Frog Watch 2020
By Marilyn Shy, Kalkaska Conservation District
Have you ever stopped by a wetland at dusk and listened to the frogs and toads calling out to find their prospective mates?
I have been captivated by these songs for as long as I can remember. The chorus of spring peepers that starts in mid-April is always a harbinger of the longer days and warm weather to come. Other early frogs are the wood frog, leopard frog, and chorus frog. As the season progresses, one begins to hear American Toad and tree frogs, and in late spring/early summer one can hear the green frog and bull frog. Each has their own unique vocalization.
Michigan has 13 native species of frogs and toads. In recent years, there has been concern over the decline of several of these species, including a decline in the ecosystems on which they depend.
Thus, the Michigan Frog and Toad Survey was initiated by the MDNR in 1988 to increase the knowledge about the relative abundance of frogs and toads in our state. Volunteer observers have been recruited to visit a number of selected sites in the spring and early summer and record the frog calls they hear at each one.
The Kalkaska Conservation District has been partnering with the AuSable Institute over the past 3 years and have adopted a survey route in the northern part of our county. Volunteers are needed to help be the “ears”, listening for frogs and toads at 10 sites on the evening of June 26 beginning at dusk. The event has been modified with Covid-19 precautions in mind, and volunteers will caravan to each site instead of carpooling. Volunteers will meet at Manistee Lake Sands Park at 9:15 pm, and the survey route will conclude by about 10:30 pm.
If you don’t know the identity of the individual calls, there is no need for concern. There will be a crash course to learn the calls at the park before the caravan departs. Also, the District has a CD that can be borrowed to learn the frog and toad calls ahead of time.
The survey will take place rain or shine! A warm cloudy evening with little or no wind and high humidity, even drizzle, is ideal for frog activity.
Those interested in participating are encouraged to pre-register before the event. Contact Renee Penny at (231) 258-3307 or email her at renee.penny@macd.org with any questions you might have, or to pre-register. Or you may also register on the District’s website.
The Antrim and Kalkaska Conservation Districts help people manage and protect local forests, water, and wildlife resources. We provide free, on-site land stewardship consultations, a range of educational workshops, and sponsor important events like Hazardous Waste Collections and Tree Sales.