Autumn(Fall) in the south, Spring in the north

[Miccles]

Melbourne has recorded below average rainfall for the last 13 or 14 years and has been in drought for a fair proportion of those. However, I share the view (as a lot of locals do) that things are definitely on the improve. Quite a few long-term nurserymen & women have commented that there was a lot of birdlife returning this year, there has been a lot of ants around as well. And recently I have noticed the return of frogs...which I think is a great sign. I am sure that my new garden is attracting them, as the lush, moist mulch is providing plenty of insects for them. However, I haven't seen more than 2 frogs here in the last 5 years. But I've seen 4 or 5 in the last week.... Great signs indeed.

Here's one on an old leaf of C.Hainanensis.....the little guy is about 4cm long. Was taken tonight.

Edited May 3, 2010 by Miccles

[tropicbreeze]

Ari, there's a low up above Gove. It's been raining from Gove to Milingimbi, and even near Ngukurr and Mataranka. I'm not giving up until mid May. Not expecting much, but hoping for some. Sean-to-be is dragging moist air south, the high pressure system is pushing dry air up north.

Out of the last 7 Mays 6 have had rain. But then that's it for the western Top End. The eastern Top End can get rain during the dry season. I remember the first week of June about 18 years ago there were floods in central Arnhem Land. The rain got as far west as Kunbarllanjnja but didn't reach Jabiru.

Last night Noonamah AWS recorded 11.4 mm rain. I won't know what I got at my place until I get back home in about a fortnight.

[ariscott]

Gove rain starts late and last longer... It is good that way... but they don't get the storm during the build up, which can get quite unpleasant... But every easter, it is always raining while I was there... Nice

Regards, Ari

[Daryl]

Just got in from checking the gauge...after a warm night (19C) we just got hit with 100mm (4") of torrential train (so far)...the majority of it in the last 2 hours. Water, water everywhere! The forecast was for up to 25mm...they got that wrong!

Daryl

[Tyrone]

Melbourne has recorded below average rainfall for the last 13 or 14 years and has been in drought for a fair proportion of those. However, I share the view (as a lot of locals do) that things are definitely on the improve. Quite a few long-term nurserymen & women have commented that there was a lot of birdlife returning this year, there has been a lot of ants around as well. And recently I have noticed the return of frogs...which I think is a great sign. I am sure that my new garden is attracting them, as the lush, moist mulch is providing plenty of insects for them. However, I haven't seen more than 2 frogs here in the last 5 years. But I've seen 4 or 5 in the last week.... Great signs indeed.

Here's one on an old leaf of C.Hainanensis.....the little guy is about 4cm long. Was taken tonight.

Excellent Michael.

You are improving the ecology of the area with your frog friendly garden. It would be an oasis or a Noah's ark for the wildlife when the outside conditions aren't conducive for their survival.

I hope you get a mild but wet winter. Victoria might be called "the garden state" once more.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Tyrone]

Just got in from checking the gauge...after a warm night (19C) we just got hit with 100mm (4") of torrential train (so far)...the majority of it in the last 2 hours. Water, water everywhere! The forecast was for up to 25mm...they got that wrong!

Daryl

Daryl, that's beautiful weather. 19C at night and 100mm of rain. We've been a good 10C less at night lately. The rain hasn't started yet, so the clear still nights are like nights with no blankets. Brrrrrrrr

Best regards

Tyrone

[peachy]

A little rain overnight and some really good falls today, but not torrential unfortunately. Way too cold today to go outside....only got to 22 !! These temps put me into hibernation mode, so I slept under the doona nearly all day. Back to work tomorrow...ugh...don't know what is harder to hit...my marks or the high notes. Had a nice dinner with my kid and we ended up trying out some of the numbers out on the balcony. Diamonds are a girls best friend even got us a round of applause from the people on the next floor. Supposed to be good falls tomorrow....here's hoping as I won't be able to water. Having a bit of a problem getting my gestures right too...so probably another late session. Why is there never a drag queen around when you need one ???

