Podcasts about spring peepers

Mary Stone shares the delight of Wood Frogs arriving in her pond and singing their mating calls. Previously, Bullfrogs and Spring Peepers were the only frog residences. Mary highlights the role of frogs and toads in pest control and as indicators of environmental health. She recalls her Frog Watch USA training, a simple way listeners can help count species in their neck of the woods to help save our wetlands. She wraps ups with a personal story about interning her friend Gene Martin's ashes in West Virginia, reflecting on the beauty of the journey and the joy and significance of being present in nature.Thank you for tuning in. Related Episodes, Posts, and Helpful Links:Wood Frogs Sing for Spring - Blog Post with stunning photos by Blaine RothauserEp 131. Ponds vs. Lakes and Vernal PoolsEp 30. Attracting Toads, Frog Watch USAAttracting Toads to Your Garden - Blog PostNJ Division of Fish & Wildlife PDF about Wood Frogs and Online Field Guide for Reptiles and AmphibiansPrevious Story about my friend Gene MartinEp 120. Blessing Moth & Bottle TreesA Magical Blessing Moth – Blog Post 8888I'd love to hear your garden and nature stories and your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com.You can Follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook and Instagram #MaryElaineStone.Episode web page —Garden Dilemmas Podcast PageThank you for sharing the Garden of Life,Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer                                        AskMaryStone.comMore about the Podcast and Column: Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.comDirect Link to Podcast Page

Producer/Host: Anu Dudley About the host: Rev. Dr. Anu Dudley is an ordained Pagan minister and a retired history professor. She continues to teach classes, including the three-year ordination curriculum at the Temple of the Feminine Divine, and others such as History of the Goddess, Paganism 101, Ethical Magic, and Introduction to the Runes. Currently she is writing a book about how to cast the runes using their original Goddess meanings. She lives in the woods off-grid in a small homesteading community in Central Maine. The post Earthwise 4/13/24: Spring Peepers first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

I grew up in a swampy rural area where Spring Peeper frog calls were a prominent and peaceful sound of early spring. Their peeping starts at just about my childhood bedtime. For a blissful few weeks in March or April I'd fall asleep to their persistent drone. This delicate whistle-like call is one of my favorite sounds on earth. Recorded by Neal Johnson. Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/ IMAGE: Peter Paplanus, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

"I wanted to make a piece comprised of smooth shifts with the occasional lift/twist to tickle the ear... I took the original bird sound source and gave it a slowly undulating base/bass to emerge from and be absorbed back into." Spring Peepers reimagined by Suzi Lamb.  Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/ IMAGE: Peter Paplanus, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Spring peepers (chorus frogs) in full chorus shortly after sunset in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Michigan, USA. The persistent, lush and mesmerizing symphony of the spring peepers makes for a perfect backdrop for sleep and relaxation. Recorded by Darrin Wassom. Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/

This is the mating song of spring peepers and other frogs (the double-bass GUNG of a bullfrog can be heard near the end) in a rural beaver pond, recorded on my iPhone using Voice Record Pro the evening before my son and daughter-in-law celebrated their marriage there. The green sound speaks of life and desire, but also deep tranquillity: faith in continuance. Recorded by Maria Margaronis. Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/

Cassandra finally finds out the secret of the family farm. Good? Bad? Let's find out.Thanks for listening. Check out our website! www.intothenightpod.com And while you are there make sure you subscribe to our newsletter for the latest and greatest information about your favorite anthology podcast as well as all of the other Creative Typo shows (which you should also check out while you are there) Make sure to follow @creative_typo on Twitter to stay up to date on the happenings of not only Into the Night but all other Creative Typo productions! To support this podcast as well as all of our other shows please join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/CreativeTypo You can visit us on Twitter @IntotheNightPod Email us at itnanthology@gmail.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/intothenightpod Or join the conversation in our Discord server https://discord.gg/knPFJa8NCZ Narrated and produced by Nari Kwak. Find her on Twitter @NariKwak_VA Email narikwak.voa@gmail.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nari.kwak.904 Buy Nari a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/NariKwaka Written by Caroline Giammanco Find her on Twitter @giammancobook Editing and Music by Omenhawk Studios (formerly Flyboy Entertainment) Find them on Twitter @ghostanoid Soundcloud ghostanoid Theme music by Nico Rodriguez Find him Twitter @NicoRodDMThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4897052/advertisement

Cassandra is trying to settle in to new/old home. But something is unsettling. What might she find out about her family farm?Thanks for listening. Check out our website! www.intothenightpod.com And while you are there make sure you subscribe to our newsletter for the latest and greatest information about your favorite anthology podcast as well as all of the other Creative Typo shows (which you should also check out while you are there) Make sure to follow @creative_typo on Twitter to stay up to date on the happenings of not only Into the Night but all other Creative Typo productions! To support this podcast as well as all of our other shows please join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/CreativeTypo You can visit us on Twitter @IntotheNightPod Email us at itnanthology@gmail.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/intothenightpod Or join the conversation in our Discord server https://discord.gg/knPFJa8NCZ Narrated and produced by Nari Kwak. Find her on Twitter @NariKwak_VA Email narikwak.voa@gmail.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nari.kwak.904 Buy Nari a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/NariKwaka Written by Caroline Giammanco Find her on Twitter @giammancobook Editing and Music by Omenhawk Studios (formerly Flyboy Entertainment) Find them on Twitter @ghostanoid Soundcloud ghostanoid Theme music by Nico Rodriguez Find him Twitter @NicoRodDMThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4897052/advertisement

I would like to thank everyone that has donated or otherwise supported Nature is my Jam by liking, following, sharing and/or subscribing to the podcast. Your support goes directly to creating future episodes and allows this podcast to be ad-free and 100% listener supported. Your kindness means the world to me and I hope you might feel inspired to explore the natural areas where you live.Returning to the idyllic Boekeloo Lodge at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for the second week, it was as though I had stepped into a Thoreauvian (is that a word?) dream. Set amidst a picturesque landscape that Mother Nature herself would be proud of, the lodge and its surroundings evoked a sense of peace and tranquility, only amplified by the resounding chorus of spring peepers that punctuated the evening air.For this endeavor, I brought along my new LÖM BasicUcho microphones, making their inaugural appearance on my podcast. My trusty companion, as always, was the Zoom F3 Field Recorder. It's the stalwart backbone of nearly every episode, faithfully capturing the intricacies and nuances of nature's audio tapestry.The day was adorned in spring's finest hues of green and yellow, the skies overhead clear with a hint of a breeze that softly grazed but didn't interrupt my recording. An enthralling promise filled the air, the possibility of seeing the northern lights.At Boekeloo, solitude is often your only companion. But this time, my day was punctuated by the unexpected, but pleasant, company of Nick Irwin. A talented photographer (IG: @irwin.nick), Nick was the only other soul present during the six hours I spent recording. His conversation was as engaging as his photography skills, and I found myself thankful for his presence.Recording nature and wildlife sounds can be a solitary activity. Yet, there is an undeniable thrill in the pursuit. To sit quietly and be an observer, to capture the conversations of nature that often go unheard, is a humbling experience. The spring peepers at Boekeloo, with their overpowering sonic presence, have been captivating. These little tree frogs have left an indelible mark on my heart, and through my recording, I hope they touch your hearts, too.As I pack my gear for the night, I am left in awe of the overwhelming power of nature - both seen and heard. The ephemeral glimpse of the northern lights coupled with the resonating echo of the peepers rounds off a perfect day. The Boekeloo Lodge, the pond, the peepers, and the chance encounter with Nick made for a day that will long be etched in my memory. But for now, I am happy to share this recording with you. After all, each peep is a story waiting to be heard.Recording Details:Date and Time: 5/23/2023 | 9:15 PMLocation: Sleeping Bear Dunes National LakeshoreLandscape/Feature: Boekeloo Lodge and the surrounding pondConditions: 59F (15C), Sunset, Golden Hour, Light Breeze, Pleasant ConditionsRecording Device: Zoom F3 Field RecorderMicrophone(s): LÖM BasicUcho matched pair microphone(s)Support the showThanks for listening! ❤️ Your support means the world to me. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter for daily updates.

If you moved away from the family farm to the city, and one day had the opportunity to buy it back and reclaim that quiet life would you do it? Cassandra Carmichael has that choice to make when she finds her grandparents' farm for sale online.Thanks for listening. Check out our website! www.intothenightpod.com And while you are there make sure you subscribe to our newsletter for the latest and greatest information about your favorite anthology podcast as well as all of the other Creative Typo shows (which you should also check out while you are there) Make sure to follow @creative_typo on Twitter to stay up to date on the happenings of not only Into the Night but all other Creative Typo productions! To support this podcast as well as all of our other shows please join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/CreativeTypo You can visit us on Twitter @IntotheNightPod Email us at itnanthology@gmail.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/intothenightpod Or join the conversation in our Discord server https://discord.gg/knPFJa8NCZ Narrated and produced by Nari Kwak. Find her on Twitter @NariKwak_VA Email narikwak.voa@gmail.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nari.kwak.904 Buy Nari a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/NariKwaka Written by Caroline Giammanco Find her on Twitter @giammancobook Editing and Music by Omenhawk Studios (formerly Flyboy Entertainment) Find them on Twitter @ghostanoid Soundcloud ghostanoid Theme music by Nico Rodriguez Find him Twitter @NicoRodDMThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4897052/advertisement

You'll likely hear hundreds of them before you ever see one, says Andrew Hebda, a retired curator of Zoology at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History. He joined host Jeff Douglas to answer some questions about the little seen but often heard chorus frog that's presence marks the advent of spring each year.

Hooray! The spring equinox has arrived and with it, the sounds of spring... Join us as we dive deep into the world of Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer). We'll talk about everything from their Latin name to why they peep in the first place. We even discuss what happens to these little animals when ice forms on the water that they call home.

For the uninitiated, the sounds you just heard were Spring Peepers. A brand new recording for 2023. My usual spot was quiet. I was driving by a very small pond and heard these sweet sounds and had to stop, record and share. I plan on making another recording at the larger area when that one gets-a-peeping. Now, for those who may be tuning in for the first time, my name is Tony Nesbitt. I produced Norm’s show from 1989 until 1996. I worked with him in studio and then when I moved to the David Brudnoy Show, I continued to book all his guests and make appearances that have become legendary. ;-) The Vault of Silliness has been broadcasting for nearly 2.5 years! I’m just so thrilled that we can relive these classic radio moments that Norm graced us with. I recently started a Patreon acct to help support the program. Please consider helping out and become a subscriber there. Once show costs are covered, I will be donating a % to the Berklee College of Music in Norm’s memory. The link is in the description box. Thank you again to those that have become Patrons. Before we get to the meat of today’s episode, I also wanted to mention that WMCT here in Marlborough, MA, our local community cable outlet has expanded the reach of NNVoS. In addition to their public channel, they have added it to their ‘government channel!’ You can hear it on Friday and Saturday nights at 11pm just like those radio days of yesteryear. If you’re local, it’s on Comcast 8/Verizon 34. Alrighty, today the Vault has spilled forth a DBG from March 25th, 1995. I have titled it: Amusing Musings. We begin with Norm introducing Jack first and he was not quite ready. The rest of the panel: Joe in Boston Howard from Laconia, NH Alice in Quincy Glenn from Brighton Jim Frawley producing and playing in-studio Bdays: Howard Cosell Gloria Steinem Aretha Franklin Anita Bryant Elton John Paul Michael Glaser Mary Gross Joseph Barbera A sample of the many Amusing Musings that took place: Variety is the spice of life The DBG rules are taught to every school child for those hoping to be part of the game someday The DBG is being considered for the Olympics and Jeopardy. Nick Lowe & Bonnie Bedelia Wickedly cool ideas Millard Fillmore firsts Norm’s cheap 72 – 77 key piano, The SteinPoop “Mr. Ugly” Tasteless, worthless material Tension and hate The hybrid talk/game show idea is genius! Do we have a time traveler on the panel? And dwarves envy. Ep 131, Amusing Musings, brings a smile to your ears in 3, 2 and 1. https://www.patreon.com/normnathanvos

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Michele Rule is a disabled poet from Kelowna BC. She is especially interested in the topics of chronic illness, relationships and nature. Michele is published in Pocket Lint, WordCityLit, the anthologies Spring Peepers and Poets for Ukraine and others. Her first chapbook is Around the World in Fifteen Haiku. She lives with a sleepy dog, two cats and a fantastic partner. You can follow Michele on Twitter, here. As always, we would love to hear from you. Have you tried send me a message on the Eh Poetry Podcast page yet? If you are a poet in Canada and are interested in hearing your poem on Eh Poetry, please feel free to send me an email: jason.e.coombs[at]gmail[dot]com Eh Poetry Podcast Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ehpoetrypodcast/message

“Was out for an evening run off Lake Michigan, and i was quite literally stopped mid-stride by this deafening cacophony of spring peepers and the lot.”

