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January 2011 Field Reports by John Cugley KTB Administration Coordinator and other KTB Leaders.
Toad Up-date 29/30-01-2011.
• 29-01-2011 - eastern irrigation channels and Arawodi Rd; Isabella and Tony; 8 male, 9 female, 11 juv
• 30-01-2011 - Mulligns and Weaber Plains, Tim and 4 others; 17 males, 15 females, 3 juv
• Check for breeding along creek system south of Mt Hensmen (near Dingo Springs Community) no signs of breeding noticed
Toad Up-date 27-01-2011.
• Had a phone call from the All Season Motel, they had a male toad killed by a guest
• Spoke to Sterling from Carlton Hill at the shops. They have been away for a few weeks, but was surprised to see that the billabong is currently toad free, and that they have only seen a couple of toads at the homestead
• Spoke to a resident on Mills Road, who is busting around his own house. He has found a few hiding under the house.
Toad Up-date 24-01-2011
• A toad was found by the stock hand at the loading area at Coles
• A toad was found by Rick swimming in the pool at Lakeview Apartments
• 2 dead road toads Weaber Plains and Carbeen St in town
• 10 female and 10 male toads picked up on last night bust Riverfarm and Ivanhoe Road.
Toad Up-date 23-01-2011
• Had a look at gravel pits west of town near Weero Rd and Victoria Highway. Only one male toad found. Checked several areas along Victoria Highway up to Valentines Road. Check Valentines road from highway to spring. No toads. Spoke to some people at Valentines Spring, They had not seen any toads. Check track to gravel pit, and check around gravel pit, no toads.
• 3 dead road toads on highway, town side of dam wall
• Toad killed at front of Argyle Engineering, by community member
Toad Up-date 21-01-2011
• I had a phone call from Tara at lot 25 Weaber Plains Rd. She had what she thought was a small toad. I went to have a look. It was a small juvenile. Chatting to her, she has been out on some KTB busts with Ben, earlier in the year. They have had several toads coming up to the veranda in the evening over the past few weeks. They have had some breeding in puddles. They dried up and the tadpoles all died. They have a dam which is full of weed, but no toads. There is an irrigation channel at the rear of the property, a few weeks ago there was lots of calling but none for the past 2 weeks. I suspect that the juvenile has come from this area and that they have dispersed due to the amount of rain over the past couple of days. They want 2 traps for around the drain and paddock. They have spoke to Ben before about traps. I have had a look at the spots were the traps will be, and they should work. They will supply there own lights
• Spoke to Sarah Brett. She got 30 toads from around her dam the other night at River Farm Road. The majority of them were males. The toads have stopped calling in the past week.
• Several fresh dead road toads on Research Station Road.
Toad Up-date 21-01-2011
• Tim and crew went to the gravel pit were I got the 12 toads the night before, they only got one toad, They also went down Werio Road, no toads, around the new estate, no toads, and about 15km down the Victoria Highway, no toads. It was raining the whole time they were out. On the way back to Toad HQ they stopped of at the Sandalwood Factory were they got another 64 toads, mainly male
Toad Up-date 20-01-2011
• Dead female road toad found on today's morning walk outside the front of the cemetery
• Tim, Carol, Andreas, Isabella, got 65 toads last night, majority males from Sandalwood Factory, Roads around Kununurra and Highway west of town (I am waiting on Tim to call back to clarify this)
• Ivanhoe Farms have found breeding, eggs and tadpoles. They have already removed them. Small group of permanent residents dealing with toads on a regular basis.
Toad Up-date 19-01-2011
• several dead road toads along Gardenia St, Celtis Rd and Casuarina Rd (just to the east of Lakeside Resort)
• sprayed around Little Lily Creek, but it is flooded, will go back tomorrow morning with backpack spray for metamorphs in bush.
• Donna has still not seen any toads at the front of Lakeview, she is also going to start checking around the boat ramp at across the road at the park
• Dead road toad on Weaber Plains Rd just passed the northern side of the industrial area
• I am going to head out and have a look around the gravel pits near Werio Rd tonight.
