TO AND FROM
KAWARTHA LAKES

A summer excursion

of the Bishops Mills

Natural History Centre

Our first foray into the Kawartha Lakes District, which we've always avoided as 'well studied by others.'

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Bishops Mills
Natural History
Centre

Caffeine calling -- to and from the OFAH Invading Species Watch Training workshop.

Field notes of Frederick W. & Aleta Karstad Schueler

25 June 2006

1) Canada: Ontario: Grenville County: Oxford-on-Rideau: Limerick Road, just N S Br. Kemptville Creek. 31B/13, UTM 18TVE46 463.8 675.9 44.86171N 75.67827W. TIME: 1520. AIR TEMP: 28, sunny, Beaufort light breeze. HABITAT: sandy roadside between Pine plantations on sand dunes, br-water crk, Cephalanthus swamp. OBSERVER: Frederick W. Schueler, Rory Tanner. FWS 06 Jun 251520/a, Chrysemys picta (Painted Turtle) (herp). 1 female, adult, AOR. F, no eggs palpated, PL ca 130 mm, big plastral figure with red.

moved 20.6 km NNE.

2) N.Grenville: Pat Pitz', Highway 43/4.6 km ENE Kemptville. 31G/4, UTM 18TVE 530.1 870.9 45.03766N 75.59624W. TIME: 1555. FWS 06 Jun 251555/a, visit (event). OFAH, drive. ?km, pick up SNC (South Nation Conservation) car. The scrap on which the departure from home and details of this visit was written seems to have disappeared. - fws, 1 July.

moved 20.1 km SSW.

3) Oxford-on-Rideau: Bishops Mills, Middle Creek bridge. 31B/13, UTM 18TVE46 442.7 690 44.87423N 75.70516W. TIME: 1822-1833. AIR TEMP: 25, overcast, calm. HABITAT: riffles of slow highwater creek at bridge in rural village, water 26 C. OBSERVER: Frederick W. Schueler. 2006/122/ba, Orconectes virilis (Northern Crayfish) (Crayfish). 2+3 adult, dipnetted, under cover. M & F of 5 seen caught for OFAH demonstration. Dense overcast and high water made it very difficult to see the bottom.

4) (same location) TIME: 1822-1833. 2006/122/bb, Rana catesbeiana (Bull Frog) (herp). 1 adult, captured. ca 100 mm SVL F caught, no calling heard. Tadpoles that may have been any of over-wintering Rana (True Frog) species seen among stones in the strong current.

5) (same location) TIME: 1822-1833. 2006/122/bc, Nuphar variegatum (Bullhead-Lily) (Plant). codominant herb, in bloom, seen. past the peak of bloom.

moved 0.4 km SE.

6) (at home) TIME: 1930ca. AIR TEMP: 22.5, overcast, calm. ROUTE: Bolton Road, Highway 43, 7, 28, Co Road 23, . OBSERVER: Aleta Karstad Schueler, Frederick W. Schueler. rentalog, departure (event). FAC, drive. 143282 km, to OFAH meeting, Oliver Centre, Bobcaygeon, SNC car. . . . and to try to catch demonstration Crayfish of native species on the way.

moved 26.0 km W.

7) Canada: Ontario: Lanark County: Smiths Falls: S shore Rideau River above Detached Lockstation weir. 31C/16, UTM 18TVE 187.6 717.4 44.89642N 76.02858W. TIME: 2035. AIR TEMP: 23 ca, clear, calm. HABITAT: shore of canal-river just above dam. OBSERVER: Frederick W. Schueler, Aleta Karstad Schueler. 2006/122/c, Salix nigra (Black Willow) (Plant). 1/common tree, seen. WAYPT/001, huge tree with 3 erect trunks, 80-100 cm DBH.

moved 0.1 km ENE.

8) Ridau River above Abbott Street. UTM 18TVE 188.9 718 44.89701N 76.02695W. TIME: 2045. AIR TEMP: 23 ca, clear, calm. HABITAT: bedrock/slab bottom Rideau Canal bypass channel below dam in town. 2006/122/da, Viviparus georgianus (Banded Mystery Snail) (Mollusca). abundant adult, shell, specimen, drift. masses of shells piled behind rocks below dam. This is the same ledge where I found similar low-density shell-sediment last year (EOBM(MOLL)00931): when we came back to make a waypoint right at the site between the dark and an apparent increase in water levvel we couldn't see the exact site, so a precise waypoint will have to wait for another visit.

9) (same location) TIME: 2045. 2006/122/db, Unionidae (Unionid Mussel) (Mollusca). abundant adult, shell, specimen, drift. shells from bedrock S shore among bushes. There's still many under the bridge, where collected last year, but none were picked up there.

