TRR photo by Sandy Long This wood frog (Rana sylvatica) was relocated from the road to a forest wetland area. Wood frogs prefer shady moist environments and their tan to light-brown coloring allows them to blend in with the dead leaves found in our forests. A distinguishing characteristic is a dark mask that stretches from the frog’s eye to just behind its eardrum.

On the move

If you are walking through the woods in early spring and hear what sounds like a pond full of ducklings quacking, you have likely stumbled upon male wood frogs calling out for mates. At your approach, the frogs will grow silent, but if you sit quietly nearby, the “quacking” will slowly resume. These first calls are often sounded before the ice has fully melted from breeding ponds.

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Spring foraging

First plant tour of the year will search out edible greens and clues for coming shoots

DAMASCUS, PA—Nathaniel Whitmore, a local herbalist who has led nature walks in the area for the past few years, will start off this season of walks at 2:00 p.m. on March 25 at the Whitmore farm on Whitmore Road off Route 370. The walk will focus on the first wild plants that are available for harvest in the early spring.

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French foresters find treasure trove at Grey Towers

MILFORD, PA—Two French forestry professionals recently spent a week at Grey Towers National Historic Site culling through books and documents investigating the connection between the French and American schools of forestry.

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Also in this issue:

• Pint-sized master gardeners