Frog Watch Program 

Where:  Long Branch Community Ct. 
When:  Wed Jan 21,  repeated Sat Jan 24- Near SCES

Directions to Long Branch Community Center:
   8700 Piney Branch Rd., Silver Spring 
   From Sligo Parkway, drive east on Piney Branch toward Flower Ave. 
   After about 3/10 of a mile, watch for the sign on a building for Miles
   Glass. Turn left into the community center parking lot at the bottom 
   of the hill (the road goes up again just after).  Go to second floor. 



The quick story: 
  The Friends of Sligo Creek  is initiating a Frog Watch Program.  A few families
  in the community are interested in taking part in this by starting a frogwatch
  program along Sligo Creek with the  hope of adopting a monitoring site.  
  
  If you are  interested in participating, let me know.  For information on the
  frogwatch program, see web site listed below.  Even if you cannot go to
  the training, but would like to participate, let me know.  
  Ed Murtagh (Edward_B_Murtagh@yahoo.com)


The long story:
 
 
 Are any spring peepers left in Sligo?
 Would you enjoy looking and listening for frogs?
 Would your children?.
 
 Our Natural History chair, Michelle O'Herron, is announcing a never-before
 opportunity in Sligo. With perhaps no knowledge of frogs, you can have the
 fun of listening for different species in your part of the Park, and help
 by identifying their call. No need to catch them, though you could! We
 hope people from all sections will help draw up a list of what frogs are
 in Sligo today. You may want to compare the list with one from the past on
 our website. 
 
 Michelle is keeping the training time short. On the meeting dates above,
 next week, a representative from Frogwatch USA will explain the program
 and describe how to become a Frog Watcher in Sligo Creek.
 
 Michelle writes:
 Frogwatch USA is a long-term monitoring program managed by the National
 Wildlife Federation and the U.S. Geological Survey. The goals are to:
 *	Collect data about American frog and toad populations 
 *	Promote an appreciation for the diversity of frog and toad species 
 *	Highlight the importance of protecting wetland habitats
 
 Frog "watching" is done at night during the breeding season, which will be
 upon us soon! You choose one or more sites and visit once a week to
 identify the mating calls you may hear. It's easy, and fun for adults as
 well as kids! 
 
 To prepare, you register your site(s), review the field guide, and learn
 the FrogWatch USA protocol. All of this can be done on-line, and we'll
 have help from a Frogwatch coordinator. Our data will be incorporated into
 a national survey. For more information, visit
 <http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA/> or www.frogwatch.org
 <http://www.frogwatch.org>. 
 
 We hope to survey many sites in our watershed, and particularly hope that
 groups will adopt monitoring sites so that we can return for data next
 year. 
 
 If you are interested but can't make the above dates, please let me know
 soon. oherron@hotmail.com <mailto:oherron@hotmail.com> 
 
 We encourage ALL  to come out!!