10) Abbott Street/Rideau River. UTM 18TVE 188.9 718 44.89701N 76.02695W. TIME: 2110-2122. AIR TEMP: 23 ca, clear, calm. HABITAT: bedrock/slab bottom Rideau Canal bypass channel below dam in town. 2006/122/e, Orconectes virilis (Northern Crayfish) (Crayfish). 1 adult, male, specimen. M, taken by riffle-kicking below bridge, water very high & warm.

moved 7.5 km W.

11) North Elmsley: Highway 43/Port Elmsley. UTM 18TVE 113.3 714.8 44.89321N 76.12252W. TIME: 2141-2145. AIR TEMP: 22.5, clear, calm. HABITAT: Tay River backwater behind highway, Salix/Acer/Populus woods. 2006/122/f, Rana clamitans (Green Frog) (herp). index1 call, heard. few calling, water & traffic noise. AIR_Temp while driving along at 21h39.

moved 74.3 km WSW.

12) Canada: Ontario: Frontenac County: Highway 7, 8.3 km SW Salmon River. 31C/11, UTM 18TUE 399.3 508.8 44.69538N 77.01990W. TIME: 2241. AIR TEMP: 21, overcast, calm. 2006/122/g, weather (climate observation) (event). natural history, drive. WAYPT/002, driving along.

moved 54.6 km WSW.

13) Canada: Ontario: Hastings County: Highway 7, 3.3 km ENE Marmora. 31C/5, UTM 18TTE 894.9 297.9 44.49271N 77.64728W. TIME: 2337-2352. AIR TEMP: 16, clear, calm. HABITAT: extensive mixed wetlands/ATV trail along highway. 2006/123/a, Nerodia sipedon (Northern Water Snake) (herp). 1 adult, seen, active. WAYPT/003, ca 75 cm TL, swimming in puddle in ATV track. Stopped here in an attempt to re-collect CMNC 1991-1682, Orconectes propinquus, but in the darkness we didn't find the right site. Frogs heard calling here are transferred to the next record.

moved 0.3 km E.

14) Highway 7 at creek, 3.6 km ENE Marmora. UTM 18TTE 898 298.3 44.49321N 77.64339W. TIME: 2337-2352. AIR TEMP: 16, clear, calm. HABITAT: extensive mixed wetlands, Beaver-dammed creek at culvert under highway. 2006/123/ba, Rana catesbeiana (Bull Frog) (herp). 2/index2 call, heard, seen. WAYPT/004, small surrounding chorus, 2 MM seen near culvert. This creek has no name shown on the 1:50000 topo map.

15) (same location) TIME: 2337-2352. 2006/123/bb, Rana clamitans (Green Frog) (herp). index2 call, heard. small surrounding chorus.

16) (same location) TIME: 2337-2352. 2006/123/bc, Rana septentrionalis (Mink Frog) (herp). index2 call, heard. small surrounding chorus.

17) (same location) TIME: 2337-2352. 2006/123/bd, Hyla versicolor (Tetraploid Gray Treefrog) (herp). index1 call, heard. few calling.

moved 48.4 km WSW.

18) Canada: Ontario: Peterborough County: Hwys 7/28-134. 31D/8, UTM 17TQV 233.6 106.7 44.31691N 78.19893W. TIME: 2435. AIR TEMP: 18 ca, clear, calm. 2006/123/d, visit (event). natural history, drive. WAYPT/005, N on Highway 28/134.

moved 19.1 km NNW.

19) Selwyn, Co Rds 20/23. UTM 17TQV 132.8 268.4 44.46542N 78.31861W. TIME: 2457. AIR TEMP: 18 ca, clear, calm. 2006/123/e, reference (cartigraphic reference) (event). drive. WAYPT/006, continue N.

moved 10.2 km NNW.

20) Buckhorn at bridge. 31D/9, UTM 17TQV 108.8 367.1 44.55483N 78.34473W. TIME: 2505. AIR TEMP: 18 ca, clear, calm. 2006/123/f, reference (cartigraphic reference) (event). drive. WAYPT/007, continue NW towards Nogies Creek.

moved 7.1 km NNW.

21) Flynns Turn, Co Road 36/Hwy 507. UTM 17TQV 77.3 430.5 44.61277N 78.38178W. TIME: 2524. AIR TEMP: 18 ca, clear, calm. 2006/123/g, reference (cartigraphic reference) (event). drive. WAYPT/009, continue W along Co Road 36.

moved 11.3 km WSW.

22) Oliver Ecological Centre, 2.8 km SSW Nogies Crk(hamlet). 31D/10, UTM 17TPV 979.8 372.7 44.56354N 78.50679W. TIME: 2543. AIR TEMP: 20.CLR, calm. HABITAT: cottagy/mixed forest biological station on shore of mesotrophic clearwater lake. 2006/123/ha, arrival (event). natural history, drive. WAYPT/010, without having found any motels in the area. . . . and having come to a parking lot near an occupied house, AKS drove boldly over the brink onto a dirt road, heading for Pigeon Lake, and fetched up here at the exact site of the meeting -- despite a nearly complete lack of signage, and co-ordinates that gave only the location of the turn off the township road.

