Red Crossbill

The Red Crossbill is a bird.  I recently saw first hand why it's called a Crossbill and readily admit I was amazed.  The Crossbill family of birds are about the size of sparrows.  They get along well with other birds and different species of the Crossbill clan will also flock together.

They are called Crossbill because of the unique way their beak crosses.  As you can see in the picture the tips of the upper and lower beak don't meet, they cross each other like crossing your fingers.  I've noted on some pictures the beak crosses one way and other pictures show the cross just the opposite.  I haven't read anything to explain this.

The reason for this adaptation is the birds primary food source is the Conifer Cone.  Apparently having the crossed beak enables them to pry open the cone and access the seed inside.

The one that I saw just a few days ago was more yellow and light green in the chest and on parts of her back.  Obviously a female because the males are definitely red.  The pictured Crossbill is a female.

Another name for these critters is the Common Crossbill.  I like the name Red Crossbill if for no other reason than they aren't "common" to me.

Last Day of Summer... Hello Fall!

I haven't forgotten y'all.  Things have been slow and uneventful.  The usual birds are here, the who-who birdies, sparrows and finches.  The Eurasian Doves have become regular visitor.  Today the quail stopped by for a while too.  We're still having a few hummers come over for the sweet water and expect they will move on in the next 3 or 4 weeks.

A little brown mouse has moved into the rocks by Joe's Station.  He is a cute little guy and hides in the rocks and sneaks out to grab seeds in the morning.  If he behaves and stays in the rocks he will live a long and happy life.  I don't look forward to his family and friends moving in.  So far it appears it's just this one little guy.... sure.

Fall actually arrives tomorrow, Tuesday, afternoon.  So today is the last WHOLE day of summer.  Autumn is the "proper" name for fall and it occurs when the tilt of the earth is such that the sun is directly over the equator.  If you were living in Australia winter would be giving way to spring as the southern hemisphere of Gods green earth is our opposite.

This season change is being greeted by an invigorating low temperature forecast for tomorrow morning of 37 degrees Fahrenheit.  I saw on the news this evening that there was snow in the mountains and south of Denver.  I'm not worried about any freezing yet and it will be a while before I have to prepare for freezing temperatures.

Life's a song my friends.... sing it!

Stealth Hawks

About 10 years ago I was visiting my sister in Las Vegas, Nevada.  We were sit'n around one morning discussing possible fun things to do that day.  Since I had already won my $32 million on the strip we decided to drive over to Nellis Air Force Base and watch the stealth bombers doing take-offs and landings. My brother-in-law explained to us that he has seen them a number of times and it was an awesome site. 

Off we went.  The drive was only about an hour and when we arrived it was a beautiful day for watching stealth planes come and go.  We sat in the car scanning the horizon as well as the runway.  We did this for about a half hour and then I figured it out.  We couldn't see the stealth bombers because they must have had their stealth mechanism turned on.  Of course.  Our government spent billions of dollars developing the stealth technology... they had to use it or it would have been a waste of money. 

So we sat there and enjoyed watching the stealth bombers take-off and land.  It was an exciting time.  Makes you proud to be an American I'll tell you.

This morning the birds were once again "spooked" and every last one of them took flight.  One second there were hundreds (yep really) of birds scarf'n down seeds and the next second they were gone. 

I knew there had to be a hawk around somewhere.  I grabbed my binoculars and searched the skies and trees.  Nothing.  Just like watching the stealth bombers take-off and land.

About a half hour later the birds started to return and within 10 minutes the circus had resumed like nothing had happened.

It must have been one of those stealth hawks....

September Already

The older I get the faster it goes.  It, in this case is, of course, time.  The one resource that is not renewable... ever.

Apparently the cute baby toads have moved on as we haven't seen them for quite a while now.  Joe is definitely somewhere I'm not... where ever that is.  She was fun to watch and sure gave me enough to keep my interest in this here blog. 

I still have a great time watching the circus every morning and I'm anticipating a few more raptors to come by as the weather continues to slowly cool. 

Under the Mulberry Tree I'm starting to get enough yellow leaves to make it worth my while to clean them up.  It's either pick them off the ground or clean them from the pond and skimmer.  I can tell you from experience the ground is easier.

Ginger is harvesting seeds from the annuals that are starting into the last phase of their life. 

Just when you think everything is dying back you come across the tomatoes that were planted this past spring.  We have been enjoying tomatoes for about 6 weeks now and from the looks of it the crop is about to "come it" and we will be swamped with 'em.  I love tomatoes and will enjoy them everyday with my dinner and eat the cherry tomatoes (regrowth from last year) for snacks.

In another 4 weeks the aspen trees will be shown on the news and we will hear about snow in the high mountains. 

Summer is giving way to fall and it's fun to be a part of it.  Labor day soon, Halloween before you know it. 

'Ol Granny Smith is Dying

Way back in the late 1970's, maybe it was 1977... maybe a little earlier, could be later... I'm not sure, but way back around there Ginger ate a Granny Smith Apple and put the seeds in a small pot that had once contained a live plant.  Against all odds a sprout emerged.  That sprout struggled to survive the environment of a small pot and trying to live in an office.  Sometimes getting water and sometimes not.  The little pot that served for years finally gave way to a bigger pot and years after that to another pot bigger still, maybe a 12 inch pot.

The tree was probably 9 or 10 years old before it even started to look like a tree.  It pretty much looked like a 36 inch stem with a few leaves along the way.  By the time the tree was about 15 years old it looked like a tree and, as I recall, had produced a single apple.

In 1995 Ginger and I moved to Texas and, of course, took our Granny Smith Apple Tree with us.  Once situated in Texas we re-potted the tree to a much larger pot and left it on our deck.  The tree seemed happy and with enough room to spread it's roots a bit it grew and also produced apples every year.  Granny Smith was pretty small for a tree.  Larger than a bonsai tree but nothing like a regular apple tree... about three or four feet tall from the soil line to the tallest branch.

In 2004 we moved to Grand Junction... the tree of us.  When we moved into our current home we decided to actually plant Granny Smith in the ground.... kind of like putting an old stallion out to pasture.  Granny loved her new home and grew to probably 5 feet or so and was producing apples every year.  The apples were on the small side and usually pretty bitter but we enjoyed them.

This summer Granny started shedding leaves on one side.  One of her branches died and we cut it off with the hopes that she would be OK.  Later more branches died.  Now Granny is only half the tree she used to be and we believe she is destined for the compost pile.

We'll let her die a natural death as you would afford your own Granny.  When her time has come we will take her to the compost site and she can help some other plants make our world a nicer place.

A New Visitor

This morning, Wednesday, started out pretty normal. I was up before the sun, checked my email, stumbled around the backyard with a coffee can full of bird seed and then settled down at the dining table to gaze out the window. My favorite time of day. As the sun finally peeked over the Grand Mesa I note there must be over 100 birds in the yard. The numbers have increased since I started spreading the seed around the yard in place of just putting seed in the feeder.

This morning I spied 4 Eurasian Doves. These guys are about 1/3 larger than the who-who birdies (mourning doves) and much lighter in color. A handsome bird. They, like many creatures in the U.S. today are not native. They were introduced to the Bahama's in the 1980's, populated Florida by the 1990's and are quickly spreading across the country.

