Sandhills Recon II --the grassier Grassy Pond

The Night of March 12 2013 had another dash to the Carolina Sandhills in the offing.  It had rained on and off through the night on the 11th and into the morning of the 12th. There were puddles all over the place 100 road miles to the north in Durham Co. and the hope was that some long unheard voices would be sounding off at Grassy Pond.

Grassy Pond had some water back on February 24, and the hope was that the rain experienced in Durham Co. would also help fill this pond in Scotland Co. NC.  Disappointing, would characterize the water level changes. Instead of gains, there was loss. What had been 2 wet puddled areas, and one expanding across the grass, was now but one, which seemed to be shrinking.   One of the few visible egg masses from Southern Leopard Frogs, was now very close to the receding edge of the remaining puddle.

There were still a few Southern Leopard Frogs calling sporadically, but the climate does not seem to be favoring a once favorite frog spot.  From the grassy clearing I could hear the distant peeping of Spring Peepers.  --Somewhere out there, there was water, and with 4WD I would find it.

The shore of Scotland Lake would be the next frog spot. Peepers, and Southern Leopard Frogs were calling from the grassy lake edge,  The lake was lit by starlight, and the not infrequent lights of dual propeller military aircraft.  A little bit of recording was done with the stereo pair of mics placed in between two calling Southern Leopard Frogs.  There was a congregation of peepers to the east, a breeze that came and went from the west, and helicopters sound, and planes from the north.  --I might need to find some different recording areas!