So we were glad we'd brought the tent, and pitched at the end of the road, near an old cottage home that looked as if it is being used as a field station (dip nets in the porch, butterfly & fish identification posters on the walls, etc. ), and settled down for a semi-comfortable night using coat & sweater for a mattress. If this wasn't the site of the meeting, all they could do in the morning would be to ask us to leave, which we'd have to do anyway.

The James McLean Oliver Ecological Centre contains a number of diverse habitats, including: 94 acres of hardwood forest, much of it with well-preserved tracts of mature sugar maple, a small mature white cedar forest, old agricultural fields, which are reverting to forest (some abandoned for 40 years, others untouched for only 10 years), shoreline habitats, deeper waters of Pigeon Lake and other Kawartha Lakes, large wetlands, and temporary woodland pools -- from the website.

23) (same location) TIME: 2543-2550. AIR TEMP: 20, clear, calm. 2006/123/hb, Rana catesbeiana (Bull Frog) (herp). index1 call, heard. a few calling faintly.

24) (same location) TIME: 2543-2550. 2006/123/hc, Rana clamitans (Green Frog) (herp). index1 call, heard. a few calling faintly.

26 June 2006

25) Canada: Ontario: Peterborough County: Oliver Ecological Centre, 2.8 km SSW Nogies Crk(hamlet). UTM 17TPV 979.8 372.7 44.56354N 78.50679W. TIME: 0750. AIR TEMP: 18, overcast, calm. HABITAT: cottagy/mixed forest biological station on shore of mesotrophic clearwater lake. OBSERVER: Frederick W. Schueler, Aleta Karstad Schueler. 2006/123/i, Gavia immer (Common Loon) (Bird). 1 call, heard. called a few times. After our semi-comfortable second-half-of-the-night, we checked the meeting agenda and confirmed that "Meet and Greet" really was scheduled for the unprecedentedly late hour of 10h30 - and so we had cold boiled eggs and cold boiled potatoes and juice for breakfast and Aleta kept offering to drive out to get coffee. Fred persuaded her that there would inevitably be coffee when the thing started, so she took the tent down while Fred checked the shallows of Pigeon Lake for Unionids & drift. Neither were to be seen -- the rocks fuzzy with algae in the clear water, and the clarity explained by a scattering of Dreissena shells on the sand between the rocks.

A white truck arrived around 09h00 and a biologist-type removed kitchen chairs from the cottage and loaded them into the pickup. Fred went to introduce us and found that this is Eric Sager, Trent University ecologist, resident at the station and living in the big red brick farmhouse we passed on our way in. He was on the schedule right after us to give an invasive aquatic plants workshop at the end of the day.

moved 0.2 km E.

26) Oliver Ecological Centre, 2.8 km SSW Nogies Crk(hamlet). 44.56366N 78.50457WTIME: 0900-1530. AIR TEMP: 23-27, sunny, breezy. 2006/124-128, meeting (pre-planned meeting) (event). OFAH, talk. The Errol and Audrey Hanbidge Cabins. Invading Species Watch Workshop Agenda, 26-27 June 2006, Oliver Centre, Trent University, Bobcaygeon, Ontario & O. F. A. H Conservation Centre, Peterborough, Ontario -- There's more details in Aleta's untranscribed notes, in pages 2006/124-128.

AGENDA: June 26, 2006

9:30: Arrive at OFAH Conservation Centre. "The meeting was to be held in one of two new one-room cabins by the shore, at the bottom of the long sloping lawn of the house. We parked the car (a tiny navy Chevy Malibu, resplendent with white "South Nation Conservation" signs on its doors) in the shade there and waited for someone to bring coffee. They didn't. When OFAH staff arrived with meeting supplies they carried a case of bottled water, a cooler of pop and ice tea, a box of sandwiches from Subway, and a computer projector. No coffee because the meeting did not begin at the usual morning meeting time of 08h30. Summer student staff of invasive species monitoring programs began arriving with Tim Hortons cups - but there was nothing for those who had begun the day in a tent, many miles from commercial coffee outlets, and too stupid to include coffee when they packed the Kelly Kettle!"

