surprised that I didn’t hear any Western Chorus frogs, they sound like dragging your thumb across a comb, but did see one on the towpath. Once it warms up, I’m curious to see if the toads begin calling again. One thing for sure, we need rain. The ponds and pools are pretty shallow right now. When the climate is dryer and the pools dry up faster, the tadpoles will speed up their metamorphosis.

This American Bullfrog was the first that I saw. She was out and about and I saw her heading back to Red Lock.
 This Spring Peeper shows the distinct “X” or “Cross” marking.
 This is one of several American toads that I came across. Their color varies greatly and changes with ambient light or location. It was making like a rock, so I hopefully wouldn’t see it!
 This little one was crawling across a foot bridge.
 One of many Glow worms that illuminate the towpath. In a couple months, this will metamorphosis into a lightning bug. The larva feed upon snails and slugs and adults don’t eat at all, dying after they mate.
 This Western Chorus frog was the last anura I saw on the towpath. It was close to Red Lock, where I typically park for these late night excursions.