Western Pond Turtle Research

What it is, yo.

So, obviously, the project is on hold at the moment. I (Kat) am currently working a job that actually pays the bills, KP is dealing with range renovations and the boys are busy educating future range lovers. So. As of today, I managed my monthly visit up to see what was what. Only 1 tag is currently transmitting and the reservoir is beyond enormous (overflowing, actually). So now we will have to see if we can devise a plan to catch the turts with dead tags and get some metamorphic data on everyone else. Ah, no rest for the wicked, eh? PS: I've decided birds don't outright suck.

vanilla wafer

Caught this cookie on Tuesday, 27 July in the basking trap. The little ones can't escape. If we had some sort of barrier I'm guessing we could be catching adults.
Tadpole eradication continues, with 4,5,5, and 7 caught 26-29 July, and 2 so far today (30 July). Plenty left though.

7 at one blow (cf Grimms Fairy Tales)

Well we are making a dent in the tadpole population, if a small one. A total of 8 yesterday, 7 so far this morning. They're at varying stages of development.

Gruesome but somehow it makes me happy.

Turtle Trapping

Well, we went for the baited wire methodology and, it turns out there is an element of smoothness and grace that are required to make the capture work. I apparently am lacking. Turts 1 - Kat 0

Fortunately, what I do seem to have is dumb luck. I managed to nab turt 4 as she was basking and foraging near the waterline.

We also got radio contact with 5,6 and 7. As well as several visuals of this guy - Turt8 (aka 'The Beast') who looks like a total dweeb with his antenna straight up in the air....

Bullfrogs (they suck)

So, yes, the 3 immigrants that appeared in the turtle pond this season have been busily wreaking havoc and procreating as fast as possible. The high water levels and abundant cover have made it very hard to get them, so in the last few weeks have been dealing with these..... (1st photo by Doug Drynan, hopefully he doesn't mind me poaching it)

all 4 legs out, ready to start menacing the locals

But it turns out, sometimes you just need to use the right tools... This is Doug. and no, I'm not calling him a tool (not outright, anyway), but he's damn effective in the war on bullfrogs.