Peachy

[peachy]

Melbourne has recorded below average rainfall for the last 13 or 14 years and has been in drought for a fair proportion of those. However, I share the view (as a lot of locals do) that things are definitely on the improve. Quite a few long-term nurserymen & women have commented that there was a lot of birdlife returning this year, there has been a lot of ants around as well. And recently I have noticed the return of frogs...which I think is a great sign. I am sure that my new garden is attracting them, as the lush, moist mulch is providing plenty of insects for them. However, I haven't seen more than 2 frogs here in the last 5 years. But I've seen 4 or 5 in the last week.... Great signs indeed.

Here's one on an old leaf of C.Hainanensis.....the little guy is about 4cm long. Was taken tonight.

Michael, frogs are the best indicator of a healthy ecology. I have gone from none at all to 7 different species, some of them very rare too. In spring just put a couple of small ponds in a semi shaded spot. I mainly use those plastic 'shells' wading pools. Throw a few 'white clouds' in, little fish about 50 cents each at an aquarium and the frogs will find it. You can feed tadpoles well boiled lettuce leaves too, the dark green outside ones are best. My place goes off like cracker night every warm night in summer. Leave the mozzie larvae as the fish and the taddies eat them. A crushed snail every few days goes down well too.

Peachy

[Daryl]

Well, the rain finally stopped...145mm (6") today...that will keep the garden going for the next month or so!

Daryl

[Miccles]

Hi Peachy - you're right - the little frogs are a good sign. I'll be sure to try and encourage them ! You get any Cane toads trying to muscle their way in at your place ?? If so - how do the dogs react to them ? Those cane toads seem unbelievably adaptive to me..I hope we can stop their march across the country.

Regards

Michael.

(Some nice rain here tonight..but the temps have really fallen away...was 23C today until the cold front came through..within 30 mins had dropped to 15C !!)

[happ]

April was cooler than normal and wetter than normal

Average Max: 71.7F\ 22.0C Norm: 76F

Average Min: 52.9F\ 11.6C Norm: 55F

Average Mean: 62.3F\ 16.8C Norm: 66F

Highest Max: 87F\ 30.5C

Lowest Max: 60F\ 15.5C

Highest Min: 58F\ 14.4C

Lowest Min: 46F\ 7.7C

Heating degree days: 97

Cooling degree days: 26

Maximums

80's: 3

70’s: 16

60’s: 11

Minimums

50’s: 23

40’s: 7

Rainfall: 2.18"

Rain days: 4

Rainyear: 22.10" [jul-jun]

[Xenon]

It's currently a burning 92F outside here in Texas...no rainfall for a while .

-Jonathan

[peachy]

Hi Peachy - you're right - the little frogs are a good sign. I'll be sure to try and encourage them ! You get any Cane toads trying to muscle their way in at your place ?? If so - how do the dogs react to them ? Those cane toads seem unbelievably adaptive to me..I hope we can stop their march across the country.

Regards

Michael.

(Some nice rain here tonight..but the temps have really fallen away...was 23C today until the cold front came through..within 30 mins had dropped to 15C !!)

Hi Michael, eradicating the toads had to done before any frog would come near the place. I just wish the neighbours would put as much effort into as I have. The first year here, I went out every night with the torch and spray bottle of dettol and my average bag was in the low 20s per night. Now I get the odd one here and there, they are very good at hiding in small cracks and under stuff. If I see any toad spawn in the ponds it is fished out and thrown in the bin. Even the spawn is poisonous. Same with toad taddies, I get the net catch them and out they go. I have seen a toad grab one of the little Superb Fairy Wrens and eat it so nothing small is safe from them. My poochies are only ever outside if I am, even the midnight tinkles, I get up and go out with them. They dont go near the toads, I trained them to be 'nice' to the froggies, so they just think those huge ugly things are an unfortunate looking frog. Quite a few young toads are about at the moment because they are at an age where they resemble the very rare and endangered tusked frog, of which a few have moved into my place. I have to pop on my specs to tell them apart and by that time the guilty have fled the scene. I will get them eventually however.