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, talking with listeners about the loosening of office dress codes. Bill McKibben talks about the International Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) latest report on climate change. McKibben is an author, educator and environmentalist. He's the founder of 350.org and ThirdAct.org. He has a new newsletter on Substack titled “The Crucial Years.” He's also got a new, serialized book titled “The Other Cheek: An Epic Nonviolent Yarn.” Callie Crossley discusses the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and dives into National Poetry Month ahead of this weekend's Under the Radar. Crossley hosts GBH's Under the Radar and Basic Black. Jim Aloisi and Stacey Thompson share their thoughts on Mayor Michelle Wu's moves to electrify MBTA buses, and explain how public transit factors into the IPCC's 2022 climate change report. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters board and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets. Ming Tsai and Ken Oringer talk about their upcoming dinner fundraiser for Ukraine, in which they've already raised $400,000. Chef Ken Oringer is the James Beard Award-winning chef and partner behind restaurants Uni, Toro, Coppa and Little Donkey. This spring, Oringer and his business partner – chef and restaurateur Jamie Bissonnette – are opening their first new concept in six years, Italian restaurant Faccia Brutta. Chef Ming Tsai, a James Beard & Emmy Award-Winning chef, chef and partner at BaBa at Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, chairman of the National Advisory Board with Family Reach, and host of PBS-TV's “Simply Ming.” Sue O'Connell discusses Elon Musk's appointment to Twitter's board of directors, and shares her thoughts on Louis C.K.'s controversial Grammy win. O'Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current, on NBC L-X and NECN. We end the show by asking listeners what they believe marks the arrival of spring.

Featuring Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Flicker, American Robin, Swamp Sparrow, Spring Peepers, Leopard Frogs, and more! Recorded on April 10, 2021 at Beverly Swamp Conservation Area, Flamborough, Ontario by Rob Porter. This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-da20d0 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Songscapes.

This simple spring peeper nature study will teach your homeschool family bite-sized information about frogs. You'll be encouraged to take a nature walk near a pond to try to observe spring peepers or other frogs. Bring along a nature journal and colored pencils or watercolors for the nature journal challenge. For show notes and episode downloads, go to ourjourneywestward.com/spring-peeper-nature-study. Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Enjoy more frog nature study with the Frogs and Toads NaturExplorers curriculum found in the Our Journey Westward Shop. Get more from nature study at the pond with the Peaceful Ponds NaturExplorers curriculum found in the Our Journey Westward Shop. Focus on the topic of habitats with the Habitats No Sweat Nature Study digital curriculum found in the Our Journey Westward Shop. Get the Podcast Plus+ Packet for free! Scroll to the bottom of the spring peepers show notes page. Leave Mrs. Cindy a voice message to answer this season's question! Scroll to the bottom of the spring peepers show notes page. Share pictures of your nature journal pages on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will be sure to see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you're enjoying the episodes. 

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:45).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 3-11-22. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of March 14, 2022.  This is a revised version of an episode from March 2019. SOUNDS – ~5 sec. This week, that raspy call opens an episode about several species of small frogs that share a common group name but differ in sound and distribution.  Have a listen for about 10 seconds to two species recorded simultaneously, and see if you know the name of this frog group.  And here's a hint: to get the key word, gather a lot of harmonious singers, or skip over a song's verses.  SOUNDS  - ~10 sec. If you guessed chorus frogs, you're right!  You heard the creaky call of Mountain Chorus Frogsalong with the single notes of Spring Peepers, two of seven chorus frog species in Virginia.  The other five are the Little Grass Frog and four more species with “chorus frog” in their name: Brimley's, New Jersey, Southern, and Upland chorus frogs.  As a group, they're noted for their choruses of calling males advertising for mates in breeding season.  Those calls vary among the species in pitch, tone, and how quickly sounds are repeated.  The species also differ in their distribution in Virginia: Spring Peepers occur statewide, and Upland Chorus Frogs are found in much of the state, but the other five occupy narrower ranges in the Commonwealth. The Mountain Chorus Frog, which is found from Pennsylvania to Mississippi, including southwestern Virginia, is getting special scientific attention.  Since 2019, scientists Kevin Hamed, at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, and Wally Smith, at the University of Virginia's College at Wise, have led a project to learn more about the species' distribution.  Collaborating with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), they're inviting Virginia citizens, especially K-12 students, to look and listen for this species and to submit information on any observations.  The project's Web site notes that Mountain Chorus Frog's breeding activity is mostly from February to April, but may continue into June; they'll call during the day as well as at night; and places to hear them—which is more likely than seeing them—include wet ditches, flooded fields, mountain seeps and springs, tire ruts, and furrows in plowed fields. To learn more about this project, to submit Mountain Chorus Frog observations, or to request a classroom visit by the researchers, go online to mtchorusfrog.fishwild.vt.edu, or call Kevin Hamed at (540) 231-1887. Thanks to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and to Lang Elliott for permission to use this week's sounds, from A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia.  We close with a medley of calls from the seven chorus frogs found in Virginia, in alphabetical order.  Have a listen for about 20 seconds, and see if you can recall their names, mentioned earlier in this episode.  Good luck! SOUNDS - ~ 23 sec – Brimley's Chorus Frog, Little Grass Frog, Mountain Chorus Frog, New Jersey Chorus Frog, Southern Chorus Frog, Spring Peeper, Upland Chorus Frog. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 464, 3-18-19. The frog sounds in this episode were from “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads” CD, copyright 2008 by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources) and Lang Elliott/NatureSoundStudio, used with permission.   The CD accompanies A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries; as of March 14, 2022, that publication is no longer available at Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources online store, https://www.shopdwr.com/.  For more information, contact the Department at P.O. Box 90778, Henrico, VA 23228-0778; phone: (804) 367-1000 (VTDD); main Web page is https://dwr.virginia.gov/; to send e-mail, visit https://dwr.virginia.gov/contact/. Lang Elliott's work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. Thanks to the following people for their help with this episode: Carola Haas, Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Blacksburg; John Kleopfer, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources; Kevin Hamed, Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Blacksburg;Wally Smith, University of Virginia's College at Wise. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Project flyer being used for the Mountain Chorus Frog monitoring initiative being conducted in 2022 by the University of Virginia's College at Wise, Virginia Tech, and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Flyer accessed at https://www.mtchorusfrog.fishwild.vt.edu, 3/11/22.A chorus frog (species not identified) in Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. Photo made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov, accessed 3-14-22; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/12030/rec/1.Below are Virginia county occurrence maps for the seven chorus frog species found in Virginia, all from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/, accessed 3/15/22.SOURCES Used for Audio AmphibiaWeb, https://amphibiaweb.org/index.html. John D. Kleopfer and Chris S. Hobson, A Guide to the Frogs and Toad of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries [now Department of Wildlife Resources], Richmond, Va., 2011. Bernard S. Martof, et al., Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1980. J.C. Mitchell and K.K. Reay, Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Virginia, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries/Richmond (1999); available online (as a PDF) at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/atlases/mitchell-atlas.pdf, courtesy of the Virginia Herpetological Society.  (Herpetology refers to the study of amphibians and reptiles.) Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Wildlife Information,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/.  Information for the seven chorus frogs found in Virginia is at the following links:Brimley's Chorus Frog;Little Grass Frog;Mountain Chorus Frog;New Jersey Chorus Frog;Southern Chorus Frog;Spring Peeper;Upland Chorus Frog. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Virginia Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  This site has detailed information on life history, distribution, habitat, and other aspects of species.  The information specifically for the seven chorus frogs found in Virginia is at the following links:Brimley's Chorus Frog;Little Grass Frog;Mountain Chorus Frog;New Jersey Chorus Frog;Southern Chorus Frog;Spring Peeper;Upland Chorus Frog. Virginia Herpetological Society, “Frogs and Toads of Virginia,” online at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm. Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, “Mountain Chorus Frog,” online at https://www.mtchorusfrog.fishwild.vt.edu/.  This is the Web site for the Mountain Chorus Frog monitoring initiative being under taken by Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia's College at Wise, and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. For More Information about Frogs or Other Amphibians U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), National Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative, online at https://armi.usgs.gov/. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “A Guide to the Salamanders of Virginia,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/salamanders/. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “A Guide to Virginia's Frogs and Toads,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/frogs-and-toads/. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Virginia is for Frogs,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/virginia-is-for-frogs/. Sarah Wade, “UVa-Wise team hunts for amphibians in SW Va.'s high-altitude wetlands,” Bristol Herald-Courier, July 4, 2021.  This article describes research in 2021 by Wally Smith, at the University of Virginia's College at Wise, who is one of the researchers in the Mountain Chorus Frog project noted in this episode's audio. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Amphibians” subject category. Following is the link to another episode on an amphibian monitoring project:Episode 357, 2-27-17 – on the Eastern Spadefoot.  Following are links to other episodes focusing on frog species in the chorus frog group:Brimley's Chorus Frog – Episode 563, 2-8-21;Little Grass Frog – Episode 509, 1-27-20;Spring Peeper– Episode 570, 3-29-21; Episode 618, 2-28-22.

The peeping of the Spring Peepers, and the gargling of the Northern Leopard Frog is joined briefly by the songful trill of the American Toad. Recorded on April 10, 2021 at Beverly Swamp Conservation Area, Flamborough, Ontario by Rob Porter. Equipment: ZOOM F1 field recorder with XYH-6 Microphone. This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-da20d0 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Songscapes.

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Picture yourself lying in a canoe drifting through the wetlands. Spring peepers sing in the distance. The water laps against the shore. Relax and close your eyes. Let the sounds of the wetlands pull away your anxiety. Focus on the chorus of frogs. Your heart rate slows. Everything is calm and serene. Why I made this soundscape: My friend's daughter went frog hunting in the backyard. She's around five, has a tiny bow and arrow. Her dad and I sat on the back stoop sipping whisky while watching the mosquito light. After a while his daughter ran up to us with a frog impaled on an arrow. “He stopped singing,” she said. “Make him sing.” I hope by listening to this soundscape you find happiness and calmness.

Picture yourself lying in a canoe drifting through the wetlands. Spring peepers sing in the distance. The water laps against the shore. Relax and close your eyes. Let the sounds of the wetlands pull away your anxiety. Focus on the chorus of frogs. Your heart rate slows. Everything is calm and serene. Why I made this soundscape: My friend's daughter went frog hunting in the backyard. She's around five, has a tiny bow and arrow. Her dad and I sat on the back stoop sipping whisky while watching the mosquito light. After a while his daughter ran up to us with a frog impaled on an arrow. “He stopped singing,” she said. “Make him sing.” I hope by listening to this soundscape you find happiness and calmness.

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The spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) is a small chorus frog widespread throughout the eastern United States and Canada.