I sat at the table alternating between coffee, my mystery novel and watching the circus in the yard. I was on the novel part of my rotation when I heard the birds flapping their wings. An unusual sound because of the noise... they were all exiting the yard at the same time. In a hurry it appeared. I looked up to see a Harrier Hawk zoom past the bird feeder just missing a finch or sparrow. The hawk continued on to the Mulberry Tree. I thought sure he had captured breakfast as I saw some feathers falling to the ground behind the tree. Apparently the feathers were from some bird crawling into the tree for safety because the hawk appeared shortly thereafter with nothing to show for all the panic that announced his arrival.

These hawks and I guess raptor's in general are amazing birds to watch. When I look at them they always look alert. Appear strong and vibrant. Somehow radiate a majestic, lofty demeanor. I always feel honored to be able to watch these birds. Too rare a treat for this 'ol guy.

I tried to get a picture but when he was close enough for a photo the window screen was in the way and by the time I was able to move he had moved to sit atop one of the bird houses. I got a couple of pictures of him there but they only look like a silhouette.

It seems to me the raptor's come by in the early spring and, more often, in the fall. We rarely see them around our yard during the hot summer days. As the fall season pushes summer away I expect more visits from the raptor family... hope so anyway.

Baby Toad Update

Remember the two baby toads I put in the pot trellis garden?  One sat on the tip of my finger and the other was rescued from the dreaded skimmer just a few days ago with pictures.  I'm here to report that both are doing just fine.  Ginger and I saw them today and they are fat little creatures.  Apparently not having any problems finding things to eat.

I was looking closely around the ground cover and small flowers in the garden and there is a plethora of small flying creatures, gnats or something similar.  I'm sure the abundance of small insects like that keep our babies happy with a high protein diet.

Like most baby creatures... they are so cute.

Another Survivor... Dontchaloveit?

I've started to check the skimmer every day if not twice a day. The thought of one of those little toads fight'n for hours and then getting sucked into the filter mat or taking the "joy ride" through the pump impellers and pipe to the bio-falls is just a bit much for my sensitive side.

I didn't find any toads on Thursday but I found another little tiny guy on Friday. He was in the basket swimming for all he was worth. I have no idea where they get the energy to fight the current.

I took out the skimmer basket with mini-toad inside and convinced him to get into my hand. Ginger was thinking and retrieved the camera.

As you can see in these pictures this guy is really small.

It has occurred to me that there has to be a "break point" where they have to live in the water versus preferring to live on land. I hope I'm making the right decision of putting them in the garden under the pot trellis.

On the other hand, it is only about 10 feet from there to the pond so if they want to climb back into the pond it isn't all that far... unless your only about a half inch long...

If you double click on the pictures you should be able to see (open) the original picture which is BIG and full of detail.  If that doesn't work let me know...

Happy Anniversary #1

Today is our 1 Year Anniversary for this Frog Blog!

Over the course of the last 365 days I've published over 100 blog entries.  I've become eligible to apply for social security.  Named the ponds... Skimmer, Joe's Pond, Bridge Pond, No-name Pond.  Had visits by my son and daughter and my grandkids.  Drained the pond... a couple of times... once on purpose.  Got the wall to wall carpet cleaned.  Installed a wood floor in my computer room.  Painted the walls too.  I've observed a plethora of different bird visits including raptors of various varieties.  Shoveled snow.  Watched it hail.  Fed about 200 pounds of seed to our fine feathered friends.  Watched 3 batches of Woodhouse's Toads hatch only to have most die overnight.  Put about 7000 miles on my truck.  Put about 2 miles on my wheelbarrow.  We found 2 snake skins in the yard.  Discovered Joe the bird eating bull frog.  Had my 26th wedding anniversary.  Welcomed Joe back this past spring.  Rebuilt 3 waterfalls while learning the joys of "yucky pucky."  Wondered about Joe vanishing in June.  Planted 4 new trees.  Discovered toadlets that had grown into baby toads.  Chased rabbits from the yard.  Found a leak in the pond.  I've made 8 slide shows.  Witnessed an unusual amount of rain. Bought a new car for my wife.  Pulled string algae from the bridge pond.  Installed 2 new pond pumps or had 2 pumps quit which ever way you want to look at it.  Started the fake rock project... the ongoing fake rock project.  Named the waterfalls... Bio-Falls, No-name Falls, Humpty Dumpty Falls and Joe's Station.  Installed some fence on the side of the house.  Saved a trapped toad and also a trapped Joe.  Built shelves in the closet.  Saw a squirrel try to jump the pond.  Started a new web site.  Bought a savings bond.  Used almost 5 pounds of sugar feeding humming birds.  Built a pot trellis.  Started my Slide Show web site.  Keep discovering baby toads... they are alive too!

There is more but I'm probably losing my audience...

Happy Anniversary y'all...

More Skimmer Toads!

I decided I needed to be checking the skimmer more often based on the latest discovery of the 2 baby toads found on Tuesday.  To that end on Wednesday morning I removed the lid and peered into the swirling water that was littered with debris.  Besides a little foam and a bunch of crud I didn't see anything.  I decided to remove the skimmer basket and search inside the skimmer itself.

And there, right at the bottom of the skimmer basket, was the tiniest toad I've see yet.  Slightly smaller than the one I retrieved on Tuesday.   This little guy was submerged and hang'n on to the bottom of the skimmer.  At first I thought he was dead... well, actually, at first I thought it was a small slug... but when I tipped the basket he crawled uphill.  WOW... another one. 

I'm no longer amazed... I'm what ever is beyond amazed.  These little creatures keep showing up when so many of their brothers didn't make it.  How in the world did they survive?

I took this guy and put him in the flowers by the pot trellis.  He sat on the ground cover for a few minutes and then hopped under the flowers. 

They are very small.  About the size of the fingernail of my pinkie finger.  I have hopes of someday remembering to have my camera at the ready so I can share with my blog fans how cute and small these critters are.

On another note:  Remember the frogs that were captured at my daughters place?  I asked her to mail me a few.  Would you believe she put them in an envelope and sent them?  Naw, I wouldn't either... she didn't.  They would never have survived the stamp cancellation process.  Everyone knows that....

2 New Toad Discoveries... Yep 2!!

The flapper on the front of my skimmer basket broke last week when I was cleaning the skimmer. It had been repaired once a few years ago so I wasn't all that put out to buy a new one.

The part came in Tuesday morning. Before installing it in the skimmer basket I cleaned the leaves and crud that had accumulated. When I went to re-install the basket I noticed a very small toad try'n it's best to swim out of the skimmer.

This little guy gave it his all. He was doing a cross between a frog kick and breast stroke and just made it out. He swam over to the side of the skimmer pond and was breath'n hard. I left him to recoup his energy and after about 30 minutes he was gone (not back to the skimmer).

I then returned to the skimmer to install the basket when I noticed another toad baby. This was was half the size of the previous one and had zero chance of getting out of the skimmer as long as the pump was going. I reached in and scooped him up. He clung to the tip of my finger. In fact, he was about the size of my finger tip. Very small. He too must have been exhausted because he didn't try to get away. I took him over the the garden under the pot trellis and deposited him on a plant. A few minutes later he was not to be found.

Tuesday was a great day in the baby toad arena. To think at one time I thought they had all died... I've learned a lesson about Ma Nature.

Now if Joe would return.....

