Nature's Notebook 10-18-07


During the warm September and first part of October, I received many reports of


spring peepers, and in fact daily heard them calling in my own backyard. One friend encountered a peeper "glued" with its suction-pad toes to her kitchen window.

 

Despite their name, spring peepers are not only present and active in spring, although in that season their evening chorus is certainly loudest. Warm autumn days seem to be another favorite time for peeping, though at this time of year it seems limited in a given spot to one or a few individuals calling rather than a whole bunch. Last year I was still writing about peepers in this column in mid-November, during another warm spell.

Fall peepers also seem to call more from forest edges than from the borders of marshes and swamps where they make their chorus in spring. These tiny frogs, less than an inch in length, produce an astoundingly loud vocalization for their size. The sound varies from a clear whistle to a loud, high-pitched croaking.

Peepers in autumn are probably feeding — on insects and spiders — but in late fall, they may already have their minds on breeding, especially if the weather stays warm enough. When winter comes, the adult peepers will crawl under dense layers of leaf litter or logs in the forest, where they go into a state of semi-torpor. Parts of their body may actually freeze and crystallize, but a glucose released into their bloodstream acts as an antifreeze to prevent them from getting dangerously frozen.

Tomorrow night and Saturday night (Oct. 19 and 20), Sharon Audubon Center hosts its

style="font-size: 10pt", and in fact daily heard them calling in my own backyard. one friend encountered a peeper "glued" with its suction-pad toes to her kitchen window. >

 

"Enchanted Forest,"a perennial favorite for children, and on Oct. 28, Audubon Kids’ Day at the Center (located on Route 4 in Sharon) features nature-related games, crafts, and entertainment for the whole family. For details call 860-364-0520.

 

style="font-size: 10pt"a perennial favorite for children, and on oct. 28, audubon kids’ day at the center (located on route 4 in sharon) features nature-related games, crafts, and entertainment for the whole family. for details call 860-364-0520. >

 


Fred Baumgarten is a naturalist and writer. He can be reached at fredb58@sbcglobal.net. His blog is at thatbirdblog.blogspot.com. 

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