Recently there have been numerous news reports about the spread of the Zika virus through Central and South America. This disease is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito and its mild rash-like symptoms have not drawn much attention until now. Within the last year scientists have observed a strong correlation between this disease and a spike in children born with a birth defect called microcephaly. Brazil has been particularly hard hit, but the disease is spreading fast and has reached much of the warmer parts of the Americas. These mosquitos can breed in a tiny amount of standing water and the slums of Brazil and other countries are the perfect locations for this epidemic. Many of these "shanty towns " do not have sewer systems or good sources of clean drinking water. Rain that falls, collects in puddles and abandoned trash like plastic cups. The mosquitos have a perfect habitat for their life-cycle that only takes a few days. In the United States cases of Zika have been reported recently in Florida, Texas and Hawaii, all the result of travel to Brazil or other areas where the disease is prevalent.
Why should we care? Recent evidence suggests that the babies carried by pregnant women are at extreme risk of acquiring the virus. This pathogen apparently has the effect of creating the retardation/birth defect we call Microcephaly where the head and the brain are much smaller than normal. More than 4000 babies have been born in Brazil with this condition.
In my opinion the biggest problem facing the world today is too many people fighting over our limited natural resources of clean fresh water, land, clean air, fertile soil and those needed to sustain our modern economy. The wars in the Middle East and the ensuing migration crisis are just the most recent reminders of what we as a species face on this piece of space dust we call Planet Earth.
Some are predicting that the human population could double from 7.3 billion currently to as high as 15 Billion in a hundred years. The planet's resources can not sustain that level of increase.
In the natural world the systems maintain a balance between resources and living creatures by a process called "Survival of the Fittest". We humans also have followed this difficult path for most of our existence. However starting with the development of agriculture about 10,000 years ago we had a more stable food supply and villages and cities gave us more security. The result was a marked increase in the number of humans on the planet. Now with the advent of modern medicine almost everyone survives. People are just "not dying anymore".
As I see it the human species has a choice. The intelligent way to proceed would be to institute birth control and family planning worldwide. The UN, the United States and other countries have moved in that direction, but some cultures and religious groups are resisting the effort. No one wants to see the death rate rise, but if the countries of the world do not take it upon themselves to solve this problem, than the natural systems will do it for them. There are a lot of creatures "out there" that want to "eat us" and one of these days........
Here comes Zika. If this disease is as bad as it appears to be, it could have a real dampening effect on human population growth. The prospect of millions of babies being born with microcephaly or other birth defects as a result of a Zika infection, has sent shock waves through the medical community worldwide, Our government has requested more than a Billion $ to deal with this disease and women who are pregnant are being cautioned not to visit areas in the "Zika Zone".
It is too early to predict what will happen in this situation, but the economic ramifications of this disease could be devastating. Any person going to see the Olympics in Brazil in the Summer of 2016, will have to factor into their thinking that there is a real possibility of contracting Zika. Are people willing to take the risk of getting sick and potentially destroying an unborn child? Already the Brazilian government has panicked and is using its military to spray insecticide and do other things to try to get rid of the mosquitos---this may do more harm than good. The economy of Brazil is already in trouble and this is not going to help.
On a human level this is a tragedy The recent Time magazine photo, of a young Brazilian couple with their microcephaly child, was heart wrenching. As this disease continues to spread, millions of couples across the planet will face the difficult choice of postponing having a child or face the risk of bringing a child into this world who faces a life full of problems.
There is NO quick fix. No cure or treatment. No vaccine. There is not even a reliable test for this disease. I believe it will take years to bring this pathogen under control. At this point experts indicate that vector (mosquito) control is the best way forward. However, new information indicates that the virus can not only pass from mother to child but also between sexual partners as well. If this proves to be true, then this disease can spread without mosquitos which makes it a threat to the human population world wide.
Through the long history of Planet Earth populations of living things have been controlled by what we call limiting factors. Limiting factors include available food or water, a disaster like the dinosaurs suffered, a change in climate, invasion by a new species or a disease.
It is my view that we will shortly know if the Zika virus is going to be a limiting factor in the continued population growth of the human species on Planet Earth.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
THE EIGHT POINT BUCK I NEVER SHOT
THE EIGHT POINT BUCK I NEVER SHOT
When I returned to the house I mentioned this to Bea and she remarked that "I hope they don't shoot Bambi tomorrow". Saturday, the twelfth of December, was the last day of Deer Season and when we heard loud shots during the day we feared the worst.
