Frog concert time #phenology

Last night the Better Half noticed a chorus of peepers and wood frogs. After she told me about it, I stepped onto the deck and heard Spring's first frogs in Minnesota's East Central North Country. Frog mating "songs" may have been heard earlier elsewhere [the calendar is based on the Driftless Area], but Springsong croaked last night in our neighborhood.

Several years ago we were surprised and delighted to discover a tree frog on the screen porch screens on March 30th. It seemed very early but that year was probably warmer than usual. Today's temperatures are about half of what yesterday's were and the "breezes" are even stronger. Tomorrow, temperature-wise, March will leave like a lion (cub) with highs just barely above freezing. Then it's an April Fool's joke with more cold and Spring finally returns by week's end. We are truly looking forward to the kind of weather that's actually a pleasure to be out in. Maybe the end of windchill season will settle for April 1st this year. That'd be nice and we bet the frogs would enjoy not getting covered by skim ice each night, too.

March 30: tree frog on screen

Photo by J. Harrington

Frog. Little Eden.

By Wendy Battin

Amphibious, at home

on the surface

tension, in

over my head, not

out of my depth, not deep

deep deep,

not in far. Not

high and dry, not

even in treetops,

where I sing water

into the root-hairs.

It seeks me, will not

forsake me.

Hand over hand it climbs.

It breaks

the first law of water,

all for my song.

Into the trunk and up, it greens

the leaves that the leaves may be

-emerald me.

The leaves breathe it out and I drink,

then sing

lest the water forget to rise

and the world be kindling.

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