Peachy

[Daryl]

Hi Peachy - you're right - the little frogs are a good sign. I'll be sure to try and encourage them ! You get any Cane toads trying to muscle their way in at your place ?? If so - how do the dogs react to them ? Those cane toads seem unbelievably adaptive to me..I hope we can stop their march across the country.

Regards

Michael.

(Some nice rain here tonight..but the temps have really fallen away...was 23C today until the cold front came through..within 30 mins had dropped to 15C !!)

Hi Michael, eradicating the toads had to done before any frog would come near the place. I just wish the neighbours would put as much effort into as I have. The first year here, I went out every night with the torch and spray bottle of dettol and my average bag was in the low 20s per night. Now I get the odd one here and there, they are very good at hiding in small cracks and under stuff. If I see any toad spawn in the ponds it is fished out and thrown in the bin. Even the spawn is poisonous. Same with toad taddies, I get the net catch them and out they go. I have seen a toad grab one of the little Superb Fairy Wrens and eat it so nothing small is safe from them. My poochies are only ever outside if I am, even the midnight tinkles, I get up and go out with them. They dont go near the toads, I trained them to be 'nice' to the froggies, so they just think those huge ugly things are an unfortunate looking frog. Quite a few young toads are about at the moment because they are at an age where they resemble the very rare and endangered tusked frog, of which a few have moved into my place. I have to pop on my specs to tell them apart and by that time the guilty have fled the scene. I will get them eventually however.

Peachy

Do they look like this Peachy?

[Tyrone]

Bear Grylls would eat that raw, and then screw his face up and say it tasted like puss and guts and black slime.

[ariscott]

Whoa... I don't even know they get that big!!!!! Imagine running over that with your car!!

Regards, Ari

[Tyrone]

Whoa... I don't even know they get that big!!!!! Imagine running over that with your car!!

Regards, Ari

It'd take your front wheel off, then probably just hop away as if nothing ever happened. People will have to start fitting Toad Bars to the front of their cars.

I think that's the sort of toad that would eat your cat.

[Daryl]

I can imagine the 'POP' as you run over it...hehe...looks like you would get a couple of good drumsticks from that one!

Daryl

p.s to keep on topic...glorious weather here the last 2 days, perfect sunshine and high twenties

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Bear Grylls would eat that raw, and then screw his face up and say it tasted like puss and guts and black slime.

Love that show "Man vs Wild " although his culinary tastes leave little to be desired .

[amazondk]

Hi Peachy - you're right - the little frogs are a good sign. I'll be sure to try and encourage them ! You get any Cane toads trying to muscle their way in at your place ?? If so - how do the dogs react to them ? Those cane toads seem unbelievably adaptive to me..I hope we can stop their march across the country.

Regards

Michael.

(Some nice rain here tonight..but the temps have really fallen away...was 23C today until the cold front came through..within 30 mins had dropped to 15C !!)

Hi Michael, eradicating the toads had to done before any frog would come near the place. I just wish the neighbours would put as much effort into as I have. The first year here, I went out every night with the torch and spray bottle of dettol and my average bag was in the low 20s per night. Now I get the odd one here and there, they are very good at hiding in small cracks and under stuff. If I see any toad spawn in the ponds it is fished out and thrown in the bin. Even the spawn is poisonous. Same with toad taddies, I get the net catch them and out they go. I have seen a toad grab one of the little Superb Fairy Wrens and eat it so nothing small is safe from them. My poochies are only ever outside if I am, even the midnight tinkles, I get up and go out with them. They dont go near the toads, I trained them to be 'nice' to the froggies, so they just think those huge ugly things are an unfortunate looking frog. Quite a few young toads are about at the moment because they are at an age where they resemble the very rare and endangered tusked frog, of which a few have moved into my place. I have to pop on my specs to tell them apart and by that time the guilty have fled the scene. I will get them eventually however.