Spotify listener? Lose the ads and intros and get access to 8 hour episodes by becoming a subscriber! https://anchor.fm/tmsoft/subscribe After a fairly intense storm the rain ebbs down to a light rainfall. Occasional rumbles of thunder can still be heard in the distance while spring peepers sing from a nearby forest. Learn more about the White Noise App Download the White Noise app for free! Download this sound to White Noise for free! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Click to listen to episode (4:36)Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-23-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 26, 2021.  This revised episode from June 2014 is part of a series this year of spring-related episodes. MUSIC – ~17 sec – Lyrics: “I can’t explain away the reasons, I can’t wish away the seasons.  When springtime comes again, it’ll sure by my winter’s end.” This week, that music opens an episode about a group of plants with species found across Virginia and whose blooming times collectively span a period from early spring well into summer.  Have a listen for about 50 more seconds to the song and its celebration of some members of this plant group found high up in southwestern Virginia.MUSIC – ~48 sec – Lyrics: “Well I was high up in the fields, there above the rhododendron ridge.  My time up there was real, not like some other time I’ve spent.  And when the flowers bloom in June, it’s like something you’ve never seen—shades of purple, white, and blue, as far as you can see.” You’ve been listening to part of “Rhododendron Ridge,” by the Roanoke, Va., band The Floorboards, on their 2012 self-titled album.  The song was written about the area around Mt. Rogers—Virginia’s highest peak, located in Grayson and Smyth counties.  Mt. Rogers is noted for its populations of Catawba Rhododendronand its flower displays in June.  Catawba is one of Virginia’s nine native species in the scientific genus of Rhododendron, some of which are commonly called azaleas.  As a group, their habitats range from rocky mountainous areas, to Piedmont streams, to Coastal Plains wetlands.  Their blooming times range from March to August, depending on the species. These perennial spring and summer flower shows happen in places where the plants’ roots and leaves get their preferred combination of sun or shade, temperature, moisture, nutrients, and acidity levels in the soil and soil water.  Virginia’s rhododendron species typically prefer higher acidity, and they share that preference with other members of the heath family of plants, including blueberries and Mountain Laurel. While you can’t see the water chemistry going on around rhododendron roots, at the right time and place you can see a remarkable flower display, which might be for you—as for this week’s songwriter—like something you’ve never seen.  Thanks to the Floorboards for permission to use this week’s music, and close with about 25 more seconds of “Rhododendron Ridge.” MUSIC – ~28 sec – Lyrics: “Springtime’s comin’ now, oh it won’t be long—you and I we’re gonna sing, gonna sing our summer song.” SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode replaces Episode 216, 6-2-14. “Rhododendron Ridge” is copyright 2012 by The Floorboards, used with permission.  More information about The Floorboards is available online at https://thefloorboardsmusic.com/.Thanks to the following people for providing information in 2014 for the original version of this episode: Susan Day, John Peterson, and John Seiler, all in the Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; and the staff and volunteers working at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Rocky Knob Visitor Center (mile post 169) on June 1, 2014. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Great Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum, right), Flame Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum), orange flowers, left) and Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia, foreground) along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Floyd County, Va., June 1, 2014.Side-by-side Flame Azaleas (Rhododendron calendulaceum) showing color variation, along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Floyd County, Va., June 1, 2014.Swamp Azalea (Rhododendron viscosum), photographed at Sandy Bottom Nature Park in Hampton, Va., June 14, 2009.  Photo by Debbie Blanton, made available on iNaturalist, online at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35506117(as of 4-26-21), for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT RHODODENDRONS IN VIRGINIA The following information about nine native species of Rhododendron found in Virginia is from pages 540-543 in A.S. Weakley, J.C. Ludwig, and J.F. Townsend, Flora of Virginia, Bland Crowder, ed.; copyright by the Foundation of the Flora of Virginia Project, Inc., Richmond; published by Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, 2012.  The species are listed in alphabetical order according to their scientific name (shown in italics). Sweet Azalea (also called Smooth Azalea), Rhododendron arborescens – Found rarely in Virginia’s mountains and Piedmont; in rocky forests and rocky areas along streams; blooms May to July. Dwarf Azalea, Rhododendron atlanticum – Found commonly in Virginia’s southern Coastal Plain; in woodlands and clearings that are dry to moist, sandy, and acidic; blooms April to May. Flame Azalea, Rhododendron calendulaceum – Found commonly in Virginia’s southern mountains; in forests that are dry to mesic (moderately moist), particularly in acidic oak forests; blooms May to June. Catawba Rhododendron (also called Pink Laurel and Mountain Rosebay), Rhododendron catawbiense – Found commonly in Virginia’s southern and rarely in the Piedmont; in dry forests on sheltered slopes or rocky ridges, as well as on balds, in bogs, and in acidic cove forests, and (in the Piedmont) along river bluffs; blooms April to June. Cumberland Azalea, Rhododendron cumberlandense – Found infrequently in Virginia’s far southwestern mountains; in mountainous forests and woodlands; blooms June to July. Great Rhododendron (also called Great Laurel and White Rosebay), Rhododendron maxiumum – Found commonly is Virginia’s southwestern mountains and Piedmont, less frequently in northern mountains, and rarely in other parts of the Piedmont or in the Coastal Plain; in acidic cove forests in the mountains, and in forests, wetlands, bluffs, and stream bottoms in other regions; blooms June to August. Wild Azalea (also called Pinxterflower and Pinxterbloom Azalea), Rhododendron periclymenoides– Found commonly throughout Virginia; in dry or mesic acidic forests, in certain wetlands, and along streams; blooms March to May. Early Azalea (also called Rose Azalea and Roseshell Azalea), Rhododendron prinophyllum – Found frequently or commonly in Virginia’s mountains, except in far southwestern Virginia, and rarely in the northern Piedmont; in dry or mesic forests, most abundantly in oak forests, and more often in less acidic soils than are other Rhododendron species; blooms May to June. Swamp Azalea (also called Clammy Azalea), Rhododendron viscosum – Found frequently in Virginia’s Coastal Plain, infrequently in the mountains, and rarely in the Piedmont; in acidic swamps, bogs, and other wetlands, and in wet woods; blooms May to July. SOURCES Used for Audio Blue Ridge Parkway Association, “Craggy Gardens, MP 364,” online at http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=112.Oscar W. Gupton and Fred C. Swope, Trees and Shrubs of Virginia, University of Virginia Press, Charlottesville, 1981. W. Henry McNab, Ecological Subregions of the United States, U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C., 1994; available online at http://www.fs.fed.us/land/pubs/ecoregions/ch18.html.  See particularly Chapter 18, “Central Appalachian Broadleaf Forest - Coniferous Forest – Meadow.”U.S. Forest Service, “Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area,” online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gwj/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5302337.U.S. National Park Service, “Blue Ridge Parkway/Plants/Blooming Shrubs,” online at https://www.nps.gov/blri/learn/nature/showy-blooms.htm.Virginia Botanical Associates, “Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora/Rhododendron,” online at http://www.vaplantatlas.org/index.php?s=rhododendron&c=&do=search%3Aadvanced&search=Search.Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Conservation, “Virginia Tech Dendrology,” online at http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/index.html. A.S. Weakley, J.C. Ludwig, and J.F. Townsend, Flora of Virginia, Bland Crowder, ed.  Copyright by the Foundation of the Flora of Virginia Project, Inc., Richmond.  Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, 2012.  This is the first comprehensive manual of Virginia plants published since the 1700s.  The Flora of Virginia Project is nline at http://www.floraofvirginia.org/.For More Information about Plants in Virginia and Elsewhere Chesapeake Bay Program, “Field Guide: Plants and Trees,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/all/plants_trees/all. Oscar W. Gupton and Fred C. Swope, series of wildflower guides: Fall Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1987; Wild Orchids of the Middle Atlantic States University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, 1986); Wildflowers of Tidewater Virginia (University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1982; and Wildflowers of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1979. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Natural Resources Conservation Service Plants Database, online at https://plants.usda.gov. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation/Natural Heritage Division, online at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/. Virginia Native Plant Society, online at http://vnps.org/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Plants” subject category. Following are links to other spring-themed episodes. Eastern Phoebe – Episode 416, 4-16-18.Frog and Toad Medley – Episode 408, 2-19-18.Spring arrival episode – Episode 569, 3-22-21.Spring forest wildflowers – Episode 573, 4-19-21.Spring Peepers – Episode 570, 3-29-21.Spring reminder about tornado awareness – Episode 568, 3-15-21.Spring signals for fish – Episode 571, 4-5-21.Spring sounds serenades – Episode 206, 3-14-14 and Episode 516, 3-16-20.Virginia Bluebells – Episode 521, 4-20-20.Warblers and spring bird migration – Episode 572, 4-12-21. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and Processes1.4 – Plants have basic life needs (including water) and functional parts that allow them to survive; including that plants can be classified based on a variety of characteristics.2.4 – Plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes as they grow and develop.2.5 – Living things are part of a system.3.4 – Adaptations allow organisms to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment.3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms.4.2 – Plants and animals have structures that distinguish them from one another and play vital roles in their ability to survive.4.3 – Organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems1.7 – There are weather and seasonal changes.2.7 – Weather patterns and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings.3.6 – Soil is important in ecosystems. Grades K-5: Earth Resources2.8 – Plants are important natural resources.3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems.4.8. – Virginia has important natural resources.   Grade 66.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment. Life ScienceLS.3 – There are levels of structural organization in living things.LS.5 – Biotic and abiotic factors affect an ecosystem. BiologyBIO.2 – Chemical and biochemical processes are essential for life.BIO.6 – Modern classification systems can be used as organizational tools for scientists in the study of organisms. BIO.8 – Dynamic equilibria exist within populations, communities, and ecosystems. Following are links to Water Radio

Spring peepers.  They're both ephemeral and permanent, mystical and down-to-earth.  You're listening to Episode 5 of Season 2 of The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow.Read the full transcript over on the blog. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/TheRadicalHomemaker)

Click to listen to episode (3:50)Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-16-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 19, 2021.  This revised episode from May 2014 is part of a series this year of spring-related episodes. MUSIC – ~12 sec – instrumental This week, we feature a Virginia musical group’s version of a traditional Finnish waltz tune, named for a plant community that, like good music, depends on the right timing.  Have a listen for about 35 more seconds. MUSIC – ~36 sec – instrumental You’ve been listening to part of “Flowers of the Forest,” by No Strings Attached, on their 2003 album, “Old Friend’s Waltz,” from Enessay Music.  Just as in a well-done waltz, timing is crucial for low-growing, spring-blooming forest plants.  Such plants live under trees whose leaf canopy will close by late spring, blocking much of the sunlight and rainfall from reaching the forest floor.  As a result, many non-woody forest plants are adapted to take advantage of early spring’s interaction of warming soil and air temperature, available moisture, increasing light, and the activity of emerging insect pollinators to reproduce and to store enough energy underground to survive the coming year.  Bloodroot, Spring Beauty, Trillium, and many other Virginia woodland plants follow this strategy: show up early, use colorful flowers to show off for foraging insects, and then produce fruits and seeds before the summer’s shade. Thanks for No Strings Attached for permission to use this week’s music, and we close with about 25 more seconds of “Flowers of the Forest.”MUSIC – ~27 sec – instrumental SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 212, 5-5-14. “Flowers of the Forest” and “Old Friend’s Waltz” are copyright by No Strings Attached and Enessay Music, used with permission.  More information about the now-retired, Blacksburg/Roanoke-based group No Strings Attached is available online at https://www.enessay.com/index.html.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 521, 4-20-20, on Virginia Bluebells, another spring-blooming wildflower.  Information on “Metsäkukkia,” the original Finnish tune on which the No Strings Attached selection was based, is available from Andrew Kuntz, “The Fiddler’s Companion,” online at http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/MER_MIC.htm; and from Jeremy Keith, “The Session,” online at http://thesession.org/tunes/4585. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES  Shooting Star beside a stream in Blacksburg, Va., May 3, 2014.  Trillium at the base of a Tulip-poplar in Blacksburg, Va., May 3, 2014.Trout Lily at Falls Ridge Nature Preserve in Montgomery County, Va., April 20, 2019.Jack-in-the-pulpit at Falls Ridge Nature Preserve in Montgomery County, Va., April 20, 2019.Spring Beauty in Blacksburg, Va., April 15, 2021.Wild Geranium at Falls Ridge Nature Preserve in Montgomery County, Va., April 16, 2021. SOURCES Used for Audio Marion Lobstein, “Spring Wildflowers: Ecological Factors,” by (undated), Botanical Society of Washington [D.C.], online at www.botsoc.org/SpringWildflowerBackground.doc‎.  Marion Lobstein, a retired biology professor at Northern Virginia Community College-Manassas, is the Botany Chair for the Prince William Wildflower Socieyt (Prince William County, Va.); other articles by her are available online at https://vnps.org/princewilliamwildflowersociety/botanizing-with-marion/.Alexander F. Motten, “Pollination Ecology of the Spring Wildflower Community of a Temperate Deciduous Forest,” Ecological Monographs (Vol. 56, No. 1), March 1986, pp. 21-42. For More Information about Plants in Virginia or Elsewhere A.S. Weakley, J.C. Ludwig, and J.F. Townsend, Flora of Virginia, Bland Crowder, ed.  Copyright by the Foundation of the Flora of Virginia Project, Inc., Richmond.  Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, 2012.  This is the first comprehensive manual of Virginia plants published since the 1700s.Flora of Virginia Project, online at http://www.floraofvirginia.org/. Oscar W. Gupton and Fred C. Swope, series of wildflower guides: Fall Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1987; Wild Orchids of the Middle Atlantic States University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, 1986); Wildflowers of Tidewater Virginia (University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1982; and Wildflowers of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1979. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Natural Resources Conservation Service Plants Database, online at https://plants.usda.gov.Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation/Natural Heritage Division, online at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/. Virginia Native Plant Society, online at http://vnps.org/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Plants” subject category. Following are links to other spring-themed episodes.Eastern Phoebe – Episode 416, 4-16-18.Frog and Toad Medley – Episode 408, 2-19-18.Rhododendrons – Episode 216, 6-2-14.Spring arrival episode – Episode 569, 3-22-21.Spring Peepers – Episode 570, 3-29-21.Spring reminder about tornado awareness – Episode 568, 3-15-21.Spring signals for fish – Episode 571, 4-5-21.Spring sounds serenades – Episode 206, 3-14-14 and Episode 516, 3-16-20.Virginia Bluebells – Episode 521, 4-20-20.Warblers and spring bird migration – Episode 572, 4-12-21. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and ProcessesK.7 – Plants and animals have basic needs and life processes.1.4 – Plants have basic life needs (including water) and functional parts that allow them to survive.2.4 – Plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes as they grow and develop, including life cycles.2.5 – Living things are part of a system.3.4 – Adaptations allow organisms to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment.3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms.4.2 – Plants and animals have structures that distinguish them from one another and play vital roles in their ability to survive. Grades K-5: Earth and Space SystemsK.9 – There are patterns in nature.1.7 – There are weather and seasonal changes.2.7 – Weather patterns and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings. Grades K-5: Earth Resources4.8. – Virginia has important natural resources. Life ScienceLS.7 – Adaptations support an organism’s survival in an ecosystem.LS.8     – Changes in ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms occur over time. BiologyBIO.8 – Dynamic equilibria exist within populations, communities, and ecosystems.Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12thgrade.Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8thgrade.Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school.Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rdand 4th grade.

