Kedron Brook Catchment Branch commenced a Frog Census in March-April, 2007. Following keen interest from members, it has continued this summer as adequate rainfall occurs.
This is your chance to learn more about the frogs that live in your area. Does it surprise you to learn that, as with most birds, you can often identify them by their calls? We plan to obtain sound recordings of these frog calls to confirm their location and identity.
To join us with this census, all you have to do is register. When you have registered, we will confirm receipt of your interest. Then, given suitable rain this year, we shall arrange to send you a Frog Census Kit containing an audio cassette tape, a data sheet, instructions on what to do and some hints for successful recording and a return Postpak.
You then choose a suitable water body within the Kedron Brook Catchment that you believe is suitable for frogs. Perhaps you've heard their calls there. At a suitable time, make a 10 minute audio tape of the sounds there and send the tape back to the return address, as detailed with your instructions.
There is also a survey sheet on which you will need to record relevant data about the location of the water body and the conditions at the time. This information will assist in the determination of the environmental conditions present in relation to frog species' basic needs.
After you have sent the tape back, we will send you a list of the species identified on your audio tape recording and information on each species. This will provide useful data on the types and locations of frog species to be found in Kedron Brook Catchment.
A Workshop on Frogs and their Identification was organised in October 2007 at Grinstead Park to help everyone to carry out this survey in a consistent manner. The Committee has purchased a special field recorder suited to recording frog calls on 24 bit Wave/MP3 stereo sound files. These can be stored on computers for further evaluation and comparison with reference sound spectrums of different species of frog. This has assisted us to extend the depth of our surveys in the rainy season in Summer, 2008.
We are confident everyone will find this survey informative and even a bit of fun. You can register your interest or ask for further information by contacting Debbie Dolby on 3355 4134 or on-line through this web site.
To register your interest by email, please fill out the following form and submit it. (This process may take some days longer than with the direct contact by phone).
Either way, your registration will enable us to respond to you, keep you up to date and, during the summer rains, send you the Kit.
Follow this Frogs Project webpage link. It enables access to other useful information.