Peachy

Do they look like this Peachy?

That is a great example of another of Brazil´s gifts to the world along with red fire ants.

Although these toads, called sapo boi (ox toad) or sapo cururu (their name in Tupi language) here, are around they are no where as common as in non native parts of the world like Australia.

dk

[ariscott]

I guess they have their natural predators, Don...

Regards, Ari

[Tyrone]

Some nice weather here, although a bit cold at night. I'm now waiting for this high pressure ridge to shift north and increase atmospheric moisture, stabilising and warming the nights. But once that happens it's winter and the day temps will drop a bit. It's the time of year where your watering has to be precise. The days can still be warm enough to dry things out pretty quickly but the nights can be a tad too cool for any growth. Also it's a hard forecast time, because clouds that bring no rain can drift in easily and reduce the temps and daily evaporation. If you water in the morning in the sunshine, then get a coolish cloudy day, and then go into a cold night with no clouds, your tropicals start to stress.

Still, things are continuing to grow although at a slower rate, and I'm glad that we have milder winters than some.

Also Don. Do those toads have natural enemies?

Best regards

Tyrone

[ariscott]

Dry wind has arrived today.... that's it... it will be downhill from here.

Regards, Ari

[tropicbreeze]

I can hear the voice of the Fat Lady singing carrying across with the wind.

[Tyrone]

I can hear the voice of the Fat Lady singing carrying across with the wind.

Tell her to shutup.

It got to 29.5C today, and in some areas just above 30C. Very dry though. Winter in 3 weeks

[peachy]

Well this fat lady is singing for a living and knows that winter is here. 7c this morning, with cold fog, and a sunny but cool day. Tonight the heating went on !! Portentous eh what ? Ari when the toads come to your area buy a heavier car. I hit a big bush python in my old F100, that had those big desert dueler tyres on it and still got my steering knocked out of alignment, and did the same thing to Tojos Revenge after clobbering a particularly big goanna. Big toads make big pops when you skittle one but they dont fly up and land on the windscreen like snakes sometimes do. At least the cold nights make toads lethargic and easier to squirt with the dettol, if you can cope being out in the artic conditions.

Peachy

[peachy]

Bear Grylls would eat that raw, and then screw his face up and say it tasted like puss and guts and black slime.

Love that show "Man vs Wild " although his culinary tastes leave little to be desired .

Ask him home for a pot of spuds and swedes Troy, show him what proper food is like.

Peachy

[amazondk]

Also Don. Do those toads have natural enemies?

Best regards

Tyrone

Tyrone,

From what I have seen there are numerous predators here. They include the local caiman, certain birds, certain snakes, fish, etc. I guess they have developed a tolerance to the toads venonom.

dk

[ariscott]

Peachy,

They are here... unfortunately. I have never seen them that big though... I don't think they will be as successful here as they are in QLD though. I think our dry season is a bit dry and long for them. Although, everyone waters in town... so who knows??

Tyrone,

The crows have learned how to eat them.... and it is a matter of time before other predatory birds follow suit...

Regards, Ari

[Tyrone]

The WA authorities are worried that if they get into the SW they'll make it a nice home for themselves. i suppose it's only a matter of time. What we do have on our side is about 2000km of desert between the Kimberley and the SW.