Frogs in the Family...

My daughter lives in the mountains northwest of Ft. Collins, Colorado with her husband and 2 sons.  Of course she is an avid reader of the Frog Blog to the point of grump'n at me if I'm slow to follow-up on a post.  So whatever it is that got me going about Joe, Woody and et Alia I guess has genetic origins.

She sent me this picture:

You can click on the picture to view the original sized picture.

They scouted around their home and captured about 45 of these little guys.  We think they are Boreal Chorus Frogs.

Here is a closeup of the frogs highlighted by the bottom of the pan.

Cute little guys don't you think? 

The Boreal Chorus Frogs  can be found around permanent water bodies in cleared land and forest. Males make a "reeeek" call from grasses, vegetation or just hang'n around on the ground near their water homes from April through to September. Unlike most amphibians, the boreal has a soft croak instead of a loud one like their noisy cousins. This frog is normally one of the first amphibian to emerge in spring, it is often found while snow and ice are still present.

The Boreal Chorus Frog is technically know as Pseudacris Maculata.  It is a species of chorus frog native to Canada from the west of Lake Superior to western Alberta and north to the North West Territories. It occurs in the USA throughout Montana, northwestern Wisconsin, northeastern Arizona, northern New Mexico and southwestern Utah.  Did I leave out Colorado?  I wonder if they are also in Wyoming?

So here is a word to the wise.  If you plan on stop'n by either my place or my daughters you best have had your Frog Blog inoculation or you too may start hunt'n for frogs in your yard or down by the lake.  You can take that piece of information to the bank!

Doldrum Days 'n Hot August Nights

Back in a past life I learned about sailing.  I went to sailing school both in the classroom and on the water.  I learned a lot of things... one of which was about the doldrums.   The dictionary has a couple of definitions for doldrum but I've always associated the word with the area of ocean, near the equator, where the winds are light and sometimes less than that and there is a lot of rain.  Technically it's called the inter-tropical convergence zone but doldrums sounds a lot better.

My backyard has a resemblance to the doldrums.  The wind comes gently from the north for a while and then from the west.  In the morning it's usually from the southeast.  Then, sometimes, the doldrums move away.  Then a whole can of "whup'ass" jumps out.  The wind blows, the trees are bent over and the birds have taken cover.  The lightening flashes and thunder booms.  It might rain or hail a little and then, in a snap, it all disappears.  Colorado weather.

I'm just telling you this story because the doldrums have settled in my back yard.

One time I was sailing out in Corpus Christi Bay with some friends.  We were in my Gulfstar 39 which was a heavy seaworthy boat.  We were changing direction when a puff of cool air touched my face and was then gone.  Everyone thought I was nuts when I said we had to take down the sails and head for home.  I insisted and soon we were on our way but we had miles to go.  Within 30 minutes of that cool puff of air, the horizon turned black and a hellacious storm struck.  Of course we had to go directly into the wind for miles to get home.  It took hours.  We were all soaked to the bone but since I'm writing this blog one must assume I made home alive.

The sailing story is here because the weather is changing.  Oh it's still hot and it's still summer but every now and again I feel that little puff of air that is the first hint of fall.  The birds know it's coming.  The hummers are drinking the sweet water like there is no tomorrow.  I'm filling the hummer juice bar twice a week now. They are put'n on the fat for the trip south.  Did you know some migrate all the way to Central America and some into South America! 

In Reno, Nevada they have a city wide celebration every year.  It's called "Hot August Nights."  My sister used to live in Reno so I had occasion to be there one year to participate in the celebration.  I can attest to the hot part.  Well, I can attest to the August and night part too.  It was a fun time.  They had all kinds of old cars cruising, lots of free activities and things to see.  There were popular stars in the clubs performing extra shows.  Dancing in the streets and a lot of happy people.  No doldrums there.

There is no real reason for me to have told you the Reno story other than it's August.

So there you have it.  If anyone ever asks you about the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone you know what to say.

Batch II or III Toadlet Sighting!

At least one out of thousands managed to survive!  On the first Sunday in August Ginger saw a fairly large toadpole in the Bridge Pond.  When she was telling me about it she said, "I thought it was dead because it just sat on the rock.  It was about an inch long and pretty fat.  I moved closer to get a better look and guess I spooked it.  It swam down and disappeared between some rocks."

So there you have it folks.  A toadlet sighting from a reliable source.  Be they tenacious or be they lucky or be they both, at least a few of the thousands managed to survive.  Amazing... just amazing.

Real Rock to Hide Fake Rock

When I was a youngster, way back when frogs had tails and ruled the world, my mother bought a Chinese bar. It was hand carved and painted gold, red and black with some Chinese writing on it. It even came with some old empty bottles and a musty smell.

What drew my mother to purchase the thing is unknown to me. I think it may have been pretty much unknown to everyone actually. My mom took a whole bunch of teasing and harassment about the thing over the course of her years.  My mom's first name was Olive and the bar became known as "Olive's Folly."

Fast forward to the present time. I'm beginning to think there is a genetic link between my mom's Chinese bar and my fake rock. I suspect I may have paid more for the fake rock and supporting items than my mom paid for the bar even if you adjust for inflation between now and when frogs had tails and ruled the world.

So with this inherited "folly" syndrome once again surfacing to take over what most would call rational judgment, I set out to camouflage the fake rock by putting real rocks around it.  I'm not sure that's even logical but if it were then maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be a folly.

This past week I went to the rock yard with the intention of purchasing some granite stones to use in the FRCF (Fake Rock Camouflage Folly). I picked up 4 rocks. One was kinda heavy and I needed both hands to lift it, the other 3 I picked up with one hand. When I went to pay for them the weight was 120 pounds and that was $17 and change! I bought them. Geez, I live in the rocky mountains for cry'n out loud and here I paid $17 for 4 smallish rocks.

I've surely lost my mind.

I placed my 4 professional granite rocks in front of the fake rock. It helps but I think I need more granite rocks.

The next granite rocks will be amateurs as professional rocks quickly priced themselves out of my league.

Do you think there is a relationship between "folly" and "folicle challenged?"

A Proud Toad Daddy ~ With Pictures!!!

On Thursday when Ginger told me she was going to water the pot trellis I jumped up, grabbed my camera and assumed the position assigned me the previous day.  With the zoom already set and tested on a flower I was ready for the little guy to jump right out there like he did on Wednesday.

Ginger started to water.  I watched.  Ginger watered.  I watched and waited.  Ginger watered.  I watched, waited and fiddled with the camera.  Ginger watered.  I gave it up.  No toad sighting this Thursday.

Friday.  Once again I assumed the assigned position for toad watching.  This time the little guy jumped right out from under some plants.  I was armed with my trusty digital camera.  As soon as I attempted to take the first picture the little guy jumped and was gone.  I was left with a rather nice picture of a flower but no baby toad pictures.

I risked the wrath of the position gods and moved closer.  I reached out and moved a plant to peer around it's base.  There he was... but I was too close to take his picture.  I handed the camera to Ginger and asked her to give it a try.  She didn't have her glasses on.

Ginger handed the camera back to me and reached toward the plant to hold it back so I could move away and take the picture.  As soon as I moved our baby once again jumped and was gone.

Humph.  I stepped back and Ginger grabbed the hose and started to water again.  Immediately she saw movement and pointed.  TARGET IDENTIFIED!

