Northern Leopard Frogs, Lithobates pipiens, (Canada General Status Rank (Canada rank): Secure) are found in every province and territory except the Yukon. This medium-sized frog breeds in shallow, warm ponds and produces egg masses of 600 to 7000 eggs. Eggs hatch into tadpoles, which graze on algae for about 9 to 12 weeks, until they are ready to metamorphose into adults. Adults spend the summer feeding away from the water, but return to deep, well-oxygenated water to hibernate.
Northern Leopard Frogs were once common throughout their Canadian range, but during the late 1970s they underwent rapid, widespread population declines in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. In fact, Northern Leopard Frogs had virtually disappeared from Manitoba by 1976 and from Alberta by 1979. Lack of monitoring before this period makes population trends difficult to interpret, and scientists are still uncertain of the reason for the declines. Since the 1980s, Northern Leopard Frog populations in Alberta and Saskatchewan have been recovering slowly, whereas Manitoba’s populations have recovered relatively quickly. In British Columbia, populations have not substantially recovered and are now restricted to a single Wildlife Management Area.
The story of the Northern Leopard Frog demonstrates that even widespread, numerous species are vulnerable to catastrophic population declines and local extirpation. Scientists are now focusing on captive breeding and release in Alberta and British Columbia and population monitoring in Alberta and Saskatchewan to attempt to restore this species to its former range and to improve our knowledge of the Northern Leopard Frog.
Who would have thought huh?
Friday night I had a great evening with friends. The seven of us went out for pizza and after that we went to listen to a band in the town’s hotel. It was a lot of fun but my poor ears are not used to that loud music anymore. Hahaha! But it was a lovely evening. Al time spend with friends is a good time, right?
Saturday morning I went to see Norm and Karry Ann. I bought my cabin lumber from them. They wanted to show me how the wooden siding turned out on their project shed. It started to crack here and there, and for a shed that is not a big deal. But for a little house it can turn into problems. So they asked me if I still wanted this siding or not, and I decided better not and go with something else. Next year Norm will buy a special cutter to avoid this kind of problems when cutting siding. If I want, I can always change the siding again. So for now I will go with vinyl siding. Just have to decide on the color. Maybe tan or light brown.
I was in the neighbourhood so went to see my horses. They are doing wonderful and look so healthy. Carol came outside and we talked for a bit. Carol really takes so good care of my ponies. I’m very grateful to have such a good friend.
After my visit I went home, had a quick lunch and then I brought Dizzy back at the acreage. She did not like it in the kennel of course, but she did great. Once we arrived I put the kennel on the ground and let Taz smell Dizzy in the kennel. Taz did a lot of hissing, which is normal. Cats go by smell and if something smells different it can upset them. After a few minutes I let Dizzy out and let her explore on her own. I think she will be fine. Soon she was running around and going after bugs and ignored Taz who was still upset about a ‘new cat’ being in ‘her’ yard. LOL
Paul and I went to Garth from the RM to pick up the holding tank. On our way we saw our neighbour and stopped for a chat. Very friendly man. He was just getting his cows from one pasture to another and had just closed the gate after the last one, he thought, when a calf came out of the bush. It had that look on its face of: huh? Where is everyone?
We were talking and the calf started to walk up and down the fence, to see if there was an opening anywhere to get to the herd. But it didn’t panic. It was just trying to figure out how to get to the other cows and calves. After we were done talking, my neighbour opened the gate and let the calf in with the others. Nice to see that this calf stayed calm and had trust it would all be just fine.
Paul and I came to Garths place. No one home, but no problem as we got his permission to take this 20 year old tank. It took some muscles but we got the tank on the back of the truck. We drove it to the community well to give it a little rinse and then went back to the acreage. We unload the huge thing and after that Paul tried to make holes in it. First with the drill. No luck. It wasn’t the right drill bit I found out later. Then he tried with a hammer. No luck either. In fact the hammer part broke off! Then he tried it with an axe. Still no luck. That is one tough tank! But we need to put holes in it so the grey water can drain out of it. This tank probably needs a drill bit that is for steel so that is what I have to buy.
Monday I got Marcel, the electrician out. I found him through friends. He also does plumbing so double yay! I showed him what I wanted to have done for electricity. Which is really not much. Just 1 outlet on the inside and 1 on the outside to plug in the generator. It’s only for emergencies and it is a tiny space so it should be enough. He also will put a lightning rod on my cabin. For my plumbing he is able to make a kind of switch so I can re-use my grey water in the summer for my garden, and drain it away during winter. So that is awesome!
Tuesday Marcel came out again and YAY, wiring is done. He also brought a long ground rod for the lightning rod. Well, it won’t be a rod. Just wires attached to the roof, for when lightning hit it will be send straight to the wire and down to the ground rod, into the ground. We just have to get the braided aluminum wire and some clips to attach it.
While Marcel was working on the wiring, Paul tried to drill holes in the old tank. Well, that was going very slow, because our drill isn’t that strong. It took him over an hour to get one row of holes, one time around. We need like 30 rows! So we need to rent a stronger drill in the place in town. And when we are there, we will also rent a scaffold, so we can make the roof rafters stronger next time. I cleaned up the trailer again. It gets messy so easy. But now it is all cleaned and tidied up again. Marcel also had a look at the battery of the trailer and he said my battery charger wasn’t working right. He took it home to check it for me. He will also make me a cord with two male plugs so that it can run from the generator to the outlet in the back of the cabin. So nice to have a handyman that knows all that kind of stuff!
Paul and I thought about hauling the gravel rocks ourselves, but after I informed with Garth about how much it would cost to get it delivered, we will go that way. I tried to reach Gary to ask to do this for me, but no luck yet. But that is ok, as the tank is not ready yet and without the tank, no grey water system.
The cats were very happy to see us and after they ate, Taz would relax while Dizzy was running around the yard, catching bugs again. She was playing so much and soon she was panting like a dog from the heat and she laid in the shade to cool off. It was another hot hot day. I was glad we went early in the morning to do stuff.
I noticed the Blue Jays I always hear in the woods, get less shy and I saw them flying around a lot more. They have the most loud and strange sounds and their colours are so pretty. I hope to be able to make some good photo’s of them. The Turkey Vultures also keep flying above the yard. It really upsets Scruffy and when she sees them, she will bark and bark and bark, running around to ‘chase’ them off. Hahaha! Silly dog. The vultures really don’t care a bit. But it sure keeps Scruffy moving around. She gets her exercise!