CONTENTS
January 1999

If You Build It They Will Come!
Wetlands in Winter
Tracking Wetland Wildlife in Winter
Frogwatch-Ontario

If You Build It They Will Come!
by Laura Murray
Young Canada Works
Adopt-A-Pond Assistant

Last June, students from St Anne Catholic School in Richmond Hill helped to make their schoolyard more amphibian friendly. Students from Ms. Todesco's and Mrs. Denny's kindergarten classes, Mrs. Miller's and Ms. Re-Cardinale's grade 3 classes, along with help and muscle power from Mrs. Necpal's grade 7 Buddies, planted 175 native wildflowers and wetland meadow plants around the edge of the new AMPHIBIAN BREEDING POND excavated last spring in Little Don Park. In fact, this was a continuation of a project initiated in 1994. Located at the back of the school's property, part of a drainage ditch choked with cattails was dug out to diversify the vegetation and provide some breeding habitat for American Toads that are found in the neighbourhood. Unfortunately, the project wasn't completely successful. St. Anne and the Richmond Hill Parks Department to the rescue! After obtaining approval from the trCA, Jim Tettmar of the Parks Department provided expertise and equipment for the pond excavation which took place in the spring of 98. The new pond, situated at the back of the school's property, sits in a naturally low area as part of the flood plain of the Little Don River. The breeding pond will catch snow melt and spring runoff providing toads and frogs with a temporary, or vernal pool (see the next issue of Amphibian Voice for more info on Vernal Pools) to call, mate and lay their eggs, allowing complete development (metamorphosis) of the tadpoles. The pond will compliment the natural character of the park, with its aspens, willow and dogwood, and wildflower meadow. As the saying goes, "If you build it they will come". Let's hope it holds true for the toads.

The students worked very hard under a hot sun and in very hard soil, planting a mix of native species, including Black Eyed Susan, Fireweed, Wild Bergamot, New England Asters, Swamp Milkweed, Goldenrod, and native grasses. Many of these plants were selected both for their variety of colour, and for attracting animals like cottontail rabbits, groundhogs, finches and juncos, and also as food sources for both caterpillars and butterflies. (See Amphibian Voice November 1998, for information on creating a butterfly garden). The students worked in teams, each planting 4-6 plants, mulching with wood chips, and giving the plants a good drink of water from the river. The classes were presented with a certificate of appreciation for their efforts in helping to provide much needed habitat for frogs and toads, and each student was given an Adopt-A-Pond sticker to recognize that contribution. Thank you Everyone! Special thanks to Parent volunteer Joan Aldrovandi for her help and enthusiasm. Although the pond wasn't used last year by breeding toads, partly because of the very hot and dry spring, the pond should be fully functional for this year's breeding season. The newly planted vegetation around the pond's margin will provide hiding places for the toads, as well as places from which the male toads can call this spring. As Joan Aldrovandi said "We're looking forward to continuing this project. This is just the start".

Special thanks and congratulations go to Kelly Todesco, who retired from teaching this year after many years, and who has been the driving force behind St. Anne's efforts in supporting the Adopt-a-Pond Programme. Good Luck Ms. Todesco, and Happy Retirement. The Toads Thank You!!

Wetlands in Winter
by Laura Murray
Young Canada Works
Adopt-A-Pond Assistant

If you plan a hike to a wetland in winter, remember safety comes first. NEVER walk on the ice, and remember to dress warmly in layers and wear waterproof footwear.

While many animals hide out during the frosty winter months, if you take a hike to a frozen pond or wetland it's a good bet that you ll see a number of different birds. Waterfowl (ducks, geese and swans) form large flocks in areas of open water on ponds, lakes and rivers, and if you take along a good field guide (eg. �Peterson's Field Guide to Eastern Birds� or �National Geographic's Guide to Birds of North America�) and some binoculars, you'll be surprised how many different species you can identify. Note: you should not feed wildlife of any kind, including ducks and geese. It not only disrupts natural foraging and migration instincts, but can be very harmful. Bread has little nutritional value and is difficult to digest. It swells within the birds' crop, making them feel full and interrupting natural feeding, possibly leading to starvation. Of even greater concern, waterfowl fed mouldy bread can develop respiratory problems, which may prove fatal.

