Well, that was disappointing. It says the page with the story about
Stewart's work is no longer available.

Toadlets will likely be out-migrating in the lowlands of the Puget Sound
region in the last week of June or first week of July, if memory serves me.

The work that's been done to try to figure out most causes of population
losses points to roads a primary suspect. Toad tadpoles (and eggs) are no
noxious that fish don't seem to be much of a threat and toad tadpoles often
swarm about in complete security in lakes and ponds with an abundance of
fish of all kinds. However, toads are so mobile (overland) and so slow and
unwary (semi-sessile?) that roads may take a significant toll. As the number
of roads grows, the point is eventually reached where toad mortality is just
too high and the population can't be sustained.

O.K., it's theory, not fact. But, talk to Sanders Freed with The Nature
Conservancy. He did his Master's degree on this very issue and concluded
that roads and other developed were highly correlated with extirpated
populations.

Kelly McAllister
Olympia, Washington


----- Original Message -----
From: "Stewart Wechsler" <ecostewart at quidnunc.net>
To: "tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2007 9:24 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] RFI toadlet emergence dates and urban oak
savannahrestoration article


> I've been asked by our local nature reporter, Kathryn True, when the best
> time to observe baby toads as they disperse from lowland lakes. As some
> of
> you know most lowland western Washington toad populations have been wiped
> out (I suspect introduced fish are one of the largest factors, as well as
> introduced Bullfrogs among other factors). I seem to remember I saw them
> in
> late June, but lost my field notes. Only lowland dispersal times will be
> relevant. Montane would be later.
>
> Some of you may also be interested in seeing the wonderful article she got
> published in yesterday's Seattle Times Northwest Weekend section (page 22
> in
> the hard copy) on me and my work to resuscitate the Oregon White Oak
> ecosystem at Seward Park with the maximum of it's richness that we can
> from
> the buttercups to the butterflies and maybe the bluebirds, Purple Finches
> and Purple Martins. (You need to click "next", "next", "next" to see all
> 4
> photos.)
>
> <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2003717960_nwwnaturalwanders
> 240.html>
> (If the link is broken many of you know you can hit "reply" - but not
> "send"
> and put your curser at the end of the first line and delete the space, and
> it should work.)
>
> Stewart Wechsler
> Ecological Consulting
> West Seattle
> 206 932-7225
> ecostewart at quidnunc.net
>
> -Advice on the most site-appropriate native plants
> and how to enhance habitat for the maximum diversity
> of plants and animals
> -Educational programs, nature walks and field trips
> -Botanical Surveys
> --
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> 3:59 PM
>
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