I took a picture.  I took a few more.  The toad moved.  I saw where it went.  I took more pictures.  So here are the best two pictures.  If you like you can click on the pictures to see the full sized version.

It's hard to discern this little guys actual size from these images.  At the most he is 1 1/4 inches long.  If I had to buy it a suit I would get something smaller than a Tinker Bell size.

If you look closely at the left picture you can see a dark tube just above and to the right of the baby toad.  This is a 1/4 inch driper hose... maybe that will help with the perspective.

This ex-toadlet is doing just fine in the feeding department and looks very healthy.  I imagine it will spend the winter in/near the pot trellis area.  Maybe even sing'n a tune next spring

I Spied a Baby Toad

It seems like everyone has seen one of the baby toads. Everyone but me that is. On Wednesday about 4 PM that officially changed.

On Tuesday Ginger was watering and rousted a baby toad from it's niche under the pot trellis (remember the yellow pot trellis?). So on Wednesday when she went out to water, she instructed me to follow her and told me where to stand and proceeded to water.

Sure enough after just a few sprinkles this little green toad hops out from under these plants and is sitting on some ground cover. It was small but had not residual tail. I would estimate it's length at about 1 1/4 inches from head to rump. Just a little miniature toad.

I even had my camera with me. I am sorry to report that I was only able to get three shots of the toad before it disappeared into the plants. The pictures were blurry to the point that you wouldn't know it was a toad or a green rock.

The next time Ginger waters I will assume my toad observation post and try again.

Stay tuned 'O loyal followers....

Feed me!! Cheep - Cheep

I have 3 birdhouses along the back fence.  I've mentioned them a few times but pretty much they are just there.  On Tuesday morning I was in the yard when I hear the sound of baby birds vie for the attention of the mommy bird.  This must be the third or fourth batch of birds hatched this season in this one birdhouse.  From the looks of the mother she might have been born in the first batch as she looked hardly mature enough to have hatched eggs.

As I watched the mother approach the birdhouse I noted she was carrying a green insect of some type in her  mouth.  Ever so cautious she alit on the branch of a nearby tree.  Looked around and up and down and then looked some more.  After about a minute she moved to the fence below the birdhouse and again she looks around.  Ever so cautious.  Then she moves along the fence to another spot and looks some more.  Geez, that bug is going to dry out and turn to dust before she feeds her babies.  Finally after about 4 or 5 minutes from when I saw her in the tree she flew up to the nest, landing on the perch that sticks out below the entrance hole.

Once again she is looking around with the bug securely in her beak.  Now the little baby birdies can see her and are going crazy with their cheeping and, maybe, the first inkling of a chirp every now and then. 

To my surprise, she starts feeding the insect to the babies via the air-vent above the entrance hole.  I could make out the mouths and eye circles of a couple of babies.  Mama finally released the insect and the babies disappeared to fight over the delicacy.  Mom was off in search of more food... I wonder where Daddy bird was hang'n.

Baby birds are cool to have in your yard.

A New Pond Plant Container

With Joe still missing and the loss of so many of the toadpoles, things are a bit slow out back.  We are, however, still smile'n about that crazy squirrel.  The hummers are still very active and drinking the sweet water like there was no tomorrow.

I was wondering around the yard and spotted a cinder block.  This thing was left over from the initial pond construction days.  Just what does one do with extra cinder blocks? 

I decided I would make a plant container for the pond.  It turns out the cinder blocks are great for this as they aren't prone to break or melt and definitely don't float away.

  I got some landscape fabric and cut a couple of pieces to fit the bottom of the block.  This covered the holes and would hold the dirt in while also letting water in.  I glued the fabric to the block and broke out the paint.

Today I installed what used to be a cinder block but is now a planter in the pond.  Of course it will be up to Ginger to plant something in the thing.

Like I said, things are slow around here.

A Lone Survivor?

 Ginger was watering plants Tuesday afternoon and noticed a very small toad trying to escape the stream of water.  It had been sitting on some ground cover.  She came and got me.  I grabbed my camera and headed out to the backyard but the little guy had disappeared.  I've looked a couple of times since then but so far haven't found him.  I want to document this LIVE one with a picture.

It seems to me that if one survived there is a good possibility that there are more. Ginger said it was pretty small so a whole plethora of 'em could easily be missed if your not looking at 'em.

While looking for the ex-toadpole I noticed an ant hauling a spider over the rocks.  Then there was the little black bug zooming in and out of the rocks.  I also saw a wasp like insect that was purple... kinda pretty.  It would appear there are things going on in the mini world that I don't notice very often. 

When I lived in Texas (1995 - 2004) we had a bunch of tropical creatures living around us.  One of my favorites was the little green Anole.  This little lizard reminded me of one of those little dogs that thinks it's a bull-mastiff or something.  They were pretty brave and would take on bugs that I thought were too big for them to eat.  One day I set a bucket next to the garden and just watched.  Pretty soon I noticed an Anole here and another there.  Actually there were a whole bunch of them but for some reason you have to sit and watch before they are visible.  They were eat'n insects left and right.  I couldn't believe the amount they ate.  I hope these toads are just as ravenous and successful in finding food.

Your probably not surprised the squirrel has not returned.  I'm not.  Also interesting is we haven't see the gang of hummers that were here on Monday.  Just passing through I guess.

Some good news on the toad front.  Woody's live!!!!

Humming Birds with Attitudes

Hummers, like dynamite, TNT and C-4 are explosive and come in small packages... all packages of this gender require respect and care or bad things happen.  The squirrel in our yard this afternoon obviously missed this part of the lesson when attending suburban squirrel etiquette class.

Here's the story... Outside our back door is a patio.  It's a pretty big slab of concrete and part of it is covered.  Under the covered part I have a wooden box about 5 feet long by 2.5 feet wide and about 4 feet high.  Also in the covered part we have a hummer feeder hanging from the eves.

This squirrel comes running toward the wood box and skids to a stop just before crashing into it.  Hot on it's heels is a hummer.  The hummer is darting in and out... obviously pissed at the squirrel.  The squirrel is backed against the box and finally crawls under the box.  The hummer continues to dart around looking for the squirrel.  After a short time the hummer abandons the search and moves on.

The squirrel, apparently feeling brave, jumps on top of the box and is looking around.  The hummer spied him and zooms in, pressing the attack.  The squirrel is intimidated by the little hummer and again seeks refuge under the box.  The hummer takes a graceful exit moments later.

Enter this 'ol phart.  I don't want that squirrel around my storage box as that's where I store my birdseed.  Squirrels like birdseed.  I had visions of the squirrel chewing it's way into the box and doing what squirrels do when in a box full of birdseed.

So I decided I wanted to scare the squirrel away.  It says in the latest book about scaring squirrels away that you have to be careful that they don't bite your toe when they panic because you scare the bejesus out of them.  So armed with a rake and my normal amount of testosterone I approached the box.  Heart beat about 140.  Perspiration abundant.  I'm wearing clean underwear just in case we have to call 911.  I approach the box.

Would you believe that little hummer is still guarding the box!  No, the hummer didn't attack me but it was hang'n around. 

I pounded on the box in hopes of scaring the squirrel out the back side.  No movement.  So I moved to the open side and slid the box out from the wall.  After I moved it about a foot the squirrel made a run for it. 