We did not see any sign of this buck until after the big snow storm. It started to snow at 3:30 on Friday January the 22end and ended on Saturday evening about 9:30. After 30 hours we were looking at 27 inches of the white stuff.
Sunday was "dig out day". A neighbor plowed out our driveway and I dug paths so we could get around and I would have access to my bird feeders. I dug out my feeders in the backyard and to help the birds get through this sudden storm, I scattered some birdseed and corn on a piece of plywood.
The antler was still in place when my grandchildren came to visit on Saturday January 30th. When I pointed it out to my granddaughter Bridget, she immediately asked if she could take it to school and show it to her first grade classmates. I told her she could take it with her when she headed home. A few minutes later I looked out the window and a gray squirrel was chewing on one of the antler's prongs. Bridget started to worry that the squirrel would eat the whole thing. We assured her that it could not eat it that fast, but that the observation of chewing by a rodent would explain why antlers and bones do not last long in the natural world where just about everything gets recycled.
My Dad was a good hunter and he took me along, but my heart was never into hunting like other members of my family. I would go hunting after school and come back with nothing. Dad once said I enjoyed watching animals more than I liked to hunt them. He was right. I did bag some small game, but I never actually shot a deer. Over the last forty years as a naturalist, I have enjoyed watching wildlife and trying to understand what make the world we live in tick. It has been the best path for me.
I support hunting as a recreational activity, but it is not for everybody. The Eight-Point Buck was the status symbol for a successful deer hunt where I grew up. The beautiful four-point antler dropped in the snow in my backyard is as close as I will ever get to that elusive Big Buck.
FOUR EAGLES TAKING A BATH
FOUR EAGLES TAKING A BATH
MIDDLE CREEK WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
(NOTE---Willow point is the black dot along the lake)
Middle Creek was created in the early 1970's to provide hunting opportunities for goose and duck hunting. Since its inception this place has had a resident population of Canada Geese and has attracted migrating Canada Geese, Tundra Swans a good variety of ducks and other waterfowl during the Spring migration. However the stars of the Middle Creek show, the Snow Geese, did not show up until the 1990's. Unlike the other birds who arrive in small flocks, the Snows show up in early Spring in huge flocks of a couple thousand. When they are coming they look like a white wave and their loud raucous calls tell all that something important is about to happen. I have watched them come in on a clear Spring morning with their white bodies and black tipped wings glistening in the bright sunlight against a bright azure sky. It is truly an awesome sight. Once they reach the lake they begin to descend in swirling masses that resemble large snowflakes.
Bald Eagles visited Middle Creek regularly once the lake was established but did not stay until 1998 when a pair created a nest without producing any young. The following year this resident pair finished their nest and raised young. After that success, eagles have been a fixture at Middle Creek ever since.
When I arrived at Middle Creek I drove around for a bit, but did not see much, so I decided to head to the Willow Point viewing platform next to the lake. I loaded my spotting scope onto my roll-later (I'm handicapped) and motored to the Point. More than half of the lake was frozen over with patches of open water here and there. As I scanned the lake I could see large numbers of Tundra Swans with their snow-white bodies, long necks and black bills, but to my great disappointment I did not see a single Snow Goose. I guess those that had been there had headed out when they heard about the gigantic snow storm that was coming. Beside the several thousand swans there were large numbers of Canada Geese and a good variety of ducks roosting on the lake. They seem to prefer swimming around in the water to standing on the ice.
I had been at the Point only a short time when a guy showed up and after looking at the scene for a couple of minute he said " there are eagles out there". Sure enough when I looked at that spot there were eagles, lots of them. I scanned the whole area and counted eight of them. This was unbelievable---I have never seen this many Bald Eagles at Middle Creek. They were scattered along a spit of ice just beyond the resting flocks of waterfowl. They all appeared to be immatures---none of them had the brown body and white head of a mature Bald Eagle that appears after five years. At least two were all brown while the others were mottled with some white feathers. All of them faced the waterfowl resting a 100+ feet away and nervously paced around and took short, low flights along the ice as if anticipating something.