“This park is a favorite of mine, but I’m often there around midday when the animal life is pretty mellow. I got a tip from a friend that the spring […]

Click to listen to episode (4:26) Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-12-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 12, 2021.  This revised episode from April 2013 is part of a series this year of spring-related episodes. MUSIC – ~ 18 sec – Lyrics: “I went outside, the rain fallin’ on the branches bare.   And I smiled, ‘cause I could feel a change in the air.” That’s part of “The Coming Spring,” on Andrew VanNorstand’s 2019 album, “That We Could Find a Way to Be,” featuring Kailyn Wright on vocals.  It opens an episode about the feathered “changes in the air” that take place each spring in Virginia.  We start with a series of mystery sounds.  Have a listen for about 15 seconds, and see if you can guess what’s making these three different high-pitched songs, each heard just once.  And here’s a hint: These small creatures make big journeys, twice a year.SOUNDS  - ~12 sec If you guessed warblers, you’re right!  And if you’re an experienced birder, you may have recognized the songs of a Bay-breasted Warbler, Palm Warbler, and Tennessee Warbler.  These three species breed in Canada and the northern United States, but they winter in Central and South America, and they’re among the birds that may pass through Virginia during spring or fall migration.  Virginia’s location along the Atlantic coast and Chesapeake Bay allows Commonwealth birders to have a chance to see songbirds, waterfowl, and birds of prey that migrate along the broad, eastern North American route known as the Atlantic Flyway, one of four main migratory routes on this continent.  For example, while about 100 bird species breed in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, over 200 species have been identified there, particularly during the spring migration from April to June. The Colorado-based organization Environment for the Americas, which has helped coordinate an annual World Migratory Bird Day, has called bird migration, quote, “one of the most important and spectacular events in the Americas.”  Virginia’s part of that spectacle, every spring and fall. Thanks to Lang Elliott for permission to use the three warbler species sounds, from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs.  Thanks also to Andrew VanNorstrand for permission to use part of “The Coming Spring.”  We close with part of another song, whose title captures how many people may feel about spring’s arrival after a long winter.  Here’s about 20 seconds of “At Long Last,” by the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Va.-based band, The Steel Wheels, from their 2011 album, “Live at Goose Creek.” MUSIC – ~ 22 sec – instrumental SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 157, 4-15-13, The sounds of the Bay-breasted Warbler, Palm Warbler, and Tennessee Warbler were taken from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott.  Lang Elliot’s work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. “The Coming Spring,” from the 2019 album “That We Could Find a Way to Be,” is copyright by Andrew VanNorstrand, used with permission.  The music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio in Episode 509, 1-27-20.  More information about Andrew VanNorstrand is available online at https://www.andrewvannorstrand.com/. “At Long Last,” from the 2011 album “Live at Goose Creek,” is copyright by The Steel Wheels, used with permission.  More information about The Steel Wheels is available online at https://www.thesteelwheels.com/. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGESNorth American migratory bird flyways.  Map by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, accessed online at https://www.fws.gov/birds/management/flyways.php, 4/9/21.    Bay-breasted Warbler painting originally published between 1827 and 1838 by John James Audubon in Birds of America (plate 154).  Image made available for public use by the National Audubon Society, online at https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america; specific URL for this image is https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/bay-breasted-warbler. Palm Warbler painting originally published between 1827 and 1838 by John James Audubon in Birds of America (plate 163).  Image made available for public use by the National Audubon Society, online at https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america; specific URL for this image is https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/palm-warbler.Tennessee Warbler painting originally published between 1827 and 1838 by John James Audubon in Birds of America (plate 154).  Image made available for public use by the National Audubon Society, online at https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america; specific URL for this image is https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/tennessee-warbler. SOURCES Used for Audio Chandler S. Robbins et al., A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2001. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “All About Birds,” online at http://www.allaboutbirds.org.The Bay-breasted Warbler entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bay-breasted_Warbler.The Palm Warbler entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Palm_Warbler.The Tennessee Warbler entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tennessee_Warbler. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Birds of the World,” online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home(subscription required).The Bay-breasted Warbler entry is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/babwar/cur/introduction.The Palm Warbler entry is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/palwar/cur/introduction.The Tennessee Warbler entry is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/tenwar/cur/introduction. Environment for the Americas, “World Migratory Bird Day,” online at http://www.birdday.org/birdday. Stan Tekiela, Birds of Virginia Field Guide, Adventure Publications, Inc., Cambridge, Minn., 2002. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Great Dismal Swamp National Refuge, “Wildlife and Habitat,” online at https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Great_Dismal_Swamp/wildlife_and_habitat/index.html.  The Refuge’s bird brochure, with checklist, is online (as a PDF) at https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Region_5/NWRS/South_Zone/Great_Dismal_Swamp_Complex/Great_Dismal_Swamp/GDSbirds.pdf. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “Migratory Bird Program,” online at https://www.fws.gov/birds/index.php.  Information on bird migratory flyways is online at https://www.fws.gov/birds/management/flyways.php. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  Warblers are online at this link.The Bay-breasted Warbler entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040324&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18726.The Palm Warbler entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040329&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18726.The Tennessee Warbler entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040309&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18726. ___, “List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, April 2018,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf. For More Information about Birds in Virginia and Elsewhere Chesapeake Bay Program, “Birds,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/all/birds/all. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Merlin Photo ID.”  The application for mobile devices allows users to submit a bird photograph to get identification of the bird. Information is available online at http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society, “eBird,” online at https://ebird.org/home.  Here you can find locations of species observations made by contributors, and you can sign up to contribute your own observations. National Audubon Society, online at https://www.audubon.org/. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org/.Virginia Society of Ornithology, online at http://www.virginiabirds.org/.  The Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study, conservation, and enjoyment of birds in the Commonwealth. Xeno-canto Foundation Web site, online at http://www.xeno-canto.org/.  This site provides bird songs from around the world. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Birds” subject category. Following are links to other spring-themed episodes.  (Please note: some of these may be redone in spring 2021.  As that occurs, the links below will include directions to the blog post for the updated episodes.) Eastern Phoebe – Episode 416, 4-16-18.Frog and Toad Medley – Episode 408, 2-19-18.Spring arrival episode – Episode 569, 3-22-21.Spring forest wildflowers – Episode 212, 5-5-14.Spring Peepers – Episode 570, 3-29-21.Spring reminder about tornado awareness – Episode 568, 3-15-21.Spring signals for fish – Episode 571, 4-5-21.Spring sounds serenades – Episode 206, 3-14-14 and Episode 516, 3-16-20.FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.”

Click to listen to episode (3:47) Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-2-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 5, 2021.  This revised episode from April 2016 is part of a series this year of spring-related episodes. SOUND – ~7 sec - Kayaking on the Appomattox River, recorded from underwater.This week, those sounds above and below the surface of the Appomattox River open an episode about spring signals on and in Virginia’s water bodies. Have a listen for about 10 seconds to the following mystery sound, and see if you can guess what group of water-resources users this signal is designed to alert.  And here’s a hint: it’s a powerful signal, for reel...and rod.SOUND - ~11 sec If you guessed, a signal for people fishing, you’re right!  You heard a June 2013 recording of a warning siren at the Claytor Lake hydroelectric facility on the New River in Pulaski County, Virginia.  The siren was being used to alert anglers and any other nearby river users that a power-generating unit was about to start operating and releasing more water. While that siren sounding was a human-generated signal to stop fishing in that location, spring in Virginia sends out plenty of natural signals that serve to start or increase fishing activity.  Anglers follow fish, and fish follow various environmental and biological cues, such as temperature, daylight, sources of insects and other food, predator behavior, and life-cycle demands.  Spring brings significant changes to those fish cues, and as a result, gives many anglers their cue to resume trying to outwit the finned inhabitants of the Commonwealth’s ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and coastal waters. Thanks to Raven Harris for the Appomattox River sounds.  We close with some music for Virginia’s anglers.  Here’s about 25 seconds of “Bass Fisherman’s Reel,” an adaptation of a traditional tune called “Fisher’s Hornpipe,” done by Williamsburg musician Timothy Seaman on his 2004 album, “Virginia Wildlife.” MUSIC - ~28 sec SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episodes 208, 4-7-14, and 311, 4-11-16. The opening sounds were recorded by Raven Harris, of Newport News, Va., on the Appomattox River in Petersburg, Va., on April 18, 2014; used with permission. The warning signal was recorded by Virginia Water Radio near the Claytor Hydroelectric Facility on the New River in Pulaski County, Va., on June 30, 2013. “Bass Fisherman’s Reel,” from the 2004 CD “Virginia Wildlife,” copyright Timothy Seaman and Pine Wind Music, used with permission.  This music was previously used by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 241, 11-24-14.  More information about Timothy Seaman is available online at http://timothyseaman.com/. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF; now the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources) sign indicating a trout-stocking area on Cripple Creek along Rt. 641 in Wythe County, Va., February 22, 2014. Fish nest in Toms Creek in Blacksburg, Va., (Montgomery County), May 8, 2010.A signal for fly-fishing anglers: adult mayflies swarming around a ballfield light in Shawsville, Va. (Montgomery County), near the South Fork Roanoke River, May 12, 2014. SOURCES Used for Audio Information on the warning signal at the American Electric Power (AEP)/Appalachian Power (APCO) Claytor Hydroelectric Facility, located on the New River in Pulaski County, Virginia, was provided by Elizabeth Parcell, a process supervisor at the Claytor facility, in a 7/16/13 e-mail.  More information about the Claytor Lake facility is available from AEP’s Web site for the facility, at http://www.claytorhydro.com. Traditional Tune Archive, “Fisher’s Hornpipe,” online at https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Fisher%27s_Hornpipe.Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  Fish found in Virginia are listed at this link.  ___, “Fishing,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/.  This source has information on kinds of freshwater fish, places to fish, fishing seasons, and regulations. ___, “Fishing Forecasts and Reports,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/forecasts-and-reports/.  ___, “List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, April 2018,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf. ___, “Virginia Fishes,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/fish/.Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), online at https://mrc.virginia.gov/.For More Information about Fish in Virginia and Elsewhere Paul Bugas et al., Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of Virginia, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md., 2019.  Information is available online at https://www.vafreshwaterfishes.com/2019/05/field-guide-to-freshwater-fishes.html. Chesapeake Bay Program, “Fish,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/all/fish/all. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org.  “Rays, Sharks, and Relatives” are online at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chondrichthyes/classification/; “Ray-finned Fishes” are online at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Actinopterygii/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Fish” and “Recreation” subject categories. Following are links to other spring-themed episodes.  (Please note: several of these may be redone in spring 2021.  As that occurs, the links below will include directions to the blog post for the updated episodes.) Eastern Phoebe – Episode 416, 4-16-18.Frog and Toad Medley – Episode 408, 2-19-18.Spring arrival episode – Episode 569, 3-22-21.Spring forest wildflowers – Episode 212, 5-5-14.Spring Peepers – Episode 570, 3-29-21.Spring reminder about tornado awareness – Episode 568, 3-15-21.Spring sounds serenades – Episode 206, 3-14-14 and Episode 516, 3-16-20.Warblers and spring bird migration – Episode 157, 4-15-13. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and Processes1.5 – Animals, including humans, have basic life needs that allow them to survive.3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms.4.3 – Organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems1.7 – There are weather and seasonal changes; including that changes in temperature, light, and precipitation affect plants and animals, including humans.2.7 – Weather patterns and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings.3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. Grades K-5: Earth Resources1.8 – Natural resources can be used responsibly.3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems.4.8. – Virginia has important natural resources. Grade 66.9 – Humans impact the environment and individuals can influence public policy decisions related to energy and the environment. Life ScienceLS.5 – Biotic and abiotic factors affect an ecosystem.LS.7 – Adaptations support an organism’s survival in an ecosystem.LS.9 – Relationships exist between ecosystem dynamics and human activity. Earth Science ES.8 – Freshwater resources influence and are influenced by geologic processes and human activity.ES.10 – Oceans are complex, dynamic systems subject to long- and short-term variations. BiologyBIO.8 – Dynamic equilibria exist within populations, communities, and ecosystems. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12thgrade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8thgrade. Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school. Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rdand 4th grade. Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade.