9:50- 10:30: Drive to Oliver Centre, 10:30: Arrive at Oliver Centre - Meet and Greet. "After a scare that there was no Hydro in the cabin, the morning session began a little late, with Power Point presentations about invasive species by the Federation, and the senior biologist for invasive species from the Ministry of Natural Resources. "

10:40- 11:00: Invading Species Awareness Program For Ontario - Francine Mac Donald, OFAH. "OFAH oldest & largest conservation organization in Ontario, with many accomplishments. Gave a rundown on importance of invasive species, citing 180 non-indigenous species in the Great Lakes. OFAH programme has been running for a decade now, they're trying to raise public awareness (most deplore invasives, but 50% admit to discarding live bait into lakes), engage industry and user groups, and lobby for legislation. Many long-immoral activities are now illegal as well. No mention of the historical reasons for differences between the faunas of different lakes and regions. "

11:00- 11:15: Role of the MNR in Invading Species Awareness - Beth Brownson, MNR. "She described government organization for dealing with invasives, distribution of responsibility among agencies, and educational programmes. There's now a 'Biodiversity Strategy' both federally and provincially. Gaps include poor co-ordination between groups, lack of comparisons of legislation, resources & best management practices, lack of enforcement and surveillance, poor early detection and response, and need for more research, & stronger partnerships.

11:15- 11:40: Invading Species Watch - Pam Schneider, OFAH -- this presentation which would have told us details of what OFAH was up to, wasn't given.

11:40- 12:00: Rusty Crayfish Monitoring, Ron Reid, Ministry of Environment. "18-year intensive/extensive minnow-trapping for Crayfish around Dorest and from Georgian Bay and through Algonquin Park. Declines seem to be associated with acid rain (decreased calcium) or mysterious factors, especially striking in the case of Cambarus bartoni. "

12:00-1:00: Lunch (will be provided). "We all walked down to the cottage for huge succulent Subway sandwiches and more talk, but no coffee or tea!"

1:00-1:05: Welcome Lake Stewartships! -- We're not sure if this happened.

1:05- 2:35: Crayfish Identification- Dr. Fred Schueler, Bishop Mills Natural History Centre. "our presentation was a slide show of Aleta's crayfish paintings, with Fred describing how each species may be identified. At the Cambarus robustus slide Fred told about the one at Cedar Wild - when Dad didn't believe a crayfish pinch would hurt, and invited the Cambarus robustus that we were holding to pinch him on the hand and draw blood - Owwwww! Then we took live specimens out onto the sunny porch to show how Orconectes rusticus (Rusty Crayfish) (from a local bait store!) can be compared with the few Orconectes virilis (Northern Crayfish) we'd managed to catch on our way here. Everyone got a colour copy of the crayfish paintings poster and our text sheet with identification detail sketches, and we also had the Nature Journal there for people to look at afterward and pick up flyers. "

2:35-4:05: Invasive Aquatic Plant Identification- Eric Sager- Trent University;Bring your swimsuits and suntan location! If possible bring a set of chest waders. "While people were gearing up in the blazing sunshine for the aquatic plants workshop, Aleta retired to the comfortable dimness of the cabin to write contact info into her laptop - we still hadn't had any coffee or tea. . . She missed the entire plant demonstration, where the participants were challenged to find 5 aquatic species (Fred found all of his in beach drift without getting his feet wet). It was a delight to find that Eric was someone else who had to consult the field guides for the common names of species only familiar to him by their scientific names. "

4:05: Return to OFAH. "By 15h00 the day was done and the OFAH crew were packing up to return to Peterborough. The second day of the training workshops will be held there, mostly about regulations and boating safety. We had a good talk with Eric Sager before we left, and he's keen to organize the local cottager association to take a nature journaling workshop from us at the station, and for us to use the cabin we'd tented beside as a residence when we're in the area, so long as they get a copy of our data!"

moved 0.2 km W.

27) Oliver Ecological Centre, 2.8 km SSW Nogies Crk(hamlet). UTM 17TPV 979.8 372.7 44.56354N 78.50679W. TIME: 1605. AIR TEMP: 27, sunny, breezy. ROUTE: Co Rds 30, 8, 36, 23, 20, Highway 28, 4 th Line, Co Road 6, 4, 38, Hwys 7, 43, Bolton Road. rentalog, departure (event). OFAH, drive. 143520 km, to Bishops Mills in SNC car. "So we drove away, quite satisfied with contacts and plans, on a search for coffee, and plenty of time to do some Crayfish & Mollusc sampling before dark. "

moved 16.5 km ESE.

28) Upper Chemung Lake, 2.9 km N Selwyn. 31D/8, UTM 17TQV 126.3 296.6 44.49091N 78.32556W. TIME: 1641. AIR TEMP: 27 ca, sunny, breezy. HABITAT: lakside cafe & gas bar. 2006/128/a, visit (event). personal, drive. WAYPT/011, stopped for gas & coffee. We at last found coffee just north of Selwyn, where we stopped for gas, and after Aleta had described our coffeeless meeting to the incredulous middle-aged man who ran the gas station, and asked about the quality of the coffee next door, he said it was great coffee, and he'd dash right over next door to tell Tony to put on a fresh pot for us!