Four of them stood together and even when they moved around they always came back together, so I decided to put my scope on them and see what happened. They seemed to know each other and did not show any aggressive behavior toward each other. They stayed in one spot for quit a while and then they did something I have never seen before. They took a bath. Apparently there was open water directly behind the ice they were standing on and three of the eagles jumped into the water. They immediately began waving their wings and jumping up and down much like we often see a robin bathe in a birdbath. I could see the water splashing and this went on for couple of minutes while eagle # 4 stood watch. It reminded me of three little kids jumping into a old swimming hole. After the trio had finished they hopped back on to the ice and eagle #4 took his/her turn. They probably have lice or some other parasites that are annoying them, so the sudden cold bath must help alleviate the irritation. It was quit a sight and a once in a lifetime experience. Note: Most birds have an oil gland that provides them with waterproofing for their feathers, so they dry quickly.
It was quite cold and as I was getting ready to leave, I noticed one of the eagles walk right up to a group of Tundra Swans. The swans looked at the young eagle with disdain as if asking what the heck are you doing here?---he quickly retreated back to the ice spit. The swan is bigger than the eagle and a healthy adult would be more than a match for any attacking eagle. Like most predators Bald Eagles look for prey that is old, sick or injured. As I was leaving that is what the eagles were doing. They would fly or walk up to the waterfowl buffet in front of them to see if they could locate any likely candidates for a quick meal. At MiddIe Creek it is common to see eagles eating their prey on the ice in the winter time.
Several years ago while I was working at the desk in the Middle Creek Visitor Center, a lady came in literally jumping up and down with excitement. She had witnessed a mature Bald Eagle fly at a flock of Snow Geese, pursue a single goose and catch it with both birds crashing to the ice. (Reminds me of the fighter battles in Star Wars.) She described the next scene with "white feathers flying " as the eagle plucked the feathers from this very unlucky bird.
I was sorry to leave the Point, but this time of year it feels like the tundra and I needed to warm up.
The next time you take a bath or shower just imagine what it would be like to bathe in a tub of ice cubes with the water at 32 degrees.
Aren't' you glad you are not a bird?
.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
BATS, SNAKES AND FLYING SQUIRRELS
Recently my wife, Bea remarked that we had not yet caught any mice this Fall. Then she added "I guess the black snake must be in the basement". The black snake is our resident Black Rat Snake that we see from time to time both inside and outside of our buildings It is a beautiful animal with a coal-black body, a snow-white belly and is about 5 feet long. It feeds almost exclusively on rodents and is a welcome resident.
A couple of weeks ago I was awakened in the middle of the night by the "swish" and breeze of a bat flying around our bedroom. Our resident pair of bats live in our attic, but they seem to have a problem finding there way outside. From their roost they have two avenues to leave and they sometimes make the wrong choice and end up downstairs. They are annoying, but have always
found their way outside after a few minutes of flying around. I guess they soon realize that our living quarters don't have a lot of flying insects to eat.
In early August, Bea was sitting in her recliner watching TV, when i heard her say "One just fell on me" The "One" was a baby Northern Ring Neck Snake that had just fallen from the ceiling. Each Summer the female Ring Neck Snakes crawl into our attic and lay their eggs. The heat of summer incubates the eggs and once hatched, the 5 inch babies start looking for a way out and often find a crack in our wooden board ceiling as an exit. So in late Summer, we can always plan on it "raining" snakes.
We have a resident population of Northern Flying Squirrels living in our woods. When we first moved to our home some years ago, I live-trapped 13 of these animals in our attic. It took several years to find and plug all the holes they were using to get into the house. These cute little guys are nocturnal and at night they would be scurrying around in the attic while we were trying to sleep, so excluding them was a necessity.
One time I heard a very loud scream. Bea had discovered a sleeping squirrel in a bag of nylons in our closet. I trapped the squirrel and put it in a large cage. I included a bluebird box so it would have a place to hide. Several days later, I took the box (the squirrel was inside) to a wooded area some distance away. I opened the box and the squirrel jumped out and ran about 20 feet. I saw a small object fall out and heard a tiny squeak in the box. The squirrel turned around and ran right toward me and jumped back into the box. The "object" was a baby squirrel. I put it back in the box with the mother and took the box back home. I set the box with the mother and babies inside, on a shelf in my barn, where she could finish caring for her young. That was a really neat experience.
This time of year we often hear acorns and hickory nuts falling on our deck in the middle of the night. It means Our Flying Squirrels are busy gathering food.
Living in a Log House in the woods, that was built like a sieve, is never boring.