Click to listen to episode (3:49) Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 3-26-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of March 29, 2021.  This revised episode from April 2012 is part of a series this year of spring-related episodes. SOUND  – ~ 6 sec This week, we feature an amphibious, sign-of-spring mystery sound.  Have a listen for about 10 more seconds, and see if you recognize this chorus, which you may have heard on spring evenings in areas near standing water. SOUND  - 10 sec If you guessed Spring Peeper frogs, you’re right!  Spring Peepers, occurring throughout the eastern and central United States and Canada, are one of seven native chorus frogspecies in Virginia.  Their choruses are the combination of mating calls produced by many individual males when air in a throat pouch is drawn across the voice box.  The mating calls occur in Virginia from February to June, but Spring Peeper sounds often can be heard again in the Commonwealth in fall as days shorten and temperatures cool. Like other frogs, toads, and salamanders, Spring Peepers are amphibians, and they rely on water for reproduction.  Winter and spring precipitation provide ephemeral– or temporary – ponds and pools, where many amphibians’ eggs transform into tadpoles and eventually into adults that, in many species, move onto land.  For Spring Peepers, breeding takes place in a variety of water bodies and wetlands near trees, shrubs, or other vegetation on which females deposit their eggs.  After hatching into tadpoles—known scientifically as larvae—Spring Peeper’s metamorphosisto adult takes about three months, after which the adults move into woodlands. As tadpoles, Spring Peepers feed on material suspended in the water.  The adults feed on a variety of insects, spiders, and other invertebrates.  Predators on Spring Peeper tadpoles include giant water bugs, predaceous diving beetles, and dragonflies, while the adults may fall prey to salamanders, spiders, snakes, owls, and other birds. You’re not likely to see these one-inch-long frogs, but their loud mating calls are prevalent across the Commonwealth in spring and early summer, reminding us of the presence and importance of wetlands and small seasonal bodies of water. We close by letting Spring Peepers have the last call—a springtime chorus that I hope resounds at some water near you. SOUND  - ~7 sec SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The episode is a revised version of Episode 105, 4-2-12.  Virginia Water Radio thanks Heather Longo (formerly Heather Vereb) for researching and writing that episode. The Spring Peeper sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio at Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., on March 21, 2020. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGE Spring Peeper, photographed at Virginia Beach, Virginia, September 23, 2017.  Photo by user Rae1211, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/8082565(as of 3-26-21) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT SPRING PEEPERS The scientific name of Spring Peeper is Pseudacris crucifer. The following information on Spring Peepers is taken from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service/Spring Peeper,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020071&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18711.  Physical Description “This species ranges in length from 19-35 mm (0.75-1.5 in).  Dorsal coloration can be yellow, tan, brown, gray, or olive with a distinctive dark X-shaped mark.  The northern subspecies found here in Virginia has a plain or virtually plain belly.  There is typically a dark bar-like marking between the eyes.  Males have dark throats and are usually smaller and darker than the females.” Reproduction “This species breeds from February through May in woodland ponds, swamps, and ditches.  Choral groups are found where trees or shrubs are standing in water or nearby.  Mating call is a high piping whistle repeated about once every second.  A large chorus resembles the sound of sleigh bells.  Sometimes an individual exhibits a trilling peep in the background of a large chorus.  Females lay an average of 900 eggs per clutch.  Eggs are laid singly and attached to submerged vegetation or other objects.  Eggs hatch in an average of 6 days.  Metamorphosis occurs in an average of 45 days though a range of 3 to 4 months is also reported.  Individuals typically reach sexual maturity at 1 year.” Behavior “This species inhabits woodlands under forest litter or within brushy undergrowth.  They are particularly abundant in brushy secondary growth or cutover woodlots if they are close to small temporary or semi-permanent ponds or swamps.  Specimens are rarely seen outside of the breeding season though occasionally an individual can be found traveling through the woods by day in wet weather.  Their diet consists primarily of small arthropods. This species may fall prey to large spiders.  This species has been shown to tolerate temperatures of -6 degrees Celsius for 5 days.  At the end of that period, approximately 35% of body fluids were frozen.  This and other species that tolerate extreme cold temperatures were shown to have high levels of glycerol in body tissues during the winter.  Glycerol is absent from body tissues in the summer.  …This species requires marshy ponds, ditches, and swamps with proximal shrubs.” SOURCES Used for Audio Lang Elliott, The Calls of Frogs and Toads, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Penn., 2004. John D. Kleopfer and Chris S. Hobson, A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Richmond, 2011. Bernard S. Martof et al., Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1980. Robert Powell et al., Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston and New York, 2016. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org.  The Spring Peeper entry is online at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pseudacris_crucifer/. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  The Spring Peeper entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020071&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18711.  Entries for Virginia’s seven chorus frog species (in the genus Pseudacris) are at this link.  Entries for amphibians in Virginia are at this link.  ___, “List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, April 2018,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf. Virginia Herpetological Society, (VHS), “Frogs and Toads of Virginia,” online at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm.  The Spring Peeper entry is online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/northern-spring-peeper/northern_spring_peeper.php.  (The VHS supports the scientific study of amphibians (frogs, toads, and salamanders) and reptiles (lizards, snakes, and turtles.) ___, “Virginia Frog Phrenology (Calling/Breeding Periods), online (as a PDF) at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/_phenology/va-frog-and-toad-phenology.pdf. For More Information about Amphibians in Virginia and Elsewhere AmphibiaWeb, online at https://amphibiaweb.org/index.html.  The Spring Peeper entry is online at https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Pseudacris&where-species=crucifer&account=amphibiaweb. Kathleen Gaskell, Chesapeake Challenge—Spring peepers will trill you to pieces, Bay Journal, March 2021. J.C. Mitchell and K.K. Reay, Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Virginia, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries/Richmond (1999); available online (as a PDF) at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/atlases/mitchell-atlas.pdf, courtesy of the Virginia Herpetological Society. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Frog Friday: Where Do Frogs Go in Winter?” December 11, 2015, online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/blog/frog-friday-where-do-frogs-go-in-the-winter/. ___, “Virginia is for Frogs,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/virginia-is-for-frogs/. ___, “Wildlife Information,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/.  This site lists wildlife animals found in Virginia, with links to species accounts. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Amphibians” subject category. Following are links to other spring-themed episodes.  (Please note: several of these may be redone in spring 2021.  As that occurs, the links below will include directions to the blog post for the updated episodes.) Eastern Phoebe – Episode 416, 4-16-18.Frog and Toad Medley – Episode 408, 2-19-18.Spring arrival episode – Episode 569, 3-22-21.Spring forest wildflowers – Episode 212, 5-5-14.Spring reminder about tornado awareness – Episode 568, 3-15-21.Spring signals for fish – Episode 311, 4-11-16.Spring sounds serenades – Episode 206, 3-14-14 and Episode 516, 3-16-20.Warblers and spring bird migration – Episode 157, 4-15-13. Following are links to some other episodes on chorus frogs.Brimley’s Chorus Frog – Episode 563, 2-8-21.Chorus frogs group in Virginia – Episode 464, 3-18-19.

