Marsh Frogs

   For years, the marshes were relatively quiet at night.  Occasionally, you might hear otters squeaking, raccoons squabbling or an alligator grunting but other than the usual night sounds of owls, crickets and cicadas, it was pretty much silent.  Now, that has all changed.  Once I designated the small pond as the "Frog Pond" and gave up hope of ever raising prettily colored fishes, it seems that the frogs got the idea in their heads that the whole place was theirs.  Frogs are everywhere.  Which I do not mind as they do help with keeping the place rid of some of the bugs.  Still, the nights have gotten a whole lot louder since thousands upon thousands of frogs are here.

  This morning before starting the chores for the day, I ventured to the pier.  As I softly padded down the planks, I could hear telltale signs that the marshes were alive!  It seemed that the froggies have lost fear of anything and pretty much do as they please.  With their voracious appetites, even the minnows are not safe.  This morning, a frog was literally zapping up the bull minnows.  

  The only downside to the billion or so frogs in the Bayou and marshes is that...where there are frogs, there is sure going to be snakes.  Hopefully, most of those snakes will be non-venomous and we will not be overrun by cottonmouths.  Water snakes, I do not mind.  

Living Dangerously

   There was not much happening today as both the critters and I stuck close to our homes.  A cold rain kept us all from venturing far from the warmth of our dens.  I did manage to slip down to the pier early in the morn to check the little skiff.  While there, a sweet trilling could be heard coming from the marsh.  Somewhere deep under the thatched marsh mats, a Swamp Sparrow was greeting the morn. Its song can be heard before other birds arise and, sometimes, even during the nighttime (especially if there is a bright moon).  This tiny bird has adapted to living in the wilds of the marshes where many other birds would never survive.  Predators abound in the marshes and one slip can mean sure death.  The Swamp Sparrow has sharp eyes and can readily distinguish between a stick and a snake lying still in the marsh. 

  

  The bird has a weird way of catching some of its food.  It eats a good many seeds, but its primary source of sustenance is invertebrates.  While it forages under the marsh mats and among the roots for seeds, it also snatches up spiders, grasshoppers, crickets, ants and any other crawly thing it finds.  The bird has unusually long legs for a sparrow which allows it to wade in the shallows.  If food is scarce on land, it will wade out, dunk its head under water and grab any water bugs or even small minnows!  The bird is a true survivor!