Woodpeckers and owls may also be seen in winter. Great Horned Owls can often be seen in bare trees, with their cat-like silhouette against the sky, looking and listening for small mammals with their keen eyesight and sense hearing. Loud knocking and squeaky calls announces the presence of woodpeckers.To see the largest of Ontario's woodpeckers, the Pileated (meaning covered with a cap) Woodpecker with its brilliant red crest, (and the inspiration for Woody Woodpecker), and large size (18" from tip of bill to end of tail), is a particular treat. If you do not see the birds, you will likely see signs of their presence since all woodpeckers excavate holes in snags (dead trees) while searching for insects under the bark. The holes themselves provide a clue to the species of woodpecker, by the size, shape and position of the holes. The holes of pileated woodpeckers are distinctively large and rectangular. In fact, woodpeckers are so well adapted to drilling holes, they even come fully equipped with coarse bristles to cover their nostrils like a dust mask, and a reinforced skull! Woodpecker tails are very stiff to brace themselves while they climb up and down trees.

There is lots of competition to occupy abandoned woodpecker holes for a variety of wildlife including owls, bats, (see Amphibian Voice Volume 8, No. 2), wood ducks, and chickadees, for overwintering and nesting cavities. The addition of standing snags are an excellent complement to your pond project. With a little observation on a winter walk, you can find out a whole lot more about some of our WILDER neighbours. See this issue's Beyond the Pond article to learn how to identify some common animal tracks.

Coming next issue: We'll leap into spring and find out more about metamorphosis and vernal (temporary) pools.

Tracking Wetland Wildlife in Winter
by Erin Shapero
Student Career Placement
Adopt-A-Pond Assistant

In winter, there's more to a wetland area than meets the eye! The winter months are the perfect time of year to investigate and search for clues about the mammals that are active in the snow and ice! Although we don't often see animals around the icy wetland, we know they are there because of the tracks and footprints they leave behind. Other clues such as nests, dens, claw marks and scats also shed light on animal life cycles, and behaviours.

When identifying animal tracks, it is important to look at the size of the footprint, the pattern in the snow and the number of toes on the foot. Tracks are identified and grouped into categories according to the number of toes observed. For instance, moose and deer tracks have 2 toes, rabbits, foxes have 4 toes, skunk and weasels have 5 and mice and chipmunks have 5 hind toes and 4 front. For more info see �The Stokes Nature Guide to Animal Tracking and Behaviour�.

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Frogwatch-Ontario: Monitoring the Health of Ontario's Wetlands

What Are Amphibians?
Amphibians are moist skinned animals that spend part of their life in water and part on land. Eggs are laid in water and hatch into free-swimming larvae (tadpoles), that eat rasp algae, or feed on plants or decomposing matter on pond bottoms. Tadpoles typically metamorphose into a terrestrial adult form with a carnivorous diet. Amphibians include frogs, toads, newts and salamanders.

Why Monitor Ontario's Frogs?
Monitoring amphibian populations is one way to monitor the health of wetland areas. Amphibians and other plant species can be used as indicator species. Amphibians are regarded as indicator species because they are particularly vulnerable to changes in the environment, both terrestrial and aquatic. Thus changes in amphibian populations can help us to understand changes occuring the environment.

You will:

  • learn to identify the calls of all Ontario's frogs and toads
  • learn about the importance of wetlands and the species that depend upon them
  • take action to protect wetlands in Ontario
  • share results with similar programmes in Canada and around the world
  • Have fun!!!

You Can Help! It's Easy!
As a Frogwatch Observer, you can take action within your community to protect local wetlands. By simply listening fro frog calls and monitoring the calls of the frogs and toads throughout your area, valuable info about the location of frog and toad populations can be collected in Ontario. Over the long term, this data will be used to generate presence/absence info across a broad geographic range. As well, as the weather warms, we can monitor the south to north progression (phenology) of calls as amphibians wake from hibernation.