That was the beginning of a very interesting interlude. At a tiny takeout counter we discussed our sitdown order - 2 chicken burgers, a plate of fries and a bowl of the homemade cream of mushroom soup of the day, and went to sit down at one of the half-dozen tables. First, coffee - as soon as we'd sat down it came, and Fred had his emptied before the proprietor was back to his kitchen! Aleta's was black, and so was too hot to drink that fast. The soup had more mushrooms in it than we'd ever seen in a mushroom soup - and finely chopped celery too. Fred got a refill of his coffee, and felt the same rush a heroin addict must feel after a long period of deprivation.

When Tony brought the burgers he apologized for the extra crispyness of the chicken edges, but said the meat was tender - and it was! More crispy on the outside and tender on the inside than any chickenburger we've had elsewhere! While we enjoyed our burgers, Aleta successfully told his fortune, inferring his past life, explaining how he came to be running a cottage-country cafe.

The gas bar man came in to ask us if the coffee was good, and the cafe proprietor pointed out the huge urn that he had set on our table. Then we all began to talk about how local residents had worked hard to get their lakes protected, an LFAC-like process that led to the formation of a new Provincial Park south of Algonquin. He brought in a map of the Kawartha Lakes area, and we all talked 'till the urn was empty. Perhaps we will have more to do in that area!

We left Tony with our last crayfish poster. He filled Fred's Tim Hortons travel mug with coffee and Aleta's with tea, and we were all set for the road home. We realized later that Fred's travel mug was left on the top of the car and was lost as we drove away.

moved 0.1 km WSW.

29) Upper Chemung L at Upper Chemung Drive, 2.9 km NNW Selwyn. UTM 17TQV 124.9 296.1 44.49052N 78.32735W. TIME: 1800-1815. AIR TEMP: 26, cloudy, breezy. HABITAT: clearwater rock-gravel bed lake at right-of-way between cottagy houses, water 25.5 C. 2006/128/ba, Dreissena polymorpha (Zebra Mussel) (Mollusca). common shell, adult, seen. WAYPT/012, old shells between & under stones, few seen alive.

30) (same location) TIME: 1800-1815. 2006/128/bb, Unionidae (Unionid Mussel) (Mollusca). common adult, seen. broken valve on shore, none seen in the water.

31) (same location) TIME: 1800-1815. 2006/128/bc, Orconectes rusticus (Rusty Crayfish) (Crayfish). 1+2 adult, seen. mottled F sans 'rusty' spots taken, 2 others seen. . . . in a fair amount of rock-turning.

moved 7.4 km E.

32) Otanabee R at Youngs Pt, Highway 28 bridge. UTM 17TQV 198.8 294.9 44.48726N 78.23462W. TIME: 1836. HABITAT: deep canal-river at high bridge in dispersed settlement. 2006/129/a, reference (cartigraphic reference) (event). drive. WAYPT/013, river inaccessible here.

moved 0.1 km E.

33) Otanabee R at Youngs Pt, old Highway 28 bridge. UTM 17TQV 199.9 294.9 44.48719N 78.23313W. TIME: 1837-1915. AIR TEMP: 25.5, cloudy, Beaufort light breeze. HABITAT: deep, rocky clearwater lock bypass rapids, steep boulder banks, lawnpark shores. 2006/129/b, visit (event). natural history, walk, wade. WAYPT/014, Fred searching for Unionids & Crayfish, Aleta in van. We parked on the S shore, and Fred walked across the bridge and collected mostly on little flattish areas of the steep N shore, below the boulder armouring and an extensive frisbee lawnpark. Wanderers went back and forth across the bridge, and a party of teenage males was diving into the river from the bridge, one, once, from the toip of the truss. We surmise that he survived, because no emergency forces were called in.

These rapids bypass only about 300 m below the dam, and I collected down to where the canal (on the N shore) canal re-enters the river from the locks.

34) (same location) TIME: 1837-1915. 2006/129/baa, Dreissena polymorpha (Zebra Mussel) (Mollusca). abundant adult, specimen, poem. clusters taken alive from the bottom. This species completely dominates the river here, with something like 50% coverage of the bottom, and most of the bottom that's not Dreissena or bare rock occupied by white drifts of dead shells.

Kawartha Lakes: a-swarm with Rusties,
flipping off like little fish.
Zebras make the flow so crystal
you'll see them at any depth.

For those who want to be staggered and appalled by the desolation wrought to our native biota by invaders, I can't recommend a better place than here, where a startlingly clear torrent sweeps arcoss acres and acres of Zebra Mussels.

35) (same location) TIME: 1837-1915. 2006/129/bab, Dreissena polymorpha (Zebra Mussel) (Mollusca). abundant shell, specimen, drift. taken as handsfulls from the bottom.