I remember the first time my dog got zapped by an electric fence.  This was many years ago.  When that happened the poor creature cried out and jumped at the same time.  When he landed his legs were already churning and his tail was tucked between his hind legs so far it was pointing in the direction of flight.

That's kinda how it was with this squirrel only the tail wouldn't point in the direction of flight.  But the little guy was move'n out.  The squirrel ran toward the pond, didn't take the bridge and didn't slow down when it got to the water.  A mighty leap toward the other side.  A splash.  It didn't make it.  A short, frantic swim.  It was out.  It's tail no longer fluffy, just wet and clingy.  The last I saw of the scared squirrel was it haul'n his little behind in a northerly direction.

Wow!  That was funny and I didn't even lose any blood in the encounter.

Algae Lives for July and August

The summer heat is upon us like it was July or August.  I remember one 110 degree plus day in Las Vegas when I was riding with my nephew in his beat-up 'ol station wagon.  His AC didn't work... in fact there were a lot of things in that car that didn't work.  Anyway, it was hot and there was no AC and I said to my nephew, "How can you stand driving around in this heat without AC?"  His reply, "Uncle Jimmy, it can only get so hot and then that's all it is... just hot.  It doesn't make any difference if it's 105 or 115 it's just HOT.  So I don't worry about it." 

So I guess it's just HOT here in river city.  I worried about it a few years but nothing changed so I don't worry about it.  That's how it is around her in July and August.

The heat and sun (they do go together don't they) have warmed the pond to the point were the algae has turned the water a dark color.  In addition, the string algae is growing like weeds.  We see this every year for about 6 or 8 weeks,some years worse than others, and then it starts to cool and the days get a bit shorter.  Then the water starts to clear until next July/August.

I guess the water isn't good enough to keep the Woody's around.  I reported they were here 3 nights in a row and then appeared to have left.  I was wrong.  They were back a couple of times but didn't stay long.  I would hear them sing a short song and then all was quiet.

I had hopes for another batch of toadlets but I realize that is probably not going to happen.  It's just too late in the year to start a toad family.  So I'll hold out for the off chance that Joe will bless us with an August return.

In the meantime I'm taking it slow and venturing out only when the temperature is below about 95... unless my wife makes me go outside for something.

We're UP ~ We're Down ~ Woody's Gone

The Woody's were here long enough to give me hope and get me out of the funk of losing all the toadlet's.  They stayed around for 3 nights.  There were at least two of them sing'n their tunes but we never saw them.  The pond has been silent the last couple of nights so I think they have moved on.  It is late in the season to be making toadpoles.

Still no sign of Joe.  To alleviate some of the sudden withdrawal from seeing Joe every day, on Wednesday,  Ginger and I, lead by our Granddaughter, headed out to the Botanical Gardens.  They have a really nice pond with lots of fish, lilly pads, anacharis grass and bull frogs.  They even have a turtle.  The turtle was pretty shy and took a dive when we arrived and never exposed itself enough for us to identify it.

The bullfrogs were different looking than Joe.  Joe was darker and the pattern on Joe's skin was not as pronounced as the frogs we observed on Wednesday.  They were of good size but not as big as Joe.  I first thought they might be green frogs but I'm now pretty sure they were bullfrogs.  I regret I didn't take my camera.  I did consider grab'n one and bringing it home with me but fought that urge.  Didn't want to go to jail for frog-napping.

In Joe's absence the birds are having a grand time playing in the waterfalls and hang'n next to the water.  The daytime temperatures are nearing 100 now and I think the birds like the refreshment of taking a quick bath.

The Humming Birds have been visiting the sweet water more often.  In years past that usually happens when they prepare to migrate south for the winter.  We have also noted that some of our plants are getting tinges of fall colors.  All this is too early we think so have to assume it will be an early winter.  It certainly has been a wet spring and summer.

That's what's going on in pondville.  Nothing exciting... sometimes things just go like that.

Fake Rock ~ Moving Along

I know all you Frog Blog Readers are on pins and needles waiting to hear the latest on the Fake Rock Camouflage Exercise. Here is the latest.

Saturday morning I mixed more mortar and started slapping it to the lathe. You know, the more I do this the easier it gets. There is a knack to putting down the mortar.  It seems you "throw" the "mud" versus placing it and it goes along much easier.

Anyway, I put down the mortar, pressed more rocks into it and then the small gravel into that and stepped away from the platform.

I still have to hide the edges of the platform. Then find some appropriate rocks to place around the platform to, hopefully, blend in with the fake rock. Once complete it will only appear to be a fake rock if you look at it.

Can anyone define a "chunkini?"

Did You Hear That?

I'm excited! Last night about 10 I was shutting down the 'ol 'puter when I heard the call of the Woodhouse's Toad. I couldn't believe my ears. I had to open the window and wait for another call just to confirm. Yessiree, that was a Woody.

Maybe... just maybe they will get together and create Batch IV. No guarantees of course but at least half of the equation was calling out last night.

So this morning I gathered my string algae rake and cleaned the pond as best I could. Not taking a chance on using algae eradication chemicals. I'll rely on the old fashioned methods until we know if the Woody's are here to procreate.

Yesterday we also had what my grandfather would have called a "Toad Strangler" rain. The picture is of the detention area next to my house and the road beyond. The water is muddy because they are developing a new neighborhood up the hill from my place.

As you can see it was coming down pretty good. Then about 4 hours later I heard the Woody. Do you think the rain chased it out of it's home? I don't hear them in the detention area at night.

What ever the reason the Woodhouse's Toad was sing'n it's song last night. You can bet I'll be listening tonight.

There is hope!

Fake Rock - Slow Progress

I guess this rock thing isn't that high on my priority list. Just because I have to kneel on my knees, work one handed, sweat streaming into my eyes and those damned gnats crawling on my face and in ears. Drives me crazy!

I did, however, get started with the mortar. I mixed some up Friday morning and started to apply it to the lathe. Squish it into the lathe, build up the thickness of the mortar, lay rocks on top and squish them in to the mortar. Then, in an effort to be thorough I add some small gravel. Small being about a quarter inch.  My hope is to cover the areas between the rocks.

I haven't finished with the mortar and rocks. I only did about half and then quit because I ran out of mortar (mixed mortar that is) and was sweat'n like I had been working.

It looks good now but the test will be when I tilt the base up so I can access the mechanics.  That's when my work demonstrated it's flaws last time around.  If you recall, most of the mortar and rock slid onto the ground.

Saturday will be a new day and I hope to finish this portion of the project.

Fake Rock ~ No Progress

On Wednesday before discovering the demise of all the toadlets I reattached the particle board with fake rock and lathe to it's designated position. Not earth shaking news.

I had planned to mix-up some mortar and get that going but was interrupted by being called to take the granddaughter to her tennis lesson. That was interesting as this was her last lesson and my first time to see the goings on. They had a good time especially when they substituted water balloons for tennis balls.

By the time we got home it was too hot to work on the fake rock so I gave that up until Thursday. Heck, why do today what you can put off till tomorrow?

So Thursday came. I didn't do anything with the pond or fake rock. I think I'm a little down because of the toadlet fiasco. Guess I'll go drown my sorrows in diet Pepsi... it must be Pepsi time somewhere.

