Snow and Cold

Eight to ten inch after three days snowfall.  Very cold today.  Not usual February for This part of country.  Some photos.

January Wet - Pond Levels Good

Red-Legged Frog Eggs.  First seen 01/08/18

Stream Flow 01/15/18

Snow, Freezing and Frog Eggs





First frog eggs, then snow and freeze followed by thaw and eggs again.  

 

First red-legged frog eggs of the year on Feb. 2

 

 

Very cold. Pond frozen on Feb. 4

 

 

Then 10" snow fell on Feb. 8 with temperature in the teens and twenty's.

Warmer. Pond thawing on Feb. 12

 

 

Warmer still. Pond thawed on Feb. 15

Red-legged frog egg clusters appear again on Feb. 15.

January Photos

Winter unusually dry.  Red-Legged frog activity picking up...increased sightings and calling.   Eggs should appear in several weeks.

Mountain Views

 

 

Fall Pictures Update

 

 

 

Summer Update

It has been a hot, dry summer.  The pond vegetation has grown more aggressively than usual and the new growth is welcomed since vegetation is important for balance.  There were fewer dragonflies in number and species this year. Not sure what is causing the reduced numbers.  Many red-legged frog eggs appeared early followed by many tadpoles, however, fewer mature frogs than in the past were seen.  Chorus frogs were almost non-existent.   The general pond health seems very good based on vegetation, fish life and water quality measurements.  In this respect the goal of creating a naturally balanced pond seems to have been achieved five years since creation of pond (see "Pond History" and "About mountain Top Pond" above).

Photo Update

Cardinal Meadow Hawk Dragonfly

Common Whitetail Dragonfly

Pickerelweed
Pontederia cordata L. 

Narrowleaf Bur-Reed
Sparganium angustifolium Michx.



Spatterdock
Nuphar polysepala



April Rainbow

Trillium in Bloom

Nothwest native Trillium Ovatum in bloom.

 

 

Lots of Frog Action

Many northern red-legged frogs (Rana aurora) this year. Since first egg cluster sighting on Feb. 8 many more clusters and lots of mating and calling action. More frogs than normal sighted this year. Attests to good habitat development.

Mating collection.  Not seen before on pond.

 

Red-Legged Frog egg clusters

First Red-Legged Frog Eggs For The Season





First Red-Legged Frog eggs for the year today.  Many frogs at the pond, lots of calling.  Weather dry for the year so far. Warm and mild today and for last couple weeks.

 

Very cold and dry.

So far 2013 has been cold and dry after a warm, very wet December.