Frogwatch Goals :

  • encourage community members of all ages to take an interest in their local environment
  • collect data on the distribution of amphibian species across the province
  • provide a fun and educational opportunity to promote the importance of wetlands and wetland species

How to Frogwatch
liSTEN TO CALLS!
Male frogs and toads call to protect and define their territory and to attract females to their location. Some species call as early as March and others as late as July (and occasionally later). Each frog and toad species has its own distinct call, making it easy to recognize Ontario's 13 species. Listen for 3 minutes each evening starting in early spring. In Southern Ontario, frogs and toads begin calling in late March.

RECORD YOUR DATA
Record the time and date you listened weekly, even if you don't hear anything. If possible, make observations once a week from late March to the end of July (but even a single report is significant). Include your Lat/Long coordinates (see page 4 for details). Any other info such as egg or tadpole sightings can be included on the data sheet. Use a spearate monitoring sheet for each location (if more than one). Your monitoring form can be copied from the sheet in the back of the newsletter. Once completed, fax or mail to Adopt-A-Pond or use the frogwatch phoneline or website to imput your data. (See page 6 for details.)

YOUR DATA
The data you submit is then sent to Environment Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC), and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Report Card. It updates existing records, and you may access updated distribution maps accross Ontario. Access these maps through the Adopt-A-Pond website, and see how your data has contributed to the long-term collection of amphibian presence/absence information across the province.

Once registered with Frogwatch-Ontario, you will receive an observer number. This number is specific for each site you monitor and contains all specifics regarding your name, address and location details. You require a separate number for each site that you monitor, but this allows you to submit your data using the Internet, and FrogWatch Hotline (see page 6).

Once you enter your number, you only need to follow the directions (instructions also provided on the Hotline sheet) to submit your monitoring results.

TO REGISTER...

There are several ways for you to register with Frogwatch-Ontario. Use the Internet, Mail, Phone or Fax to imput your data. Follow the easy instructions provided on page 4 of this newsletter!

MONITORING TIPS !!!

  • Listen for calls at dusk and during the day, especially after rain.
  • Remain quiet and still while monitoring a habitat; do not disturb the frogs, toads and other species.
  • Calls can be heard on still nights, so try to pick a day with little wind. If you begin monitoring and then later in the month hear no calls, continue monitoring once a week until the end of July.
  • No calling may be the result of cool weather, or short term loss in your area.
  • Try to confirm what you heard on the following night. Listen to the frog calls on the tape, on our website or by contacting the Frogwatch Hotline, to familiarize yourself with the calls.
  • If you monitor more than one site, remember that each site has its own unique lat/long coordinate, and requires its own unique observer number.
  • Submit your data ASAP after your observations.

SOUND ADVICE
Ontario is home to 2 species of toads and 11 species of frogs. A tape of frog and toad calls, available from Adopt-A-Pond will help you to identify each species. Calls may also be heard on our website, and by calling 1-888-31FROGS and entering the station number 333,333. The following is a summary of their calls, so you can sing along with the frogs.

  • American toad: 20-40 sec. High pitched trill.
  • Fowler's toad: rare; only along northern shore of Lake Erie. Extended nasal "Waa...waa".
  • Gray treefrog: short high pitched trill.
  • Blanchard's cricket frog: rare; southwestern Ontario (Pelee Island) Clicks like stones tapped together.
  • Chorus frogs: rasping, like running fingers along the teeth of a comb (2 subspecies: Pseudacris triseriata & P.maculata).
  • Spring peeper: loud, short "peep...peep".
  • Northern leopard frog: chuckling, like running hands over a balloon.
  • Pickerel frog: uncommon; nasal snore.
  • Wood frog: quacking sound similar to a duck.
  • Mink frog: like galloping horses or hammering in the distance.
  • Green frog: barking, like plucking a banjo string.
  • Bullfrog: deep bass, like "jug-O-rum...jug-O-rum".

SAFETY FIRST!
! Monitor from your own backyard or cottage deck.
! If monitoring at night, always carry a flashlight and wear visible clothing.
! Inform someone of where you are going and when you will be back.
! Work in pairs or small groups.
! Monitor in areas that you are familiar with and never explore places at night.
! Get permission before entering private property.
! NEVER enter the water - it isn't necessary to see the species, only hear them!!!

 

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