Click to listen to episode (4:23)Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of March 22, 2021.  This revised episode from March 2016 is part of a series this year of spring-related episodes. MUSIC  – ~ 13 sec – Lyrics: “see I ate all my dinner, and so much for winter; I’m gonna run till the springtime’s gone.” This week, music from the Harrisonburg, Va.-based band, The Steel Wheels, captures some of the “fever” of spring, which begins astronomically in the northern hemisphere on March 20 this year.  Have a listen for about 40 more seconds. Music – ~ 41 sec – Lyrics: “Hey, hey, hey, what a day.  I’m gonna soak up sun, gonna dry out the river, I’m gonna run to the shimmering pond, until the summer comes….” You’ve been listening to part of “Until the Summer Comes,” from The Steel Wheels’ 2013 album, “No More Rain.” Water is part of spring’s feverish pull for this song’s narrator and for many non-humans, like Spring Peepers [SOUND ~ 3 sec] seeking temporary ponds for breeding; Red-winged Blackbirds [SOUND ~ 3 sec] nesting in wetlands; and—to humans’ dismay—mosquitoes [SOUND ~ 2 sec] seeking all kinds of standing water for egg-laying.As of this recording on March 19, water supplies were mostly in good condition across Virginia.  The U.S. Drought Monitor from the University of Nebraska showed no current drought in Virginia; the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s drought indicators map showed mostly normal conditions, except for low groundwater in part of northern Virginia; and the U.S. Geological Survey’s WaterWatch showed stream flows over the past 28 days at or above normal across the Commonwealth.Let’s hope that those good water conditions persist well beyond when summer begins astronomically on June 20, for the sake of kids in creeks, frogs in ponds, birds in wetlands, water supplies in reservoirs, plants in the ground, and countless other aquatic connections. Thanks to Freesound.org for the mosquito sound, and thanks to The Steel Wheels for permission to use this week’s music.  Here’s to spring’s arrival, and we close with about 25 more seconds of “Until the Summer Comes.” MUSIC – ~ 26 sec – Lyrics: “Until the summer comes.” SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 308, 3-21-16. “Until the Summer Comes,” by The Steel Wheels, is from the 2013 album “No More Rain,” used with permission. More information about The Steel Wheels is available online at http://www.thesteelwheels.com/.The Spring Peeper sound was recorded by Virginia Water Radio at Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., on March 17, 2021. The Red-winged Blackbird sound was recording by Virginia Water Radio in Blacksburg, Va., on March 26, 2015. The mosquito sound was recorded by user Zywx and made available for public use on Freesound.org, online at https://www.freesound.org/people/Zywx/sounds/188708/, under Creative Commons License 0 (public domain).  More information about Creative Commons is online at http://creativecommons.org/; license information specifically is online at https://creativecommons.org/about/cclicenses/. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Above: Two early spring views of shimmering ponds in Blacksburg, Va.: upper photo - a temporary pool and an adjacent wetlands where several kinds of frogs breed and Red-winged Blackbirds are common, April 4, 2015; lower photo - part of Virginia Tech's Duck Pond, March 21, 2016.Above: Map of stream flows at Virginia gaging stations averaged over the past 28 days, as of March 18, 2021, and compared to normal flows, according to the color-coding chart below the map.  Map from the U.S. Geological Survey’s “WaterWatch” site, online at https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/index.php?m=pa28d&r=va&w=map, accessed 3/19/21. Above: Virginia drought indicator map as of 3/18/21, from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, accessed online at this link, 3/19/21. SOURCES USED FOR AUDIO AND OFFERING MORE INFORMATION Deborah Byrd, “Everything you need to know: Vernal equinox 2016,” EarthSky, 3/16/16, online at http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-vernal-or-spring-equinox. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “All About Birds,” online at http://www.allaboutbirds.org.  The Red-winged Blackbird entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “Meteorological Versus Astronomical Seasons,” online at https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/meteorological-versus-astronomical-seasons. National Weather Service/Climate Prediction Center, “U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook for March 18—June 30, 2021” (released March 18. 2021), online at http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/sdo_summary.php. U.S. Geological Survey, “Water Watch,” Virginia 28-day streamflow map, online at https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/index.php?m=pa28d&r=va&w=map, on 3/18/21. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, “U.S. Drought Monitor,” online at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/. U.S. Naval Observatory, “Earth’s Seasons—Equinoxes and Solstices—2021-2025,” online (as PDF) at http://www.weather.gov/media/ind/seasons.pdf.Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Virginia is for Frogs,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/virginia-is-for-frogs/.Va. Drought Monitoring Task Force, “Current Drought Conditions in Virginia,” online at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterSupplyWaterQuantity/Drought.aspx, accessed 3/18/16. Virginia Herpetological Society, online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/.  Herpetology is the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, and salamanders) and reptiles (including lizards, snakes, and turtles). Virginia Water Resources Research Center, “Mosquitoes and Water,” Virginia Water CentralNewsletter, June 2009 (pages 6-15), online at http://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/49357. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Amphibians,” “Birds,” and “Overall Importance of Water” subject categories. Following are links to other spring-themed episodes.  (Please note: several of these may be redone in spring 2021.  As that occurs, the links below will include directions to the blog post for the updated episodes.) Eastern Phoebe – Episode 416, 4-16-18.Frog and Toad Medley – Episode 408, 2-19-18.Spring forest wildflowers – Episode 212, 5-5-14.Spring Peepers – Episode 105, 4-2-12.Spring reminder about tornado awareness – Episode 568, 3-15-21.Spring signals for fish – Episode 311, 4-11-16.Spring sounds serenades – Episode 206, 3-14-14 and Episode 516, 3-16-20.Warblers and spring bird migration – Episode 157, 4-15-13. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and ProcessesK.7 – Plants and animals have basic needs and life processes.1.4 – Plants have basic life needs (including water) and functional parts that allow them to survive.1.5 – Animals, including humans, have basic life needs that allow them to survive.2.4 – Plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes as they grow and develop, including life cycles.3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms.4.3 – Organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems1.7 – There are weather and seasonal changes.2.7 – Weather patterns and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings.3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. Grades K-5: Earth Resources4.8. – Virginia has important natural resources. Life ScienceLS.5 – Biotic and abiotic factors affect an ecosystem.LS.8 – Changes occur in ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms over time. Earth ScienceES.12 – The Earth’s weather and climate result from the interaction of the sun’s energy with the atmosphere, oceans, and the land. BiologyBIO.8 – Dynamic equilibria exist within populations, communities, and ecosystems. 2015 Social Studies SOLs Grades K-3 Geography Theme1.6 – Virginia climate, seasons, and landforms. World Geography CourseWG.2 – how selected physical and ecological processes shape the Earth’s surface, including climate, weather, and how humans influence their environment and are influenced by it. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12thgrade.Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8thgrade.Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school.Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rdand 4th grade.

Miles and Alex's conversation about various topics is underscored by the rushing waters of Leonard Springs, and then by the delightful chorus of frogs in the swamp. We also see a muskrat.

Caroline Seitz - aka Cobra Caroline - is a Northern Virginia wildlife educator specializing in reptiles & amphibians. While her vocation is to teach kids to love nature, this fun & educational & infectiously joyous episode is for all ages. We begin by covering the timely news on "herpetological spring": salamander migrations, spring peepers, vernal pools, gorging snakes, regional salamander biodiversity & population threats, gelatinous egg masses, and how-to locate some amphibian action near you in the remaining weeks.  Having owned & cared for dozens of rescue animals, Caroline shares her personal, ethical journey evolving beyond live shows to a more creative new venture. One of the most interesting parts of this episode is hearing how different ages respond to snakes, from kids, to teenagers, and finally adults. Then we get into her brief stint as a snake removal technician & joining her brother's conservation work with Hawaii's hawksbill sea turtles. In closing, Caroline shares a heart-warming story about her parents: how their nurturing of her childhood passion for reptiles & amphibians led to a lifetime of animal shows from age 9 to present day.Check out Caroline's Kid's Nature Shows to book an in-person or virtual event for your kiddos. And follow along via Instagram & Facebook for fun facts about reptiles & amphibians.Follow Our Numinous Nature & my naturalist illustrations on InstagramCheck out my shop of shirts, prints, and books featuring my artContact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com 

Click to listen to episode (4:22) Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 3-5-21.TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of March 8, 2021.  This episode is a revised version of an episode from March 2015. MUSIC – ~11 sec – instrumental This week, we feature a tune to mark the arrival soon of spring and give a bit of water-credit to the departing winter.  Have a listen for about 30 seconds.MUSIC - ~32 sec – instrumentalYou’ve been listening to part of “Winter’s Fall,” by No Strings Attached, on their 1999 album, “In the Vinyl Tradition, Vol. II,” from Enessay Music.  In one sense, the “fall” in the title brings to mind the approaching end of winter and the bursts of biological activities that start in spring [SOUND – Spring Peepers - ~4 sec] and continue through summer and early autumn [SOUND – Evening insects in early October - ~5 sec].But those activities—from frog calling, to insect buzzing, to many humanactivities—take water, and the water that’ll be available during spring and summer in pools, ponds, streams, and underground depends in large part on the water that falls during winter.  About 37 percent of Virginia’s statewide average annual precipitation falls from November through March, according to Southeast Regional Climate Center records from 1895 through 2020.  But compared to warm-weather rainfall, winter precipitation is less likely to evaporate rapidly and less likely to be used by plants.  As a result, much of winter precipitation can seep into groundwater, recharging supplies that’ll be available in warmer months for plants and as base flow in streams and rivers.  Winter recharge of water supplies is even more important in relatively dry—but snowy—western states; in California, for example, typically over 78 percent of the annual average precipitation occurs from November through March, according to records between 1971 and 2000. While Virginia’s water managers don’t have to focus each winter on snowpack levels, like many westerners do, what falls each Commonwealth winter is still key to our summer water supplies. Thanks to No Strings Attached for permission to use this week’s music, and we close with about 20 more seconds of “Winter’s Fall.”MUSIC - ~22 sec – instrumental SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 258, 3-23-15. “Winter’s Fall,” from the 1999 album “In the Vinyl Tradition, Vol. II,” is copyright by No Strings Attached and Enessay Music, used with permission.  More information about the now-retired group No Strings Attached is available online at https://www.enessay.com/index.html.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 461, 2-25-19. The sounds heard were Spring Peepers in Blacksburg, Va., March 11, 2015; and various night-time insect sounds in Blacksburg, October 2, 2014.Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Snow and ice on December 30, 2014, in Blacksburg, Va., at a temporary pond that provides spring breeding habitat for frogs and other amphibians.Icy snow on an American Beech twig in Blacksburg, Va., January 28, 2021.  Photo by Lesley Howard, used with permission.Ice hanging from a tree twig at Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., February 20, 2021.  This was ice that had collected on the twig during an ice storm and then separated from most of the length of the twig during melting except for a short section that kept the ice attached.  This phenomenon was widespread that day in this area. SOURCES Used for Audio Paul Rogers, Sierra snowpack at 61% as new drought looms for California this summer, Bay Area News Service, as published by The Mercury News, March 2, 2021. Southeast Regional Climate Center at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, “State Climate Data,” online at https://sercc.com/state-climate-data/. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “U.S. Drought Monitor,” online at https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/.  For a representative comment on the importance of snowpack in the western United States, see the March 4, 2021, weekly report, “Summary/West.” Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, “Drought,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quantity/drought.Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, “Drought Status Report for March 2015,” accessed 3/23/15 online at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterSupplyWaterQuantity/Drought.aspx; this page was no longer available online, as of 3-5-21.Western Regional Climate Center, “Historical Data/Comparative Summaries/Average Statewide Precipitation for the Western U.S. States,” online at https://wrcc.dri.edu/Climate/comp_table_show.php?stype=ppt_avg. For More Information about Water Quantity in Virginia U.S. Geological Survey/Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center, online at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/va-wv-water.Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, “Water Quantity,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quantity.RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Groundwater,” “Overall Importance of Water,” “Science,” and “Weather/Natural Disasters” categories. Following are links to some other episodes on water quantity or supply.Groundwater generally – Episode 306, 3-7-16.Virginia water resources numbers – Episode 539, 8-24-20.Water quantity information sources – Episode 546, 10-12-20. Following are links to some other episodes on winter precipitation. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain – Episode 461, 2-25-19.Snow physics and chemistry – Episode 407, 2-12-18. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems1.7 – Weather and seasonal changes affect plants and animals, including humans.2.7 – Weather patterns and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings.4.4 – Weather conditions and climate affect ecosystems and can be predicted. Grades K-5: Earth Resources3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems. Grade 66.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment. Life ScienceLS.5 – Biotic and abiotic factors affect an ecosystem. Earth ScienceES.6 – Resource use is complex. ES.8 – Freshwater resources influence and are influenced by geologic processes and human activity.ES.12 – The Earth’s weather and climate result from the interaction of the sun’s energy with the atmosphere, oceans, and the land. 2015 Social Studies SOLs Grades K-3 Economics Theme2.8 – Natural, human, and capital resources. World Geography CourseWG.2 – How selected physical and ecological processes shape the Earth’s surface, including climate, weather, and how humans influence their environment and are influenced by it.WG.4 – Types and significance of natural, human, and capital resources. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12thgrade.Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8thgrade.Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school.Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rdand 4th grade.Episode 539, 8-24-20 – on basic numbers and facts about Virginia’s water resources, for 4th and 6th grade.

A thunderstorm rumbles and crashes as rain falls around you. Occasionally in between crashes you can hear the soothing chirp of distant spring peepers, unbothered by the wet rains. Learn more about the White Noise App Download the White Noise app for free! Download to White Noise for free! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/tmsoft/support