A couple of weeks ago I was awakened in the middle of the night by the "swish" and breeze of a bat flying around our bedroom. Our resident pair of bats live in our attic, but they seem to have a problem finding there way outside. From their roost they have two avenues to leave and they sometimes make the wrong choice and end up downstairs. They are annoying, but have always
found their way outside after a few minutes of flying around. I guess they soon realize that our living quarters don't have a lot of flying insects to eat.
In early August, Bea was sitting in her recliner watching TV, when i heard her say "One just fell on me" The "One" was a baby Northern Ring Neck Snake that had just fallen from the ceiling. Each Summer the female Ring Neck Snakes crawl into our attic and lay their eggs. The heat of summer incubates the eggs and once hatched, the 5 inch babies start looking for a way out and often find a crack in our wooden board ceiling as an exit. So in late Summer, we can always plan on it "raining" snakes.
We have a resident population of Northern Flying Squirrels living in our woods. When we first moved to our home some years ago, I live-trapped 13 of these animals in our attic. It took several years to find and plug all the holes they were using to get into the house. These cute little guys are nocturnal and at night they would be scurrying around in the attic while we were trying to sleep, so excluding them was a necessity.
One time I heard a very loud scream. Bea had discovered a sleeping squirrel in a bag of nylons in our closet. I trapped the squirrel and put it in a large cage. I included a bluebird box so it would have a place to hide. Several days later, I took the box (the squirrel was inside) to a wooded area some distance away. I opened the box and the squirrel jumped out and ran about 20 feet. I saw a small object fall out and heard a tiny squeak in the box. The squirrel turned around and ran right toward me and jumped back into the box. The "object" was a baby squirrel. I put it back in the box with the mother and took the box back home. I set the box with the mother and babies inside, on a shelf in my barn, where she could finish caring for her young. That was a really neat experience.
This time of year we often hear acorns and hickory nuts falling on our deck in the middle of the night. It means Our Flying Squirrels are busy gathering food.
Living in a Log House in the woods, that was built like a sieve, is never boring.
Friday, June 26, 2015
BLUEBIRDS ARE FASCINATING
My fascination with Bluebirds began about 45 years ago when I took a hike with my son Andy on the home farm in Big Valley in Central PA. I noticed a Bluebird flying, so we followed it and discovered a pair feeding young in a nest is the hollow of a Black Locust snag. I decided we would observe the birds for a while, so we sat down right in front of the hole. I told Andy, who was 5 years old at the time, that he had to sit still and not make any movements at all.
The drive to feed chicks is very strong in bird parents, so both soon showed up with food. They landed on a nearby branch and looked down on us. They looked at each other, did some chattering and looked at us again. It appeared they were trying to size us up as to what danger we posed to them and their brood. They would fly down near the hole and then fly away without entering. This went on for several minutes. (It seems like forever when you are sitting perfectly still.) After about 5 to 7 minutes, the female finally went to the hole, fed the chicks and flew away; followed immediately by the male who did the same thing.
Andy never moved or said anything during that entire time. As soon as the male fed the chicks we moved on. It was a really neat experience that I will never forget. Does this mean females are more adventuresome than males? That debate will have to wait.
Soon after this experience I began making and putting up boxes for Bluebirds. I don't make them anymore, but I am still putting them up when I can. In April of this year, after we returned from Florida, I decided to go to Big Valley for a visit. I did not have big plans, but I decided to take along 4 new Bluebird boxes. I spent 5 days visiting relatives, bird watching and working on the various bluebird boxes that I had put up in the past. Many were in disrepair and others had been destroyed.
I repaired those that could be salvaged and replaced those that were gone.
On April 16 I replaced boxes on the light poles that carry electricity to the home farm. About 15 minutes after I put up the first house, there were two pair of Tree Swallows and a pair of Bluebirds all swarming around this one nest box. I was amazed. Both species landed on the box and inspected the inside. It seems they were all in the area looking for housing. When I returned 6 weeks later the nest was occupied by Tree Swallows.
At the end of May I returned to Big Valley to bird watch and check the boxes. Of the 14 available houses, seven had Bluebird nests, eggs or chicks. Four had Tree Swallow activity and one was being used by a House Sparrow (I took this box down). Two boxes remained empty.
It seems the Bluebirds of Big Valley are doing well. There were at least 5 active pair that had chicks or eggs either right before or during the time I was visiting. The two boxes with empty Bluebird nests did not have any birds defending the sites, so I could not determine their status.
