Subject: [Tweeters] Frog Phenology
Date: Mar 7 12:51:09 2016
From: Jeff Gibson - gibsondesign at msn.com





I ended by post about phenology yesterday wondering what phenology the day would bring, and the day couldn't have ended better here in Port Townsend.
All winter, starting with Christmas day, I've been hearing croaking tree frogs here and there - scattered individuals. And a few days ago , while wandering around Fort Worden hill, I heard a fair number croaking in the forest. Neato.
In the phenology of the tree frog (officially the Pacific Chorus Frog) late winter and early spring is when these little amphibians seek out a pond to breed in. When breeding is over, they disperse on their individual froggy walkabouts in forest and brush land .
The last few years, living at my ol' parents place, about 6 blocks away from where I'm shacked up now, I could hear a distant frog chorus up the hill. Now that's where I live, the frog neighborhood. In the past week I heard a minor build-up of singing frogs from a pond at the end of my street, but last night the frogs really pulled off The Grand Event, in another little retention pond nearer to my digs.
I was inside, reading a book on my couch. The heater and refrigerator weren't running, and from my quiet little studio, I could hear a funny sound. Opening my door, I was blasted by an incredibly loud frog chorus ; a towering crescendo, a wall of sound, a lot of very enthusiastic frogs. A chorus that was about as loud as it gets. I've heard many frog choruses over the years, but it's been awhile since I've been close to a real humdinger like this one.
Another thrill of phenology. Go frogs!
Jeff Gibson,on my couch, inPort Townsend Wa