Feeder creeks overflowing their banks

I headed out a little early tonight because of the heavy rains, and was meet with this at my first FrogWatch site. Needless to say, crossing this would bring a heavy fine, and with my luck, I would be bobbing down the Ohio River somehow my morning… None of this is even connected to the Ohio River watershed. So… I called off the remaining surveys because I’m sure the 2 National Park locations I like to visit are probably experiencing the same.

I have visited sites with full chorusing frogs after heavy rains and flooding, and it is always very quiet. Whether or not some get swept away, move to higher ground or what, I’m sure the overflowing ponds, vernal pools and standing water are impacted pretty severely by these events.

Water erosion can free up pollutants from neighboring fields and roads and then they are directed into the waterways which feed these bodies of water, thus contaminating them. One way developments manage this is to construct basins to catch runoff from parking lots and roads. They hold the water and release it at a rate as to reduce the strain on our sewer system. Often these basins contain plants that help filter the water, thereby reducing the impact of pollution from the runoff.

Maybe I’ll go out tomorrow night and see what is moving about.

Spotted salamanders are still on the move! It is always a pleasure to see them because they are so hard to find at any other time of the year. This one was found moving across the Buckeye trail in an area flooded by the recent rains. One can hear Wood frogs calling in the background, their season is winding down. I also saw a 2 Lined and Redback salamander making their way across the road at the FrogWatch site in Hinckley, OH. No Western Chorus frogs as I have heard in past years…

Large Spotted Salamander

Redback Salamander

2 Lined Salamander

What the radar looked like during my visit! Lots O’ Rain!

Strong showers moving through with the warm front.

Wood frogs have a much shorter season then the Spring Peeper, lasting only a week or 2 depending on conditions. The visit Tuesday showed that the numbers are reduced from last Thursday, though like any frog, some are ahead and some are behind the curve. Here is a gravid female Wood frog heading to the Hinkley pond.

This gravid female was making her way to the Hinckley FrogWatch site, males are still calling strong.

Wood frogs have a nice range of coloration, the mask isn’t as pronounced in this reddish one compared to some of the other brown ones.

Some of the other aunuras migrating but not yet calling.

American toad’s will not be calling for a while.

Juvenile Green frog

Here’s a male Spring Peeper that was calling along the Buckeye Trail.