Frog survey /Conservation Congress tonight

Reminder. If you can, please attend your county's Conservation Congress Spring Hearing tonight.

And

Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh is working with WisCorps to do a frog and toad survey this spring and summer. "Over the years, a few groups and individuals have undertaken surveys of frogs and toads in the marsh.  A WDNR survey and an Eco Park survey are perhaps the two most important for the La Crosse River Marsh.  Baseline data on amphibian populations is important for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that amphibian populations are key indicators of water quality and overall ecological health.  Frog and toad choral surveys are relatively easy to conduct — perfect for a citizen science project."

Volunteers (great for families) are needed!

The survey will be done on set evenings, the first one here in April.  We’ll organize the survey and compile the data.  Surveyors will work in teams of two or more and each team will survey an easily accessible site—by bike, by foot, or by car.  

If you are interested, the first order of business is to learn frog and toad calls.  Here’s a URL from WDNR that you can use to learn the calls.  It also includes a self quiz.  You will want to learn the following calls:  Wood Frog, Northern Spring Peeper, Western Chorus Frog, Northern Leopard Frog, American Toad, Eastern Gray Treefrog, Green Frog, and Bull Frog.  These are listed in approximately the order when they first start to call in the spring. Leopard frogs have already been spotted, so don't delay.

For more information, contact Friends of the Marsh or WisCorps.