Friday, September 14, 2012

And the Winner Is....



I was told there were lots of frogs living in the trout-rearing ponds by the FRC fish hatchery, so I decided to check it out.  Indeed there were lots of Bullfrogs, a non-native from the southeastern USA, that presents quite in environmental challenge in many places, and is also a tasty item for those so-inclined to dine on them.  The ponds are quite full of algae and other aquatic plants that are probably good food for the tadpoles.  but what are the adult frogs eating?  I saw lots of Dragonflies circling, undoubtedly snagging mosquitoes and other smaller flying insects.  Something I saw for the first time: a Dragonfly seemed to purposely dive straight into the water and couldn't take off again.  I watched it struggle for a good ten minutes, all the while expecting a brown trout to rise up and eat it. 
So, as I thought about frogs eating fish eggs and fish eating frog eggs, perhaps both fish and frogs eating Dragonflies, I wondered who's "top dog" around here.  All I had to do was look upward and see the Ospreys circling overhead.  I see them circling nearly every morning when I drive by the ponds.  Occasionally, I see a Bald Eagle.  An interesting dynamic is created when fish are artificially reared in a man-made pond, and that creates a friendly environment for other species.  If the human involvement abruptly ended, which members of this little community would perish and which would successfully relocate?  I'm sure someone knows the answers to all of these questions, but I really enjoy watching without knowing.

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