The weather is HOT now and if I don't get going early enough in the morning I'm just not going to get going. When it's this hot I don't do much after about 10 or 10:30.

Maybe tomorrow I'll get going on the fake rock. One smart SOB once said: "Why do today what you can put off till tomorrow!"

The Toadlet Season is Over!

All the toadlets in the pond are dead!

On Monday afternoon I noticed that I didn't see any toadlets, toadpoles, polliwogs... none of the batch II or III Woodhouse's Toads hatchling.  As noted in my July 2nd post I haven't see any batch I toadlets either.

On Wednesday afternoon my granddaughter and I started searching in earnest for any toadlet.  We found one laying on some string algae.  Confirmed it was a toadlet and was dead by netting the poor creature.

We then moved our search to the skimmer pond.  Just a few days ago there were many hundreds of the little guys scarfing the algae from the walls of the pond.  I took the net and started to stir the water in the pond.  Soon a few little toadlet bodies were brought to the surface by the current.  I netted a dozen or so.  All dead.

Later my granddaughter saw a couple of the batch I toadlets in the Bio-falls.  These were also dead.  I took one out to get a picture. 

The batch I guys were pretty big.  I would estimate a little over 1 inch in length.  As you can see in the pictures their legs (gams) were quite developed.  I was surprised their tails were still so long. 

We only found 4 of the batch I toadlets so I would like to think these might be late bloomers, so to speak, and their sibling have actually moved out of the pond. 

Besides the dead toadlets we also noted a number of dead snails.

We don't know what caused this pond catastrophe.  In our discussions we talked about the possibility of the pond oxygen being depleted but we don't know what would cause that to happen.  Possibly something to do with water temperature and algae?  We just don't know.

We have considered that possibly something from all the fireworks on the 4th may have settled into the pond.  We don't think that likely but I suppose possible.

We have also thought about someone maybe spraying a tree, bushes or weeds and the poison getting into the pond.  This seems more likely to me. 

We don't know if this somehow ties in with Joe's disappearance.  There is a whole lot we don't know.  But Joe has been gone for a long time and these toadlets died just a couple of days ago.

Answers to this mystery I don't expect to find.

With feelings of melancholy we close the story on this years toadlets.

Fake Rock ~ Round 2

On Tuesday I removed the particle board base for the fake rock... or is it faux rock?.... I removed the fake rock from the particle board. In fact, I trashed the particle board because I got mad at it.

So I had to cut a new base for the fake rock. Any guesses on what the new base is made of... yep, you guessed it, particle board. Lets just say we're starting off with a clean slate... so to speak.

I drilled holes for the hinge attachment using the old board as a template.  I covered the board with wire lathe which is a metal mesh held onto the base (particle board) with a gazillion screws.  The lathe will hold the mortar.  On top of the lathe I secured the fake rock. 

That's all I did Tuesday. 

More work to do on Wednesday with mortar and rock and screws then I will update this fascinating blog so y'all can just follow along with me.

I just can't believe how exciting this is... can you feel it?

I Ain't Sing'n No Swan Song For Joe... Yet

My daughter, Janine, asked me about importing turtles to my pond.  A fortuitous question as I had looked into just that possibility this past weekend.  I like turtles.  I would like to have them in my pond. 

Years ago, way back in about 1970 I lived in San Jose, California.  In our backyard we had a bunch of ivy growing around the edge of the yard and then a small amount of grass.  The whole thing was maybe 20' X 20'.  One day a small Red Eared Slider showed up in our backyard.  It was small and seemed happy there so we fed it here and there but mostly left it alone.  In the late fall it disappeared and was back in the spring.  The little guy grew rapidly and over the course of a couple of seasons it had more than doubled in size.  Not a lot of bother but fun to have around.  When we moved from there to Colorado he stayed with the back yard.

So I was considering getting one or two of these critters and introducing them to the pond.  I started reading about them.  The only negative thing I found about owning a Red Eared Slider is they tend to wander.  If you don't have a fence to keep them in you can expect them to leave. 

They also need water and they need to be able to get out of the water.  They enjoy basking in the sun.  In the winter they hibernate and will bury themselves in dirt at the bottom of the pond.  In fact, if you don't have dirt you should provide it, possibly by putting clay kitty litter and sand in a plastic tub and submerging it in your pond.  Kinda like a bed.  Goodnight John Boy.  Goodnight Mary Ellen.

They, like bull frogs, breath through their skin during the winter hibernation.  Once the water temperature gets into the middle to low 50's they should not be fed and will start slowing down until they start hibernating.

All this is well and good and I would actually get a few except for the wandering business.  I have no interest in putting up short fencing around my pond.  The pond is too big.  It would look crappy.  It isn't going to happen.

So I was thinking about Joe and the similarities between her and turtles.  Then I remembered that last year, in fact it's less than a year, it was August actually, when Joe showed up in the pond.  Yep, go look at the first blog post, August 14, 2008.  With this in mind and my optimistic outlook, I'm going to keep the door open for Joe to return. 

I've mentioned the Swan Song a few times now so I'll tell you the short version of the story:
The phrase "swan song" is a reference to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan is completely mute during its lifetime until the moment just before it dies, when it sings one beautiful song.

The well-known Orlando Gibbons-Madrigal (The Silver Swan) states the legend thus:

The silver Swan, who living had no Note,
when Death approached, unlocked her silent throat.
Leaning her breast against the reedy shore,
thus sang her first and last, and sang no more:
"Farewell, all joys! O Death, come close mine eyes!
"More Geese than Swans now live, more Fools than Wise."

Fake Rock Ahead 1 to 0

What could be so hard? I just want to cover the 3/4 inch particle board with some rocks. Rocks that will stay when the particle board is tipped 90 degrees

Since the fake rock comes with holes to screw/nail/stake through it was pretty much a no brainer to attach it to the particle board. Attaching the rocks is another matter.

My first try and so far my only try was to mix up some thin-set mortar, slop that on, pile rocks on top and squish them into the mortar. I figured it was going to work pretty good as a bunch of the thin-set actually stuck to the plastic bucket I mixed it in so I though surely it would stick to the particle board. WRONG!

I allowed the thin-set to dry for 2 days and then lifted the cover. The thin-set and rock combination just slid off the board like it was Teflon. Maybe I should have used the yucky pucky as I originally planned.

Not to be undaunted I will go to the store and purchase some wire lathe. I'll attach that to the particle board and then apply thin-set or maybe just regular mortar, pile on the rocks and see what happens. I ain't scared!

For an exciting outing on the 4th of July Ginger and I stopped by the rock yard. It was closed but we walked around the place. We saw some huge granite boulders that would look wonderful in our yard but you would need a crane, a front loader and 6 burley guys to move something like that. But we did have a grand time just seeing the various rocks. Man oh man, it was a great day.

If anyone has and suggestions on camouflaging the fake rock please post them in the comments section.

Should We Sing the Swan Song for Joe?

Thursday last, about 10 AM, marked 1 week that Joe has been missing.  I've searched the ponds for submerged bodies... nothing.  I checked the skimmer... just some leaves and some alien looking insects.  I've walked the backyard from low to high... nothing.  I even laid down on the bridge, schooched myself over the edge so I could see under and saw nothing.  That could have been because when I got my head up-side-down my glasses fell off... had to fish them out of the pond.  No sign of our heroine.  I guess I might as well step up to the obvious.