Tyrone

[peachy]

Sorry about your dry season theory Ari. I have been through 2 droughts since moving to Qld and no matter how hot or dry it gets the toads are around, you just dont get to see them as easily. At one stage part of a concrete path here started sagging, I had a man out who found a big hollow had formed underneath it, lots of cracks in the ground etc, so he flooded it. Took over 2 hours of running a hose full blast to flood it too, but dozens of toads came crawling out as the water levels rose. I was amazed such big fat horrors could fit in such narrow cracks and spaces but they can. They get under mulch, between pots and under wheelie bins. Tonight is really really cold, so I guess they are rubbing their hands together around the hot water system tank, or near the motor part of the A/C system. Its too cold to go out and spoil their day. Only about 8c at the moment and falling.

Peachy

[Daryl]

I can't believe how cold it gets out your way Peachy. I see Amberley got down to 4.9C this morning. That is really wintery weather! Fortunately my weather is more like Coolangatta, which only got down to 17C this morning, but I brought the white piggie inside just in case. It dropped down to 14C in my little cold gully...cold enough for me.

At least the days are warm, but I guess winter really is on its way now.

Daryl

[Daryl]

Peachy,

They are here... unfortunately. I have never seen them that big though... I don't think they will be as successful here as they are in QLD though. I think our dry season is a bit dry and long for them. Although, everyone waters in town... so who knows??

Tyrone,

The crows have learned how to eat them.... and it is a matter of time before other predatory birds follow suit...

Regards, Ari

Ari, that photo was taken in the NT apparently.

The crows here have all learnt the trick with cane toads and flip them over before pecking their guts out for a feed! The only good thing about Cane Toads is that the brown snake and tiger snake population here has been decimated.

Daryl

[peachy]

Lovely this morning. 5c !! I left home in my big jumper, warm jeans and the old faithful pink Uggies. Left the heating on for the shivering poochies and feathered brats. Did the shopping, and had to put the A/C on in the car on the way home...it got hot again. I did the rounds of the tropical palms and all is well so far but I think I will have to spend most of tomorrow bringing things indoors....if I can find anywhere to fit anything else. I guess the dining suite and sundry bits of furniture can relocate to the garden shed if needs be !! Also I will have to get to it and complete the mulching just in case it gets nastier. Dug out the flannellette nighties and bedsox too....I am such a wintertime wimp. Although they snore and have flatulence, the fur faced fiends are now allowed back under doona with Mama too. And I was told it would be a mild winter....HAH

Peachy

[Miccles]

Temps are heading downhill here too...no surprise.

Overnight lows are around 12C...but the maximums have fallen away to about 18C or so.

Meant to be getting a giant cold front coming through Tues night.....with Wednesday here going for a MIN of 11C and a MAX of 13C !!

That's just nasty.

Regards

Michael.

[Tyrone]

Temps are heading downhill here too...no surprise.

Overnight lows are around 12C...but the maximums have fallen away to about 18C or so.

Meant to be getting a giant cold front coming through Tues night.....with Wednesday here going for a MIN of 11C and a MAX of 13C !!

That's just nasty.

Regards

Michael.

You're warmer than us at night lately Michael. 13C during the day is horrible. We've been getting into single digit mins all week, but the days have been from mid to high twenties during the day. Today was 27C and hot. Nat and I took my parents out to a wedding anniversary lunch at a German restaurant and brewery in the Swan Valley, and we all sweated in the alfresco area even with the fans going flat out with the sun beaming in. It's strange to have the heater on in the house at night (I'm a cold wimp too and my palm seeds need to stay warm in the incubation room) and then to have the air con on in the car during the day. The annoying thing is, I still have to water. Everything is bone dry. Things are meant to change mid month when the rains start.

Hang in there. Your garden is well fed and should fair very well through a Victorian winter.

Best regards

Tyrone

[ariscott]

Overnight temperature still in the 20's... so it hasn't gotten to the teens yet. Although today was so dry, it wouldn't surprise me if tonight is the night... Although, it was pleasant to work around the house today. No a/c and I wasn't sweating... The garden however

Regards, Ari

[tropicbreeze]

Tyrone, did you leave the fridge door open? I saw on the telly tonight that Perth had a minimum of 7 and Hobart a minimum of 9.