The success of these beautiful birds in this area can be traced to the help of local residents Dan Brown, Fred Brown and T. Ray Metz who have monitored these birds and put up boxes to replace those damaged. On behalf of the birds I thank you. Keep up the good work.
The drive to feed chicks is very strong in bird parents, so both soon showed up with food. They landed on a nearby branch and looked down on us. They looked at each other, did some chattering and looked at us again. It appeared they were trying to size us up as to what danger we posed to them and their brood. They would fly down near the hole and then fly away without entering. This went on for several minutes. (It seems like forever when you are sitting perfectly still.) After about 5 to 7 minutes, the female finally went to the hole, fed the chicks and flew away; followed immediately by the male who did the same thing.
Andy never moved or said anything during that entire time. As soon as the male fed the chicks we moved on. It was a really neat experience that I will never forget. Does this mean females are more adventuresome than males? That debate will have to wait.
Soon after this experience I began making and putting up boxes for Bluebirds. I don't make them anymore, but I am still putting them up when I can. In April of this year, after we returned from Florida, I decided to go to Big Valley for a visit. I did not have big plans, but I decided to take along 4 new Bluebird boxes. I spent 5 days visiting relatives, bird watching and working on the various bluebird boxes that I had put up in the past. Many were in disrepair and others had been destroyed.
I repaired those that could be salvaged and replaced those that were gone.
On April 16 I replaced boxes on the light poles that carry electricity to the home farm. About 15 minutes after I put up the first house, there were two pair of Tree Swallows and a pair of Bluebirds all swarming around this one nest box. I was amazed. Both species landed on the box and inspected the inside. It seems they were all in the area looking for housing. When I returned 6 weeks later the nest was occupied by Tree Swallows.
At the end of May I returned to Big Valley to bird watch and check the boxes. Of the 14 available houses, seven had Bluebird nests, eggs or chicks. Four had Tree Swallow activity and one was being used by a House Sparrow (I took this box down). Two boxes remained empty.
It seems the Bluebirds of Big Valley are doing well. There were at least 5 active pair that had chicks or eggs either right before or during the time I was visiting. The two boxes with empty Bluebird nests did not have any birds defending the sites, so I could not determine their status.
The success of these beautiful birds in this area can be traced to the help of local residents Dan Brown, Fred Brown and T. Ray Metz who have monitored these birds and put up boxes to replace those damaged. On behalf of the birds I thank you. Keep up the good work.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
THE BATTLE OF HOUSE WRENS
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| MALE HOUSE WREN #1 |
This Spring and Summer has been an active time for wildlife here in Mt Gretna.
On April 1st, our first day back from Florida, we were greeted with the singing of wood frogs. A bit later Mallards and Turkeys came calling. A pair of Mallards were here for more than a month and frequently visited our bird feeders and water gardens in search of food. They became quite tame as they grew used to our comings and goings. I did not look for the nest, but I believe it was near our pond. They appeared to have hatched their young sometime around Memorial Day when we were away.
One day we looked out our front window and were surprised to see a Turkey Gobbler and two hens prancing around. Fred (our nephew) had seen them earlier during the winter.
The Gobbler moved on to an another area and we often have heard him calling. However, one of the hens stayed behind and established a nest. We would see her often scratching around in the leaves for insects and other tasty creatures. Her nest appeared to be behind our guest house.
This year the animals that take the prize for most interesting are the House Wrens. Usually when the male House Wrens show up in the Spring they wreck havoc on all the other song birds that are trying to nest in bird boxes in our yard. These "cute" little demons will go around and destroy other bird's nests, remove their eggs and even their chicks. Then they fill the box with sticks. Not a "nice" little bird in human terms.
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| BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE CHICKS |
However this year was different. We had Black-Capped Chickadees nesting in two different boxes about 400 feet apart. Both pair had established their nest and laid eggs when the male House Wrens arrived about May 1st. Both sites had male House Wrens calling nearby and my fear was that they would destroy the Chickadees's nest, but to my pleasant surprise they did not. Both pair of chickadees completed their nesting and had young fledge.
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| HOUSE WREN BOX OF STICKS |
When the male House Wrens first showed up, I put up two new bird boxes hoping that might keep them from disturbing the Chickadees. It seemed to work. One of the boxes was immediately claimed by a male House Wren and he proceeded to fill the box with sticks. He soon attracted a wife and they were in business. We will call him MHW #1. This pair raised 5 chicks that fledged during the second week of June.