I'm backing away from the supernatural.  Pushing back from the devil worshipers.  Embracing the tried and true ways of Mother Nature. 

Maybe the dead bird was really a piece of mulch blown against the fence.   The toadlets lifeless bodies floating toward the skimmer were probably casualties of the pump/pipe/waterfall ride.  The first batch of toadpoles probably did get their land legs and move on.  And Joe... well, Joe was so fat she couldn't hop more than a foot or so.  She was a glutton. She preyed on those cute little poop machines we call sparrows and finches which didn't endear her to many be they human animals or regular animals (I think that's the technical term). 

So Joe is gone.  Maybe she is dead.  Maybe a victim of a B-52 fly-by (still dead if this is the case).  Maybe called by Mother Nature to fulfill her calling and become a mother and, to that end, living with some rich bullfrog in the storm drain. We will never know.  We just know she is gone.  It was very interesting... very.

Who will now rise above normalcy?  What typical creature will become atypical?  Will another unique creature fill the void and become the next hero/heroine of my backyard?  Will we have to rename Joe's Pond and Joe's Station?

Hey, Mama N. bring 'em on!

4th of July

Happy 4th of July

Please remember why we celebrate the 4th of July.
Information about the United States Flag.

More Disappearances From the Pond

• Anomaly is defined as:  Deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule.
• Omen is defined as: A phenomenon supposed to portend good or evil; a prophetic sign.

I actually do have a friend.  Well, actually I have a number of friends.  The friend I'm writing about is who I call "Over the Hill Teri."  It isn't that she is superannuated, it's that she lives over the hill from me.  Anyway, Over the Hill Teri emailed me and asked when I was going to post some pictures of the toadlets gams.  I thought for a long time about some smarty-pants response.  At the end of this "long time" I gave it up and went in search of toadlets with gams.

The short story goes like this: Do you see a picture of toadlets with gams? 

The longer story is: I grabbed my camera and net and set about the hunt.  Remembering how easy they were to spook when I tried to catch one just 10 days ago I was careful to approach the pond so no shadows would darken their path.

I closed in on the pond via the Mulberry Tree.  Peeking around the edge of the tree, ignoring the mosquitoes that love my body, I searched for the dark shapes resting on rocks.  Hmmmm, just little toadlets from Batch II or III.  So with the utmost care I moved toward the skimmer pond.  Nothing but more of the Batch III or II guys.

I gave up on the stealth and just started looking for a good sized toadlet.

There are no Batch I toadlets in the pond!

Having been recently spooked just by rehashing old bejesus sucking movies like The Exorcist and Omen and considering the events leading to these revelations, I now add the disappearance of the Batch I toadlets!

So is this an Anomaly?  Is this an Omen?  Did you bring your dog inside to sleep in your bedroom last night?  I know, I know... you probably think these little creatures actually grew legs, developed lungs, and began their trek for a better life... a natural thing you might say. 

Maybe your right but it seems pretty odd to this 'Ol Blogger.  A disappearing dead bird.  Joe disappears.  Toadlets dead and on their way to the skimmer.  Now, not just one or two toadlets disappear... the whole batch is gone! 

 I'm sorry Over the Hill Teri.  I couldn't find any toadlets with gams.  I'll watch closely with Batch II/III to end the speculation about what is going on in my backyard be it Omen (the evil kind) or Anomaly or none of that nonsense.... unless whatever it is takes me too...

Did I tell you I was going to name my dog Whoohoo?  Of course...

Can You Find the Fake Rock?

The cloud of doom and melancholy continues to shade the frog-less pond.  Still no clues to Joe's current status.  Be she frolicking in a new pond with tastier birds or flattened on the highway we will never know.  My optimism is just about depleted.  I find myself looking every time I pass the window.... looking for Joe.  The effort is for naught.  But... maybe, just maybe, tomorrow she will find her way back home.  I haven't given up completely... yet.

Not missing Joe in the least are the birds.  They are bathing and fluttering in the waterfalls.  They love their new birdseed and have invited their friends and neighbors over for breakfast.  I've started spreading the seed around the yard.  I put some on different rocks and on the patio.  The birds don't disappoint and spread out to eat it all.  It's still a circus with high flying acts, clowns, gymnastic stunts and just good overall entertainment.

On a positive not there were not sightings of lifeless toadlets on their way to the skimmer or any deceased birds.  No rottweilers or little boys in suits either... whew.

In an effort to move along without Joe in my life I've taken on another pond project.  I've decided that I need to cover or camouflage some of the mechanical stuff by the skimmer.  The challenge here is I need access to this area but I don't want to see it.

To this end I decided to cover it with a plywood board and a fake rock.  Currently it's not very camouflaged me thinks.  On the other hand I have more to do.

I plan to paint the exposed plywood black.  Use some of the Yucky Pucky that I used to build the new waterfalls to attach some gravel to the plywood.  Then I'll add some rocks around the plywood base to breakup the outline.

I think that it will work out OK.

I've attached the plywood with a couple of hinges to a 6X6 pressure treated post.  It is secured to the ground with 3 foot re-bar.  It seems very secure and I don't think it is going to blow away.

It seems like it would be a good place to hide a stash of something.  I laugh because at my age I don't have a stash and I don't have anything that needs hiding.  Maybe when I win the lottery...

An Omen?

Back in 1973 a movie came out that scared the bejesus out of me... The Exorcist.  I went with a friend to see the show and that night, when I went to bed, I heard sounds in the attic and the basement.  Every time the house creaked I freaked.  I knew it was silly to be scared... geez, it was only a movie.  I wanted my friend by my side but that wasn't happening.  The damn (pun intended) movie wasn't real for crying out loud.  So I went outside and got my dog and made him sleep in my bedroom.  That helped.

Then, in 1976, the first of the Omen series had it's debut.  Yep, all the accumulated bejesus, 3 years of it, was again scared out of me.  Since seeing this show I've avoided rottweilers and young boys in suits.    I've avoided them like the plague.

The Poltergeist series were not so bad but I think I'm more of an E.T. kinda guy.  I did enjoy John Denver and George Burns in Oh, God.  George Burns was much nicer than the unseen devil that was invading Regan (played by Linda Blair) in the Exorcist.

But I didn't bring all this up just so everyone would know what a scaredy-cat I was and that I had lost all my bejesus twice over movies.  I brought this up because I'm starting to see a trend in my back yard.  Maybe it's an OMEN.  As you now know OMEN's are very scary.

I didn't write about it but last week Ginger found a dead bird next to the fence in the back yard.  She told me about it and a few hours later I went out to "dispose" of the creature lest my granddaughter find it.  Not that she would be shocked or anything like that... it's just that if she found it we would have to have another funeral and burial.  I searched for the bird but it was gone.  Ginger came out and searched.  It was still gone.

Then Joe disappeared last Thursday.  She hasn't been seen for 6 days now. 

Then just yesterday on two different occasions a dead toadlet was seen floating slowly toward the skimmer.  It's easy to assume the toadlets were killed taking their joy ride through the pump impeller followed by the water pipe and the big finale of the waterfalls.  I made just that assumption when I first saw the deceased toadlets.

But now that I consider all the events together I may have stumbled on a demonic plot.  Maybe my dopey neighbors are conjuring up spirits.  Maybe my house was built on a long abandoned Boot Hill or Indian Burial Ground.