36) (same location) TIME: 1837-1915. 2006/129/bb, Orconectes rusticus (Rusty Crayfish) (Crayfish). abundant shell, adult, specimen, drift. some seen, sample is dead shells & bodies from shore & shallows. Most from the north side of the river. Sample includes some that had gone to mush, as if from disease, one shed chela, and what may be an Orconectes virilis (Northern Crayfish) carapace.

37) (same location) TIME: 1837-1915. 2006/129/bc, Cynoglossum officinale (Hound's-tongue) (Plant). 1 herb, in bloom, specimen. stout plant E of bridge, in shade of abutment, on N shore.

38) (same location) TIME: 1837-1915. 2006/129/bd, Lampsilis radiata (Eastern Lamp-Mussel) (Mollusca). 2 shell, specimen, drift. old shells on spit between river & canal entrance.

moved 7.7 km E.

39) Co Road 6, 6.1 km N Warsaw. UTM 17TQV 277.5 295.3 44.48518N 78.13574W. TIME: 1938. AIR TEMP: 25 ca, cloudy, Beaufort light breeze. HABITAT: grassy rdside/fields/residential lawn. 2006/129/e, Phragmites australis (Reed) (Plant). 1 stand herb, specimen. WAYPT/015, shoot & old seedhead from 10 m stand W of road. Growing intermixed with Typha x glauca (Hybrid Cattail). Adjacent homeowner with motorized weed whacker cut down the portion of the stand on the roight-of-way after we left (seen after we realized this was the wrong route, and were heading back towards Warsaw). This is the only Phragmites (Reed) we've seen in the Kawartha area.

moved 6.1 km S.

40) W branch Indian R at Warsaw dam. UTM 17TQV 279.1 234.5 44.43043N 78.13636W. TIME: 1952-2020. AIR TEMP: 25 ca, light overcast, breezy. HABITAT: poor-lawn park at old dam in village, clearwater impoundment, rocky creek. 2006/129/f, visit (event). natural history, seen, walk. WAYPT/016, Fred searching for Unionids & Crayfish, Aleta in van. Waypoint at spillway of dam. Above dam the impoundment is clear water on gravelly substrate, NO:Unionidae seen along the whole length of the dam.

There's a large area of mowed lawn around a brick building with locked washrooms and a sheltered picnic area -- perhaps spring hasn't yet come in Warsaw? There's Viper's Bugloss blooming on the gravel embankment, and brushy young Acer negundo (Manitoba Maple), Solidago (Goldenrod) not in bloom yet, some bare gravel.

As we drove in a young Asian-looking family with 3 little children were playing on the lawn with a bicycle. The mother in a sari so red she looked like a Cardinal Flower blossom. A Mother & 2-teenage daughters in swim suits & Golden Retriever Dog were at the dam. The daughters were sliding down the 2 m spillway, standing, after they'd descended, in the pouring water like a huge whirlpool bath or immense shower. The sunny day has become overcast.

41) (same location) TIME: 1952-2020. 2006/129/fa, Branta canadensis (Canada Goose) (Bird). present adult, scat, fd. lots of droppings, feathers, & trampling on dam.

42) (same location) TIME: 1952-2020. 2006/129/fb, Testudinata (Turtle) (herp). present gravid, tracks. a moderate number of nest excavations. . . . in the sandy gravel of the dam, no predation or shells seen.

43) (same location) TIME: 1952-2020. 2006/129/fc, Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag) (Plant). 1 clump? herb, in bloom, seen. 1 bloom in clump at W end of dam.

moved 0.1 km SSW.

44) W branch Indian R/Co Road 4, Warsaw. UTM 17TQV 278.6 233.6 44.42965N 78.13699W. TIME: 2005-2022. AIR TEMP: 24 ca, light overcast, calm. HABITAT: high clearwater channelized creek, broken rock bed, below dam in town. OBSERVER: Frederick W. Schueler. 2006/130/a, visit (event). natural history, wade. WAYPT/017, checking for Unionids & Crayfish. I walked down a street which closely parallels the creek, and then waded upstream about 60 m, at first finding a few scattered shells, and living Unionids by blind groping, but under the bridge there was a muddy/silty bottom, and many living Unionids and lots of Elliptio complanata (Eastern Elliptio) shells. The water was knee-deep and very forceful and clear. Having gathered a significant bagfull of shells, I emerged at the upstream end of the bridge/culvert, and didn't wade upstream the rest of the way to the dam.

45) (same location) TIME: 2005-2022. 2006/130/aa, Myriophyllum (Water Milfoil) (Plant). dominant herb, specimen. dense black plants in gravel below the bridge. Covering about 40% of the bottom.