At about the time the young House Wrens left the nest, an interloper male House Wren
Over the last couple of days I have made some interesting observations. On Sunday (6/21) I saw a female enter the box guarded by MHW #2. Tuesday (6/23) I checked that box and discovered 3 tiny eggs. Meanwhile MHW #1 continues to call on his box, but his nest cavity is empty. Conclusion: The female House Wren left her original mate and has moved in with the interloper---MHW #2.
WOW.
Our human reaction is predictable. "MHW #2 stole the "wife" of MHW #1". "She is a slut who will sleep with anybody." "An example of infidelity in the bird world." "Birds are as immoral as humans."
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| FEMALE ON FENCE, MHW #2 FLYING ABOVE |
When faced with a choice, the female had to weigh the qualities of the two males and decide which one best suited her needs. Since I always go on the hypothesis that The Fittest Survive, there must have been something about MHW #2 she liked. Does she like him because he is young, has a loud song or was it the layout of the home he was offering? We will never know.
You just never know what may be happening right in your own backyard.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
WOOD FROGS---THE "POLAR BEARS" OF THE FROG WORLD
We arrived home from our Florida Trip at 7:30 on Tuesday March 31. The "Black Knight" performed flawlessly and delivered us to Gretna without any problems. The Black Knight? That is my black Honda Element---a great car.
Wednesday morning, April 1st we awakened to a temperature of 29 degrees---a far cry from the 80's we had been experiencing in Naples. There are still snow piles here and it looks like winter. No sign of Spring until the sun came up and then it started.
The Wood Frogs are singing. It actually sounds more like barking and is quite loud. We have 5 water areas and all of them have been captured by the wood frogs for their annual Spring mating ritual. They are welcome on all but the swimming pool cover, where we will have to move their egg masses to a safer place or the thousands of tadpoles will not survive.
I first encountered these fascinating amphibians when we moved here in the 1990's. They hibernate during the cold of winter, but with the first warm days of March they suddenly appear in the open water and begin to "sing". I have seen them do this when there are still large pieces of ice in the water. The temperature remains at 32 degrees until the ice melts, so I do not know how they are able to stir up the energy to be jumping all over the place like they do. They are cold-blooded, but something about their makeup allows them to function at very cold temperatures.
When we were in Alaska in 2003 we stayed at a bed and breakfast owned by Judy Cooper. She was a musher, had lots of dogs and lived on a large piece of land. When i asked here about the wildlife in the area, she mentioned that she had a vernal pool in her woods and every year she had Wood Frogs appear and mate just as they do in PA. Now this is near Fairbanks in Central Alaska and the ground is permafrost, so somehow these little guys can survive being frozen, wake up and mate every year. No other reptile or amphibian can survive that far north, only Wood Frogs.
So we are again enjoying the signs of Spring. Only it is not flowers blooming or birds singing, it is the "barking " of the Wood Frogs who must have "ice water in their veins" to be up and about when it is this cold.
Wednesday morning, April 1st we awakened to a temperature of 29 degrees---a far cry from the 80's we had been experiencing in Naples. There are still snow piles here and it looks like winter. No sign of Spring until the sun came up and then it started.
I first encountered these fascinating amphibians when we moved here in the 1990's. They hibernate during the cold of winter, but with the first warm days of March they suddenly appear in the open water and begin to "sing". I have seen them do this when there are still large pieces of ice in the water. The temperature remains at 32 degrees until the ice melts, so I do not know how they are able to stir up the energy to be jumping all over the place like they do. They are cold-blooded, but something about their makeup allows them to function at very cold temperatures.
When we were in Alaska in 2003 we stayed at a bed and breakfast owned by Judy Cooper. She was a musher, had lots of dogs and lived on a large piece of land. When i asked here about the wildlife in the area, she mentioned that she had a vernal pool in her woods and every year she had Wood Frogs appear and mate just as they do in PA. Now this is near Fairbanks in Central Alaska and the ground is permafrost, so somehow these little guys can survive being frozen, wake up and mate every year. No other reptile or amphibian can survive that far north, only Wood Frogs.
So we are again enjoying the signs of Spring. Only it is not flowers blooming or birds singing, it is the "barking " of the Wood Frogs who must have "ice water in their veins" to be up and about when it is this cold.
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