Haven't got the readings from home, another few days before I get back there. But the Noonamah AWS recorded the maximum relative humidity last night as 75% and the minimum during today as 44%. The temp only got up to 31.7 from a minimum of 20.3. And the winds have been really gusting. The dry season is kicking in hard.

As far as cane toads go, they're certainly drought tolerant, and to a remarkable degree fire tolerant. They turn up with healed fire scars. One problem with the 'crow-eating-toad' story is that cane toads are nocturnal, crows are diurnal. There were a few other "saviour stories" regarding the toads. One that the frog Litoria dahlii would eat all the toads as they are immune to their toxins. The only problem with that story is that the toads are much larger, and if they were going to be wiped out by L. dahlii they'd never have made it across to the NT. Another was that Meat Ants would wipe them out. Again, it hasn't happened mainly due to the fact that the the toadlets which would be vulnerable occupy a different habitat to the ants. And then there was the one about the adult male toads eating the toadlets. Unfortunately the adult male toads are nocturnal and the toadlets are diurnal. And so the swarming masses of migrating toads march ever onwards. The Kimberley is the next area to be devastated by them. They're already up to Kununurra.

So far, since they've arrived, I've killed 1564 just on my place. The biggest was a female 170 mm long (from snout to tail).

[Tyrone]

Tyrone, did you leave the fridge door open? I saw on the telly tonight that Perth had a minimum of 7 and Hobart a minimum of 9.

Haven't got the readings from home, another few days before I get back there. But the Noonamah AWS recorded the maximum relative humidity last night as 75% and the minimum during today as 44%. The temp only got up to 31.7 from a minimum of 20.3. And the winds have been really gusting. The dry season is kicking in hard.

As far as cane toads go, they're certainly drought tolerant, and to a remarkable degree fire tolerant. They turn up with healed fire scars. One problem with the 'crow-eating-toad' story is that cane toads are nocturnal, crows are diurnal. There were a few other "saviour stories" regarding the toads. One that the frog Litoria dahlii would eat all the toads as they are immune to their toxins. The only problem with that story is that the toads are much larger, and if they were going to be wiped out by L. dahlii they'd never have made it across to the NT. Another was that Meat Ants would wipe them out. Again, it hasn't happened mainly due to the fact that the the toadlets which would be vulnerable occupy a different habitat to the ants. And then there was the one about the adult male toads eating the toadlets. Unfortunately the adult male toads are nocturnal and the toadlets are diurnal. And so the swarming masses of migrating toads march ever onwards. The Kimberley is the next area to be devastated by them. They're already up to Kununurra.

So far, since they've arrived, I've killed 1564 just on my place. The biggest was a female 170 mm long (from snout to tail).

Yeah, we had a min of 7.5C. Opening the fridge would have warmed the air up. I've got the heater on now. We only average around 10,11C min in May so 7.5C is actually quite normal here in May. Once the sun comes up the temp rockets up. Today we had a 20C difference between min and max temps. Once the moisture and cloud cover starts in a couple of weeks it will be down to 10C difference.

What you are experiencing now is a Perth summer, but without the extremely high UV.

Best regards

Tyrone

[peachy]

It was a sultry 9 in Hobart when it was only 5 here ???? Did the planet do a backflip when nobody was watching ? I am here in the western suburbs of Brisbane about to die from hypothermia and those tasmanians are practically basking in the moonlight. Not quite so cold tonight, not sure what the temp is actually, and I dont intend to get out of bed and find out. ( I luvs me laptop) I didnt have to put the heating on though, as I can keep my face uncovered at least. The furballs are snuggled in and they are adding to my personal warmth factor. Stereo snores arent helping my insomnia at all. Hopefully the last couple of nights were freaks and we get back to our nice mild nights we were having before the onset of the cold. No fog tonight either....just the usual bit of light mist on the surface of the river.

Peachy