46) (same location) TIME: 2005-2022. 2006/130/ab, Orconectes rusticus (Rusty Crayfish) (Crayfish). 2/common adult, prey of predator, specimen. moderate numbers seen, shell picked up on shore, 1 with Unionids.

47) (same location) TIME: 2005-2022. 2006/130/ac, Viviparus georgianus (Banded Mystery Snail) (Mollusca). common adult, specimen. moderate numbers on rocks.

48) (same location) TIME: 2005-2022. HABITAT: high clearwater channelized Typha-shore creek, broken rock bed, below dam in town. 2006/130/ad, Dreissena polymorpha (Zebra Mussel) (Mollusca). 1 juvenile, specimen. 1 noted alive on Elliptio complanata shell.

49) (same location) TIME: 2005-2022. 2006/130/ae, Elliptio complanata (Eastern Elliptio) (Mollusca). common adult, shell, specimen. many alive & shells below bridge/culvert.

50) (same location) TIME: 2005-2022. 2006/130/af, Lasmigona costata (Fluted Shell) (Mollusca). common shell, specimen. few shells.

51) (same location) TIME: 2005-2022. 2006/130/ag, Pyganodon cf grandis (Common floater) (Mollusca). common adult, specimen. fairly common alive, no shells found.

moved 0.3 km SSE.

52) E branch Indian R/Co Road 38, Warsaw. UTM 17TQV 279.5 231.1 44.42738N 78.13601W. TIME: 2027-2048. AIR TEMP: 24 ca, light overcast, calm. HABITAT: high clear-water river in town, forested/lawn shores. OBSERVER: Frederick W. Schueler, Aleta Karstad Schueler. 2006/130/b, visit (event). natural history, wade. WAYPT/018, a last stop as dusk closes in. While still in town, following Highway 38, we crossed another bridge with abutments of granite stone and steel railings on the span. This seems to be the main channel of the Indian River, though we can't find a map that clearly expresses this.

An attractive riffle extends about 50 m upstream, so Fred waded while Aleta stayed on the bridge and wrote notes. This riffle is broken-edged stones, and above it is limestone bedrock flats. The river runs clear and is high, as at the channel in town, so there's not much shore exposed. Fred waded to a low, broken, Beaver-influenced dam of boulders about 150 m upstream, and then came back along the west bank, and back into the water just above the bridge. The stream runs knee-deep between grassy banks upstream, with low walls at the edge of the mowed lawn of a residence with the bank hardened by a low wall of stones, and across the stream the back yard of a Post Officce, mowed up to a snowfence that borders a 4-5 m strip of more natural grassy vegetation. No Unionids found above the bridge.

Downstream of the bridge, the residences have allowed the riparian forest to clothe the steeper banks, and there is the ruined concrete abutments and piers of a former bridge at another riffle. Under and just below the bridge there are sandy and silty areas that doubtless held more Unionidae than we found, but it was really too dark to see into the water.

The trees on the shores are mature Acer negundo (Manitoba Maple), Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple), and young Ulmus americana (White Elm), down as far as we can see from the bridge, and then a Pine or two as the river curves out of sight.

53) (same location) TIME: 2027-2048. 2006/130/ba, Orconectes rusticus (Rusty Crayfish) (Crayfish). abundant adult, prey of predator, specimen. few preyed upon shells picked up on the west bank. . . . myriads in the water especially on the limestone flats above the bridge where there was about 0.5 per sq m, swimming away in schools like fish.

54) (same location) TIME: 2027-2048. 2006/130/bb, Mollusca (Mollusc) (Mollusca). shell, drift, specimen. 2 handsfull of sunken drift from under the bridge.

55) (same location) TIME: 2027-2048. 2006/130/bc, Unionidae (Unionid Mussel) (Mollusca). few shell, drift, specimen. found only near the bridge, not upstream of there. None seen alive, but light was failing.

56) (same location) TIME: 2027-2048. 2006/130/bd, Nasturtium officinale (Water Cress) (Plant). few herb, in bloom, seen. few straggling plants along W shore.

moved 10.1 km SSE.

57) Highway 7/Co Road 38. UTM 17TQV 322.3 140.1 44.34424N 78.08641W. TIME: 2058. AIR TEMP: 24, overcast, calm. 2006/131/a, visit (event). natural history, drive. WAYPT/019, head E on Highway 7.

moved 19.0 km ENE.

58) Belmont: Havelock. 31C/5, UTM 18TTE 705.2 238.4 44.43350N 77.88294W. TIME: 2133. AIR TEMP: 23 ca, calm, overcast. HABITAT: town in swampy woods. 2006/131/b, visit (event). natural history, driveby. drive past brightly lit commercial town-front. The commercial strip of Havelock is less offensive than others -- probably because it's one-sied, and faces on the rail yard and the trains, so the commercial lights face something else, rather than incestuously shining only on more of themselves.

moved 28.2 km ENE.

