Saturday, August 23, 2008

Tropical Storm Fay Pond Puddle Chorus

I rode to my usual haunts today hoping to photograph changes brought by TS Fay. Unfortunately, both Devil's Hammock and the road through Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge were gated and locked due to high water.



As if wet roads are an issue for the JEEP and I ...



I couldn't exactly park and walk in either as Mrs. FC was along for the ride and it would be poor form to leave her stranded in the parked JEEP while I was out having fun stomping in mud puddles and taking pictures.

(She has a torn calf muscle in her right leg and is not allowed to stomp in mud or have any fun.)

We rode out to Cedar Key to look for any evidence that a Tropical Storm had passed by, but the only real evidence of Fay besides a still grey unsettled sky was a stiffer wind than normal and lots of standing water in roadside ditches on the drive out.



Here at PFHQ, Fay seems to have pruned a few dead branches while dropping approximately 8 inches of rain over the course of the past 3 days.

I need more of course, so I'm rooting for the handful of tropical waves moving our way out in the Atlantic.

Just before sundown last night, Bear and I walked down to the Pond Puddle to soak up a little amphibiophonics.

Click on this link to see the puddle and listen to some happy anurans.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...


I'm glad you didn't get washed away.

We've had several hours of good "sideways rain" here in central Georgia today.

I'm sure sorry about the loss of life due to Fay. :(

R.Powers said...

Susan,
I'm glad you got that rain. Georgia really needed it.
I'm sorry for that loss of life too, but make no apologies for my unabashed enjoyment of tropical weather systems.
They come whether we like them or not and those who don't like them are free to move away from the danger zone.
In fact, nothing would make me happier than to see everyone who hates hurricanes leave Florida for safer ground in Idaho.
They are as much a part of living here as gators, palm trees, and amazing beaches.
What is most tragic about at least several of the lost lives is the sheer stupidity that caused the tragedies ... a 21 year old drowns in the surf during the height of the storm, a windsurfer severely injured windsurfing during the storm, a man suffocates using a gas powered generator without ventilation ... at some point, we have to take responsibilities for our actions.

Deb said...

Ditto your above comment. Why must the storm be blamed for human stupidity? It's like, blame normal winter weather for a Minnesotan freezing to death in a blizzard. Be prepared.

So, as I was going to say, those frogs sound so different from our spring frog chorus! I remember listening to the August frog chorus at my grandpa's St. Johns River place, and being totally amazed.

SophieMae said...

We're hearing a very similar concert this evening. I braved the mine field once known as our road and was rewarded with the songs of a googol of festive frogs and tonalizing toads. (In our yard, there are only bazillions.) Many former grassy depressions are actual ponds again. We had over 11" here.

Anonymous said...

fc glad to here you wethered the TD and PHFQ is almost backing working order S T E B

Anonymous said...

Glad of your liquid success, though I have to say that the frog chorus does sound a great deal like the alien spaceship background you mysteriously had on the other video post you made.

R.Powers said...

Deb,
I could pick out chorus, toads, and maybe green treefrogs, but am no expert on frog calls. Glad you enjoyed it, here and at your Grandpa's.

Sophie,
We had more last night from a pretty good band trailing Fay. Haven't checked the raingauge yet.
Eleven! Wonderful!

STEB,
Situation normal.

Pablo,
Really? This raw clip sounds purely froggy here and not waverly like the moviemaker mess.

swamp4me said...

Positively frogilicious! We vaguely recall the sounds of frogs...and the sound of rain :/

threecollie said...

Poor Mrs. FC, good thoughts going her way. I really like the video of Bear and frog calls. Nothing at all similar to the froggies of upstate NY.

R.Powers said...

Swampy,
One of these tropicalities is bound to roll up the Carolina coast to you.
I just know it.

3C,
Well, southern frogs have that drawl thang going on you know.

Dani said...

Does Mrs.FC need to do any PT or does this kind of thing heal on it's own?

R.Powers said...

Dani,
After 3 weeks of staying off it she will begin PT.