Click to listen to episode (4:31) Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesSources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 6-26-20. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of June 29, 2020.  This episode’s information is intended especially for Virginia elementary students learning about how where water is and how it's used. MUSIC – ~ 5 sec – Instrumental That excerpt of “Driving Rain,” by the Nelson County, Va., band Chamomile and Whiskey, opens an episode about something rain affects: that is, animals getting water.  Many animals, of course, get water simply by drinking from rivers, lakes, puddles, and other water sources.  But animals have several other ways to get water.  In this episode, I’ll play five kinds of animal mystery sounds, each for a few seconds.  After each sound, I’ll identify the animals and tell you something about how they get water. SOUND - ~ 6 sec - Whale That was the sound of a whale spouting water as it surfaced.  Whales and other sea mammals get most of their water from their food, including the water produced when food is digested, which is known as metabolic water.  All animals get some of their water through that process. SOUND - ~ 5 sec – Rattlesnake That was a rattlesnake rattle.  Snakes drink water, including water that collects on their skin, and rattlesnakes in desert areas have special skin structures that allow them to capture rainwater. SOUND - ~ 7 sec – Gray Catbird That was a [Gray] Catbird with a series of calls mimicking other birds.  Birds get water from food, including metabolic water, and from drinking in various ways, including pelicans opening their beaks to capture rainwater and small birds drinking from dew drops.  Some birds are able to use salt water as a water source. SOUND - ~ 6 sec – Frogs and toad (Spring Peeper, American Toad, Gray Tree Frog) Those were the calls of three kinds of frog or toad.  Frogs, toads, and other amphibians can absorb water through their skin. SOUND - ~ 7 sec –Crickets and katydids Those were the evening sounds of two kinds of insects, crickets and katydids.  Like many insects, these two kinds get water from plants they eat.  Insects can also get water by drinking from various sources, from bodily fluids of prey, and, for some insects, by taking water from the air. Other animals, especially animals that live in dry environments, have other fascinating adaptations for getting and conserving water.  Getting water is one example of how the natural world offers plenty of surprises for inquiring explorers. Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the whale and rattlesnake sounds.  Thanks also to Chamomile and Whiskey for permission to use this week’s music, and we close with about 20 more seconds of “Driving Rain.” MUSIC - ~ 20 sec – Instrumental SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The whale and rattlesnake sounds were taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov/cdm/; the specific URL for the whale sound was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/audio/id/7/rec/1, and for the rattlesnake sound was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/audio/id/61/rec/6, as of 6/29/20. The Gray Catbird was recorded by Virginia Water Radio in Blacksburg, Va., on June 26, 2020. The Spring Peeper, Gray Tree Frog, and American Toad sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio in Blacksburg, Va., on April 29, 2012. The crickets and katydids were recorded by Virginia Water Radio in Blacksburg, Va., on July 25, 2017, about 9:30 p.m. “Driving Rain,” from the 2012 album “The Barn Sessions,” is copyright by Chamomile and Whiskey and by County Wide Records, used with permission.  More information about Chamomile and Whiskey is available online at http://www.chamomileandwhiskey.com/, and information about Charlottesville-based County Wide records is available online at http://countywidemusic.worldsecuresystems.com/.  This music was most recently used by Virginia Water Radio in Episode 500, 11-25-19. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Tail of a Humpback Whale, April 2017, location not identified.  Photo by Bill Thompson, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/25236/rec/3, as of 6/29/20. Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, April 2008, location not identified.  Photo by Gary Stolz, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/2496/rec/3, as of 6/29/20.Gray Catbird, photographed in Virginia Beach, Va., June 14, 2016.  Photo by Robert Suppa, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31149441, as of 6/29/20, for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Seasonal pond habitat used by Spring Peepers and other amphibians, Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., May 28, 2020. SOURCES Used for Audio Animalfoodplant, “What Do Crickets Eat?” online at https://www.animalfoodplanet.com/what-do-crickets-eat/. Joe Ballenger, “How much water can ants drink?” Ask an Entomologist Web site, 9/29/16, online at https://askentomologists.com/2016/09/29/how-much-water-can-ants-drink/. Biology Online, “Metabolic Water,” online at https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/metabolic-water. CBC Radio, Rattlesnakes have skin that's sticky for raindrops so they can sip from their scales, 1/20/20. Don Glass, “How Insects Drink,” Indiana Public Media “Moment of Science” Web site, 3/16/04, online at https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/how-insects-drink.php. Richard W. Hill, Comparative Physiology of Animals: An Environmental Approach, Harper & Row Publishers, New York, 1976; see particularly pages 122 and 145-154. Robert Kenney [University of Rhode Island marine biologist], “How can sea mammals drink saltwater?” Scientific American, 4/30/01, online at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-can-sea-mammals-drink/. Liz Langley, Meet the Beetles that Harvest Fog in the Desert, National Geographic, 4/7/18.  This article has information on how several kinds of animals get water. Mara Katharine Lawniczak, “Eastern Grey Squirrel,” University of Michigan “Biokids” Web site, online at http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Sciurus_carolinensis/. J. Machin, “Water Vapor Absorption in Insects,” American Journal of Physiology, Vol 244, No. 2, February 1983, accessed online at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6824103/. Catherine Myers, “How Desert Rattlesnakes Harvest Rainwater,” Inside Science (American Institute of Physics), 1/13/20, online at https://www.insidescience.org/news/how-desert-rattlesnakes-harvest-rainwater. St. Louis Zoo, “Amphibians,” undated, online at https://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/amphibians. University of Michigan “Biokids” Web site, “Katydids/Tettigoniidae,” undated, online at http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Tettigoniidae/. University of Washington/Burke Museum, “Facts About Frogs,” undated, online at https://www.burkemuseum.org/collections-and-research/biology/herpetology/all-about-amphibians/all-about-frogs. Sonia Villabon, “Do Whales Drink Salt Water?” Whales Online, 9/19/17, online at https://baleinesendirect.org/en/do-whales-drink-salt-water/. Joel C. Welty, The Life of Birds, 2nd Edition, W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, Penn., 1975; see particularly pages 98-100. For More Information about Animals’ Biology and Habitats Audubon Guide to North American Birds, online at https://www.audubon.org/bird-guide. Chesapeake Bay Program, “Field Guide,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “All About Birds,” online at http://www.allaboutbirds.org. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at http://vafwis.org/fwis/?Title=VaFWIS+Species+Information+By+Name&vUT=Visitor. Virginia Herpetological Society, online at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/.  Herpetology is the study amphibians and reptiles. Virginia Society of Ornithology, online at https://www.virginiabirds.org/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the subject categories for different animal groups (Birds, Fish, Insects, Reptiles, and Mammals), the “Overall Importance of Water” subject category, and the “Science” subject category. Following are links to other episodes exploring water sources for animals. Episode 313, 4-25-16, on honeybees. Episode 343, 11-21-16, on the Wild Turkey and other birds. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION This episode was intended to support primarily the following two Virginia Science Standards of Learning (SOLs): 3.9 – Water cycle, including sources of water, energy driving water cycle, water essential for living things, and water limitations and conservation; and 4.9 – Virginia natural resources, including watersheds, water resources, and organisms. Following are some other SOLs that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript or by other information included in this post. 2013 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2010 Science SOLs Grades K-6 Life Processes Theme K.7 – basic needs and processes of plants and animals. 1.5 – animals’ basic needs and distinguishing characteristics. 3.4 – behavioral and physiological adaptations. Grades K-6 Living Systems Theme 2.5 – living things as part of a system, including habitats. 6.7 – natural processes and human interactions that affect watershed systems; Virginia watersheds, water bodies, and wetlands; health and safety issues; and water monitoring. Grades K-6 Matter Theme 6.5 – properties and characteristics of water and its roles in the human and natural environment. Life Science Course LS.6 – ecosystem interactions, including the water cycle, other cycles, and energy flow. LS.9 – adaptations for particular ecosystems’ biotic and abiotic factors, including characteristics of land, marine, and freshwater environments. Biology Course BIO.4 – life functions (including metabolism and homeostasis) in different organism groups, including human health, anatomy, and body systems. BIO.8 – dynamic equilibria and interactions within populations, communities, and ecosystems; including nutrient cycling, succession, effects of natural events and human activities, and analysis of the flora, fauna, and microorganisms of Virginia ecosystems. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to other Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.

Click to listen to episode (3:58)Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.)Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 6-5-20.TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of June 8, 2020. SOUND – ~5 sec – Gray Treefrog This week, we have a trilling episode.  That is, we feature the different trilling calls of two frog species that are indistinguishable to the naked eye.  Have a listen for about 20 seconds to the two species’ male breeding calls, and see if you know these two kinds of frogs.  And here’s a hint: think of tall woody plants and then the color of a rainy sky. SOUNDS - ~19 sec If you guessed treefrogs, you’re on the right track.  And if knew that the first call was the Gray Treefrog and the second was Cope’s Gray Treefrog, you’re a frog-call phenom!  The two frog species look identical, but they don’t interbreed and they differ in the number of chromosomes in their cells.  In Virginia they have somewhat different ranges, with the Gray Treefrog typically found in about the middle half of the Commonwealth and Cope’s Gray Treefrog primarily found in the Coastal Plain and the far southwest.  Those male breeding calls you heard are the usual way of distinguishing the two species.As their name implies, these amphibians live mostly in trees or shrubs, except during their spring and summer breeding season when they move to shallow, standing waters to mate.  Both species are relatively small, from about one to three inches long; both feed on various insects and other invertebrates; and both are colored gray, green, brown, or white, except for orange or yellow marks on their hind legs. Thanks to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and to Lang Elliott’s NatureSound Studio for permission to use the Cope’s Gray Treefrog sounds, from the 2008 CD, “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads.” We close this week with an extra sound, one that doesn’t have anything to do with frogs or even particularly with water, but results from a natural event occurring in southwestern Virginia this late spring that’s too unusual not to mention, and too loud not to notice.  That’s the 2020 emergence of Brood IX of the 17-year periodical cicada, bringing with it a chorus of mating calls by the male insects.  Have a listen for about 10 seconds to that sound, recorded on a mountain trail near Blacksburg on June 4. SOUND - ~11 sec SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Cope’s Gray Treefrog sounds in this episode were from “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads” CD, copyright 2008 by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) and Lang Elliott/NatureSound Studio, used with permission.  For more information on this CD, contact VDGIF online at https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/; by mail to P.O. Box 90778, Henrico, VA 23228-0778; by phone to (804) 367-1000 (VTDD); or by e-mail to dgifweb@dgif.virginia.gov. Lang Elliott’s work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. The Gray Treefrog sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio at a seasonal pond in Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., on July 8, 2016, about 9 p.m.  The sounds in the background are the “peep” of Spring Peepers and the “thunk” of Green Frogs. The periodical cicada sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio on Brush Mountain just north of Blacksburg, Virginia, on June 4, 2020, about 12 noon.Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Gray Treefrog in a pond at a residence in Blacksburg, Va., April 30, 2007.Cope’s Gray Treefrog, photographed in Chesapeake, Virginia, July 8, 2019.  Photo by David Weisenbeck, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28498566 (as of 6-8-20) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.Virginia range maps for the Gray Treefrog (upper) and Cope’s Gray Treefrog (lower). Maps taken from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at http://vafwis.org/fwis/?Title=VaFWIS+Species+Information+By+Name&vUT=Visitor.  The Gray Treefrog map is online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Occurrence&bova=020007&version=18418; the Cope’s Gray Treefrog map is online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Occurrence&bova=020006&version=18418.Periodical cicada, photographed in Patrick County, Va., June 7, 2020.  Photo by Kathy Richardson, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/48868419 (as of 6-8-20) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT GRAY TREEFROG AND COPE’S GRAY TREEFROG The scientific name of Gray Treefrog is Hyla versicolor. The scientific name of Cope’s Gray Treefrog in Hyla chrysoscelis. The following information is quoted from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020007&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18418 for the Gray Treefrog and at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020006&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18418 for Cope’s Gray Treefrog. Gray Treefrog Physical Appearance “Usually gray but coloration ranges from gray to whitish to brown to green, dependent upon environment and activities.  There is a whitish mark beneath the eyes and a bright orange or yellow on the concealed surfaces of the hind legs.  This species ranges in length from 32 to 62 mm (1.25-2.5 in).” Reproduction “Males call between March and August.  The call of this species is a slower trill than that of Cope’s Gray Treefrog, 25 trills per second.  Breeding generally occurs from March to June.  The female lays clumps of 10 to 40 eggs per group on the surface of shallow ditches, puddles, and ponds.   Females may lay more than one clutch in a season…. Eggs typically hatch in 4 to 5 days, and metamorphosis occurs in 45 to 64 days.” Behavior “This species is not often seen on the ground or near the water's edge except during the breeding season.  It tends to forage while in small trees or shrubs near to or in standing water.  This species is an opportunistic feeder focusing primarily on larval Lepicoptera [butteflies and moths], Coleoptera [beetles], and other arthropods.” Aquatic/Terrestrial Associations “This species is typically associated with the following forest types: black willow, sweet gum-willow oak, white oak-red oak-black oak and mixed pine-hardwood.  They are frequently found in recently disturbed areas with shrub and herbaceous cover.” Cope’s Gray Treefrog Physical Appearance “This species is identical to [Gray Treefrog] in appearance but they do not interbreed.  The two gray treefrog species can be distinguished genetically and by breeding call…. The male mating call of Cope’s Gray Treefrog is shorter, harsher and more forceful than [Gray Treefrog].  It is a faster call averaging 45 trills/second.  This species is generally slightly smaller than [Gray Treefrog]. Reproduction “This species breeds between May and August and is usually not found outside of this period. ..Females lay scattered clumps of 10 to 40 eggs on the surfaces of shallow ditches and small ponds.  These eggs hatch in 4 or 5 days.  Metamorphosis occurs in 45 to 64 days…. This species may have two clutches per season.” Behavior “This species is more arboreal and is more tolerant of low humidity than [Gray Treefrog.].  Its diet consists of insects which are foraged from trees, shrubs, and off the ground preferably near water.  This species is an opportunistic feeder.  Typical prey items include larval Lepidoptera [butterflies and moths], Coleoptera [beetles], and other arthropods.” Aquatic/Terrestrial Associations “This species is typically associated with small ponds, ditches, beaver ponds, or other standing water.  It is frequently found in areas that have been recently disturbed but contain shrubs, herbaceous vegetation, and/or vines.” SOURCES Used for Audio Eric Day et al., “Periodical Cicada,” Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication 444-276 (ENTO-105NP), February 25, 2015, online at https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/444/444-276/444-276.html. John D. Kleopfer and Chris S. Hobson, A Guide to the Frogs and Toad of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Richmond, 2011.  [This is the source used for the description included in the audio/transcript of the two frog species' ranges.] Lang Elliott, The Calls of Frogs and Toads, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Penn., 2004.Bernard S. Martof et al., Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1980. Dan Mozgai, “Cicada Mania,” online at https://www.cicadamania.com/.  Information on periodical cicada Brood IX and its emergence in 2020 is online at https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/category/broods/brood-ix/. James Mason, “What’s that noise? The 17-year cicadas are back,” Virginia Tech Daily, May 2020, online at https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2020/05/CALS-periodical_cicada_2020.html. Robert Powell et al., Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston and New York, 2016. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at http://vafwis.org/fwis/?Title=VaFWIS+Species+Information+By+Name&vUT=Visitor.The Gray Treefrog entry is online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020007&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18418.The Cope’s Gray Treefrog entry is online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020006&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18418. Virginia Herpetological Society, online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/index.html.  Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles.The Gray Treefrog entry is online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/gray-treefrog/gray_treefrog.php.The Cope’s Gray Treefrog entry is online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/copes-gray-treefrog/copes_gray_treefrog.php.Information on all frogs and toads in Virginia is online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm.The “Frog Calling Schedule” is online (as a PDF) at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/_phenology/va-frog-and-toad-phenology.pdf. For More Information about Frogs and Other Amphibians AmphibiaWeb, “Order Anura—Frogs and Toads Species List,” online at https://amphibiaweb.org/lists/alpha/A-Ate-Anura.shtml.FrogWatch USA, online at https://www.aza.org/frogwatch.  According to this Web site, this is the American Zoological Association (AZA)'s citizen science program and “encourages volunteers to collect and contribute information about the breeding calls of frogs and toads to a national dataset that is publicly available online.”Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Virginia is for Frogs” Web site, online at http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/virginia-is-for-frogs/.For More Information about Periodical Cicadas Ralph Berrier (text) and Stephanie Klein-Davis (photos), Watch Now: The 17-year cicadas emerge across Southwest Virginia, Roanoke Times, 6/8/20. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Amphibians” subject category. Following are links to other episodes on featuring sounds of the Gray Treefrog. Episode 371, 6-5-17 – Herp Blitz by Virginia Herpetological Society (sounds of Bullfrog, Gray Treefrog, Northern Cricket Frog, Fowler's Toad, and Green Frog). Episode 408, 2-19-18 – Frog and Toad Medley (sounds of American Toad, Bullfrog, Carpenter Frog, Gray Treefrog, Green Frog, Mountain Chorus Frog, Northern Cricket Frog, Pickerel Frog, Spring Peeper, and Wood Frog). Episode 427, 7-2-18 – a July 4th “debate.” Episode 431, 7-30-18 – on the Tazewell County, Va., community of Frog Level (sounds of Gray Treefrog, Green Frog, and Spring Peeper). Episode 524, 5-11-20 – a sampler of animal sounds. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources of information, or other materials in the Show Notes. 2010 Science SOLs Grades K-6 Earth Resources Theme 4.9 – Virginia natural resources, including watersheds, water resources, and organisms. Grades K-6 Life Processes Theme K.7 – basic needs and processes of plants and animals. 1.5 – animals’ basic needs and distinguishing characteristics. 2.4 – life cycles. 3.4 – behavioral and physiological adaptations. Grades K-6 Living Systems Theme 2.5 – living things as part of a system, including habitats. 3.5 – food webs. 3.6 – ecosystems, communities, populations, shared resources. 5.5 – cell structures and functions, organism classification, and organism traits. Life Science Course LS.4 – organisms’ classification based on features. LS.8 – community and population interactions, including food webs, niches, symbiotic relationships. LS.9 – adaptations for particular ecosystems’ biotic and abiotic factors, including characteristics of land, marine, and freshwater environments. Biology Course BIO.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts. BIO.6 – bases for modern classification systems, including structures, biochemistry, and developmental stages. BIO.8 – dynamic equilibria and interactions within populations, communities, and ecosystems; including nutrient cycling, succession, effects of natural events and human activities, and analysis of the flora, fauna, and microorganisms of Virginia ecosystems. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.