59) Canada: Ontario: Hastings County: Madoc: Highway 7/4.9 km WSW Highway 62, Madoc. 31C/12, UTM 18TTE 980.2 303.3 44.50000N 77.54036W. TIME: 2133. AIR TEMP: 23 ca, calm, light rain. 2006/131/d, weather (climate observation) (event). natural history, driveby. WAYPT/020, an episode of light rain, soon ended. This little SNC Malibu car was certainly a challenge to pack into and work out of, since we've been spoiled by the minivan. There are so few flat places to put things down on a modern car! Dark objects left on a dark roof are easily overlooked, and that happened to Fred's journal as we pulled away from Tim Hortons just past here at Highway 7/62, in the dark, I heard the journal slip off the roof and saw the white bits of loose notes and scraps flutter to the road in the rear view mirror. Luckily the rings had not opened, and there was not much traffic. Fred had taken his shoes off to dry his feet, and I was so rattled that I didn't properly put the car in Park as I stopped it. It was spooky running back to the binder, seeing the headlights of oncoming cars waiting at the traffic light a little distance away. Two cars came before we'd gotten all the pieces picked up. The first car swerved around the binder, and a woman passenger screamed in fright, seeing me on the road and thinking there'd been an accident. - AKS.

moved 110.4 km ENE.

60) Canada: Ontario: Lanark County: Perth: Highway 7/43, Perth. 31C/16, UTM 18TVE 1.8 735 44.90989N 76.26419W. TIME: 2310. AIR TEMP: 23 ca, overcast, calm. HABITAT: highway intersection in commercial/retail district. 2006/131/d, visit (event). call, drive. trace of rain continues to fall, but doesn't wet the road.

moved 26.7 km E.

61) Montague: Rideau R at Kilmarnock parking area. 31B/13, UTM 18TVE 267.3 705.7 44.88680N 75.92747W. TIME: 2336-2340. AIR TEMP: 22.5, overcast, calm. HABITAT: marshy canal-river bay. 2006/131/ea, Rana catesbeiana (Bull Frog) (herp). index1-2 call, heard. WAYPT/021, aggregate surrounding small. chorus, trace of rain.

62) (same location) TIME: 2336-2340. 2006/131/eb, Rana clamitans (Green Frog) (herp). index1-2 call, heard. aggregate surrounding small chorus, trace of rain.

moved 15.9 km ENE.

63) Canada: Ontario: Grenville County: Oxford-on-Rideau: Highway 43, ca 500 m E Burritts Rapids Road. 44.96541N 75.75845WTIME: 2357. AIR TEMP: 20 ca, overcast, calm. HABITAT: hayfields, scattered residentices. 2006/131/i, cf Canis latrans (Coyote) (Mammal). 1 juvenile, driveby, AOR. HEADING:S, colour, size at narrow tail suggest species & age. Moving very fast!

moved 6.0 km E.

64) Patterson Cors/Co 18 Rds. UTM 18TVE47 461 785 44.95989N 75.68301W. TIME: 2403. AIR TEMP: 20 ca, overcast, calm. HABITAT: hayfields, residential subdivision. 2006/131/i, visit (event). call, drive. road patchily wet. Roads have been wet since just E of Smiths Falls, along Highway 43, Co Road 25. There was a scattering of apparent Rana (True Frog) DORs, but none that were clearly recognizeable.

moved 3.6 km SSW.

65) Co Road 18 at Hutchins Cors/Kemptville Creek. UTM 18TVE47 451.5 750 44.92831N 75.69467W. TIME: 2406. AIR TEMP: 20 ca, overcast, calm. HABITAT: creekside Red Maple swamp, Typha marsh/hayfields. 2006/131/h, Rana cf pipiens (Leopard Frog) (herp). 1 adult, driveby, AOR. leaping across patchily wet road, HEADING:W. The first frog seen AOR since wet roads began, east of Smiths Falls.

moved 6.3 km S.

66) (at home) TIME: 2413. AIR TEMP: 19, overcast, calm. HABITAT: rural village, shallow soil limestone plain. 2006/132/a, arrival (event). adult, drive. from Kawartha, NO:Anura calling heard. . . . but we were too tired to listen formally.

We found Jennifer's little Boler trailer under the Maple by the house, with a candle burning in the sink (so we'd notice the candle glow in the dark and step in and see!). She had used the new trailer hitch on the van to move it from behind the Lab, all by herself - given it a tidy and scrub, and laid out Rory's sleeping bag, waiting for his return from Ottawa tomorrow night, so now he'll have something better than the livingroom couch. The trailer will be all ready to take to Almonte Convention for us to sleep in and for Jennifer and Rory to use as a social centre.