Whatever the case, that bird was dead and then vanished.  Joe hasn't been seen lately.  Dead toadlets have been observed floating in the pond.  Even the rescued toad has not been seen for 3 days!

Go ahead and laugh.  When you go to bed tonight take a moment and listen.  Do you hear that?  I think it's coming from the attic?  What the hell is that?  I hope you have a dog...

Joe is MIA AGAIN!!!

On Thursday morning Joe was sunning herself in the Bridge Pond. I took that opportunity to introduce Joe to the lady who cleans our house. I don't think either one of them were impressed.

It must have pissed Joe off that I was bringing a strange woman around because I haven't seen Joe since then.

Of course she has done this in the past...Joe, not the cleaning woman... just a few weeks ago was the last time. I'm still holding out that she will return but as more and more time passes more and more of my optimism leaks out of my belly button leaving what looks like a snail trail. Not pretty... not pretty at all.

In the mean time I did capture a Batch I toadpole and inspected it's rear for legs. Yep, they be grow'n. Probably about 1/8th of an inch now. Still looks like a thin straight tube growing from right next to the tail. No sign of feet yet... or knees for that matter. These little guys have become very paranoid in their old age.. what, maybe 6, 7 weeks? They are getting hard to catch.

We also started using the "NEW" and cheaper bird seed this morning. The birdies seemed to love it. I hope it stays that way as it's cheaper than what we were using.

That's the news direct from my backyard.

Nice Gams Woodlet!

Woodhouse Toadlet Update:
The oldest toadpoles or pollywog's or toadlets or, my new term, woodlets are developing legs.  I caught a few this afternoon and, upon close inspection, find there are little nubs sticking out from each side of their tails.  I believe these to be future legs.

Toadlet batches II and III have moved to every pond.  There are literally thousands of them.  Easily 2000 but probably 3 to 4 thousand.  You can't tell any difference between the batches as they are all pretty much the same size. Two days doesn't make much difference after a week or so.

I was looking at the Bio Container at the top of the ponds.  This is where the first waterfall originates.  The little Woodlets were popping up from their thrill ride through the pump and water pipe so they can take the plunge over the falls.  I was seeing probably two dozen every minute appear and then almost immediately take the waterfall ride.  There were a few that had found safe refuge in the mesh bags of rocks kept in the Bio Container to help grow beneficial bacteria.

Rescued Toad Still Here:
That male toad that I rescued from the skimmer on Wednesday of last week is still hanging around. He has remained in his burrow most of the time. Yesterday he was sleeping on his right side. That looked odd. Usually he has his legs folded up next to his body, his fore legs or arms (if you will) are also tucked in close.

Every now and then he disappears but always has found his way back to the burrow sooner or later.

There has been no sight or sound of any of the other Woodhouse's Toads.

Joe Update:
Joe must have found a new safe haven.  I'm pretty sure she still hangs out under the bridge but no one can find her when she goes under there.  We have looked high and low but her safe haven is safe from our prying eyes. 

This afternoon she was out sunning herself in the Bridge Pond.  She pulls up to the edge of the pond with her back to the sun and just sits there.  I took a pretty good look at her and she is fat.  Compared to what she looked like when she arrived this spring she is immense.  Sorry no picture.

I'm think'n Joe has a pretty sweet life in my pond. 

Summer Solstice & Fathers Day

Summer Solstice & Fathers Day on the same day. The solstice is celebrated all over the place. In many circles it is considered a "pagan" holiday. I don't know about that but for the folks living at the greater longitude like Alaska and Siberia and points north will experience very long days and short nights. Now the days will begin to get shorter until we reach the winter solstice in December. This 'ol world just keeps rock'n along.

I've decided the best thing that a father can get for Fathers Day is a hug or an "I love you," or both from any of his kids or grand kids. Don't need that new tool or BBQ or computer game. Just a hug. Just an "I love you." What could be better than that?

Not a lot of news in the frog, toad or pond arena. Joe was hunting this morning and did get breakfast. I have slowed my reporting of her hunting successes as it can get redundant. She has perfected her hunting style and pretty much does the same thing. It's when she misses that it gets interesting and sometimes comical.

The drama is still there but your ever so humble author isn't talented enough to relate that drama to this blog.

So happy Fathers Day to all you Dad's out there. I hope you get your love hug. May the sun shine on you and warm your spirit.

New Pump Working ~ Joe on Vacation?

My pond guy said I would have the new pump on Friday. He was correct. I just love it when things go like you planned.  Thank you Lilly Pad ~

Friday morning I gave the skimmer pond the last once-over to remove what remained of the black stinky goo that had settled on the bottom over the past couple of years. Nasty job.  I'm still Thor.  After removing my bucket and tools I opened the 3/4 inch filler pipe and let the water run. It took almost 4 hours to fill the pond.

The picture on the left is the deepest part of the skimmer pond. To the right of the bucket is the 10,000 GPH pump and plumbing. To clean it I shoveled out most of the rocks and underlying crud. Then I added water until the pump was submerged and ran the pump. Add water (that stirred up the crud I couldn't shovel) and run the pump. Repeat as required.

Once the shoveling and hauling and water pumping was complete it was just a matter of filling the pond, installing the new pump in the skimmer and watching the water flow again.

One interesting event happened while I was cleaning in the Skimmer Pond. Mama Mallard and Daddy Duck were coming in for a landing while I was cleaning the deep end of the pond.  I stood up. I guess it scared them because I heard all the flapping and looked up to see them aborting the landing and heading out at top speed. Kinda funny.

The new pump, like the old pump, sits on the bottom of the skimmer. Here is a picture of the skimmer with everything removed. The pump connects to the white PVC pipe. Just above that is the 3/4 inch filler pipe and that little black thing on the lower left is the overflow. At the top of the picture is the hole where the water enters the skimmer. Not shown is the skimmer basket and filter mat.

Probably a bit too much info here.

The toadpoles didn't mind the pump being out of commission and took advantage to rest on rocks and soak up the warm rays. 

It was probably a rude awakening for them when the water started to flow as some immediately got washed over the falls at Joe's Station and became the first inhabitants of the Skimmer Pond in it's new pristine condition. Of course the pristine conditions lasted about 3 minutes as the "seasoned" water flowed into the pond.

In the meantime I've lost Joe. Well, I didn't lose her it's just that I can't find her. The last I saw of her she was under the bridge recuperating from her ordeal of being trapped in the Skimmer Pond. I couldn't find her on Thursday afternoon and she was not to be seen at all on Friday. Maybe she went to visit a cousin or uncle in Schenectady.

I'm having flash-backs of last year when I drained the Bridge Pond and Joe was gone until this spring. Hopefully she will hear the sounds of the waterfalls and return home.

The pictures to the left are the oldest toadpoles. These guys are now about 1/2 inch wide and 1 1/2 inches long. Considering they were only about 1/8th of an inch long a month ago speaks well of them doing their current job... growing.

Joe Update: When I went out Saturday morning to feed the birds I looked high and low for Joe.  Nothing.  Then, as I sat at my station having my morning java fix, these two eyes appear at Humpty Dumpty Falls.  IT'S JOE!  Whew, I'm glad she is back... I wonder where she was. Our gain and Schenectady's loss.... of course the birds don't see it that way.