Listen to the sounds of Spring Peepers and learn about this interesting small frog found in Eastern United States.

I caught up with David Gregg, executive director of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey, to learn more about spring peepers; the musical little tree frogs that show up every spring and pierce the April evenings with relentless chirping. These 1" long amphibians come to the vernal pools to lay their eggs. Good news for urban dwellers, as the peepers can also be found in the retention ponds near most shopping centers. David says they are really hard to see but if you go to a pool at night, sit quietly, wait for the music to crank up, turn on a flash light. you might see one on a branch of a bush or tree. Good luck.

Hi everyone, it’s been a while since I last posted an episode. In fact, it’s been just over a year. This new episode features no human voices, but consists entirely of the night sounds outside my house in Floyd County, Virginia. That said, it’s pretty loud, as it’s filled with the sounds of spring peepers … Continue reading Evening in the holler (w/ spring peepers and pond frogs) →

The newest episode of things featuring people and stuff in the world of DISC GOLF WOOT WOOT. Music provided by Internet, but if you actually want to know what that sample is then i guess i should throw a shout out to Harry Belafonte even though Boo Boo is one of his least well recongnized songs and probably for good reasons. Shout out to Eddie Rabbit, Discin Jane, DISC BIIIIIIRD, Scott Reek and really the whole Reek family, Spring Peepers, that guy from Nebraska, our non existent advertisers. Sweet Lady Jangles and everyone else who makes me want to put effort into this. I have not found anything more entertaining than this as of yet. :)

Today we speak on the first encounter with Mammoth Quail. It is the Feast Day of Spring Peepers, and in the garden, there is no forsythia. Be Safe, and Remember: You Are Not Alone.

Left at the altar by a flaky special guest (emmm, Sheldon), Chicky and Drew battle back with an inspired discussion about Boston sports, golf and ski culture, and the importance of just playing the game.

You might not see this little frog but you will have no trouble hearing them. Find out all about the frog that is the size of a small paper clip. Our sources for this episode include: Fall Peepers - https://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/fall-peepers Pinkeltinks - http://www.theanimalfiles.com/amphibians/frogs/spring_peeper.html Spring Peepers - http://www.wild-facts.com/2011/wild-fact-640-peep-peep-spring-peeper/ 10 Things You Didnʼt Know about Spring Peepers - http://natureformysoul.com/2014/03/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-spring-peepers/

Chapter One of Extraordinary Terrestrials, a serialized fiction podcast about a supernatural wetland. Written, recorded, and performed by Miriam Rimkunas. All piano music was composed and performed by Jonas Rimkunas All other music was composed by Miriam Rimkunas. All rights reserved. Freesound Recording of Spring Peepers: https://www.freesound.org/people/BudJillett/sounds/184950/

Today we remember the reappearance of a notorious painting. It is also the day a new hors d'oeuvre was debuted at a party. It is the Feast Day of Spring Peepers, and in the garden, there are strawberries. Be Safe, and Stay Out of Trouble.

My friend Vern Acular and I were out on firefly patrol last night. It's early in the season, but you can't ever afford to let your guard down ...

On my way home from recording with Dick Nodell in Connecticut, I stopped to listen to these tiny frogs sing their desire on a spring night.

Purl Stitch Tension, The Principles of Knitting, Knots in my socks. Complete show notes at www.knittingpipeline.com This show by sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince& Co. The folks at Quince & Co believe that businesses can be good citizens—should be good citizens—without making too much a fuss about it. So, they have created a line of thoughtfully conceived yarns spun from American wool or sourced from earth friendly overseas suppliers. Find them at www.quinceandco.com and while you are there, sign up for their free e-newsletter. I enjoy your feedback, comments on the blog, and questions. Feel free to write to me at Paulaef@aol.com or on Ravelry as PrairiePiper. My business site is www.longaberger.com/paula BostenJen has a new podcast called Down Cellar StudioPodcast. Erin, MommyNeedsYarn has video from the Knitting Pipeline Retreat on her show. Episode 48 RetreatRecovery Thank you, Erin! Pipeliner Notes Bronwyn wrote on the group thread: I guess we’re all spun from the same sheep, knit from the same skein. Nature Notes 80 degrees the past few days; Why a warm winter does not mean more insects in summer. Spring Visitors: Pileated Woodpecker, Franklin the Wild Turkey, Spring Peepers, and huge flocks of blackbirds. Every day that is born into the world comes like a burst of music and rings the whole day through, and you make of it a dance, a dirge, or a life march, as you will. Thomas Carlyle Needle Notes SpinunLady wrote about the Purl Stitch being larger, a question Charr posed last week. Ysolda Teague Little Red in the City The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmons Hiatt The Principles of Private Detection by Clovis Andersen in Alexander McCall Smith’s #1 Ladies Detective Agency. I read a short passage from Blue Shoes and Happiness. Piper’s Journey KAL In The Pipeline Listening this week: CaithnessCraft Collective, Fiber Beat, Knit Knit Café, Knitting Brooklyn, Positively Overcommitted, and A Playful Day. Thanks to A Playful Day for a mentioning Knitting Pipeline on her show. Knitting: Socks. Austermannwool Step Classic had two knots, both of which landed on the heel and heel flap! Hyla Brook final sample for Quince and Co. Cardigan for me? NantucketJacket by Norah Gaughn, Paulie by Isabelle Kraemer, or EZ percentage sweater in Quince & Co Tern or Finch? The Lady Edith by Carrie Steinmetz Susan B Anderson toys McHenry and Fat Robin Watching: Watched Anatomy of Knitting. Erin is either switching to video or doing both; Lie to Me Tim Roth and Kelli Williams; The Good Wife; Project Runway All Stars; Owl Cam: The Hidden World. The Blethering Room A Visitor surprised me when I was playing my pipes by the creek. In The Piping Circle St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow! I will tweet. Music Dutch Pipes and Drums In Concert Haste ye back!

show notes are at www.knittingpipeline.com.  Sponsored by Quince & Co, Three Bags Full, and my Longaberger Home Business.  Thank you, Sponsors! This episode was pre-recorded several days early as I am leaving for Camp KIP on Tuesday!  Leave a show note on the blog for a chance to win a Frog Mini Project Bag and matching accessory case from Three Bags Full!  Deadline for Week #2 is Thursday April 14th at noon. Spring Peepers are singing their chorus at night.  Hyla Brook by Robert Frost.  Needle Notes:  I steeked the Norwegian Sweater and used i-cord Three Needle BO to join the shoulders.  Find videos showing technique on the show blog.  Eunny Jang's video on steeking is fantastic! Blethering Room:  Woolly Serger Thread is not wool.  It is nylon that has a brushed coating.  Find extra thick Woolly Nylon at Schoolhouse Press.  Tips:  Use Kid Silk Haze for reinforcing heel, foot and toe.  No need to cut and weave in ends.  Wooly Nylon works well.  Anna Lena uses Slip Stitch Heel technique on the soles of her children's socks. Love this idea!  I test drove (walked) my darned socks and they feel great.  I darned another sock and am getting better at my technique. Thanks to my Celtic Cross friends Karen, Heather, Rob, and Deb  (and of course, announcer Kevin) who faithfully listen to Knitting Pipeline.  Music is Amzing Grace recorded at a regular Thursday night rehearsal.    

Bitter Cress wins over Draba; Spring Peepers are in love; European Widgeon and duck migration. Interview with Drew Sulock from the Pacific Whale Foundation about Humpback Whales.