Observatory Looking For Volunteers

Folks:

The observatory wetlands and nature trail committee particpates in this activity every year and is looking for like-minded voluteers.

Group seeks volunteers for frog count
Of The Daily Oakland Press

Quick! Before they croak!

The North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy needs volunteers to listen to frog and toad calls this spring.

The conservancy has been wanting to do a frog and toad survey for several years now, said Cynthia Balkwell, "because for one thing they are a good indicator of water quality."

Balkwell has participated for three years with the Friends of the Rouge listening for croaks, trills and other calls in the Rouge watershed. She's coordinating the conservancy's frog study as well as listening.

"I personally am going to be surveying in the south part of Springfield Township," she said. "What we would like to do is have survey groups in each of the four headwaters. Those would be the Shiawassee, Flint, Clinton and Huron rivers."

Each volunteer will be asked to visit a particular site three times during the spring to listen for frogs and toads.

And, despite the snow on the ground and the ice on the ponds, frog and toad season is not that far away. The western chorus frogs and spring peepers will get started soon.

"Soon as it gets above 46 degrees, somewhere in there and the snow starts to melt off the ground," Balkwell said.

Volunteers can attend a training session at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Holly Nature Center in Sorenson Park, 5142 East Holly Road. Volunteers will receive information and recordings of frogs and toads to acquaint themselves with their calls.

For information, or to register for Thursday's workshop, call the conservancy office at (248) 846-6547.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/032305/loc_20050323011.shtml