Toad Up-date 18-01-2011
• Ran in to a guy I used to work with at Coles. He has been fishing several times down at the D4 and has been killing toads. He reckons in the vicinity of 200. He will keep an eye on this spot.
• A quote from him, ”if this was back in Queensland I would have 5 toads every night hanging around the dogs water bowl. Everyone is doing a great job at keeping toad numbers down”.
Toad Up-date 15-01-2011
Report by Donna Cavlovic and Stephen Stevets
• At about 1pm Steve and I visited the area of Little Lily Creek at the back of Lakeside Residential Park. Immediately we could see that there were small black tadpoles and quickly discovered that they were in fact Toad tadpoles. The pools of water were about knee deep and approximately 10 - 15 metres in length with submerged sandy banks throughout, which the tadpoles could be seen resting on. A rough estimation of 2000 tadpoles was calculated. We scooped as many of them as we could from the murky pools before continuing on our quad trip behind Ausfuel Depot along the fence line to the east of Hidden Valley National Park. As we travelled north along the fence line we checked all creeks and pools of water and found no adult toads, metamorphs or tadpoles.
Toad Up-date 13-01-2011
• Female toad 140mm and male toad 100mm picked up form lot 100 Weaber Plains Road (Near Mulligans Lagoon Road t/o) These are the first toad seen at this location by the residents.
• Shire bust last night 54 toads, the majority out the front of the DEC. Other areas toads busted from Emu Creek, Rodeo Ground entrance and Packsaddle. Toad apparently dropped off at the DEC.
• Guys from Mud Springs spoke to me at the Post Office the other day. They have noticed a large increase in the amount of toads in the last couple of weeks
Toad Up-date 13-01-2011
• Don Mullians is taking out 10 people from the shire tonight busting. They are going to do the park on Fish Farm Road, Emu Creek, new subdivisions in Lakeside, around town and finish up at the new drain soak near DEC.
Toad Up-date 12-01-2011
• Picked up a female toad 120mm from the All Seasons. Toad dispatched by guest who had located it.
• Lady at the Reception of the All Season who lives at Egret Close has noticed an increase in toads, and always gets 3 or 4 toads on the way home
• Had a phone call from 2 Eucalyptus Close and picked up a female toad 130mm. Found in backyard by the dog
• Notice numerous dead road toads including; Crn Victoria Highway and Webber Plains Rd; Turn-off to Mirima; Ivanhoe Road; crn Victoria Highway and Ivanhoe Road.
• Spoke to Bryan Newman at Coles. He has had a couple of large toads as well as seeing some toads on the road to Slippery's place
• Checked gravel pit east side of Fish Farm Road, this morning for breeding. Located eggs which have been removed.
• Dead road toad corner of Victoria Highway and Webber Plains Road
Toad Up-date 11-01-2011
• Had a phone call from Julie who works at OVAMS. She had a large toad that she had picked up last night from the front of her caravan at Kimberland Caravan Park. I have arranged with her fro Kimberley Toad Busters to do a half hour educational on toads on the 16th Feb at 8am at their weekly development meeting.
• Had a phone call from Kartya. Rang up about the tadpoles that Gary had found. He has found where they have moved to. He would like to borrow a net to scoop them out. She is going to go with him to positively identify the tadpoles. I will drop off a net to the shire offices later today
Toad Up-date 10-01-2011
• Brief run around town for a couple of hours by myself. Spent time stopping at channels and other water areas around Kununurra. No calling of male toads heard. Lots of calling by native frogs.
• Female toad 140mm gravid picked up from 3/38 Barringtonia (opposite turn off to Mirima NP). Found in front yard near. Toad had 4 leaches on it. She had our brochure from the Echo insert
• Female toad 130mm Gravid picked up from 3 Banyan St, in back yard by dog. This is the second toad found in this backyard.
• Went with Katya Tripp and had a look at creek (alongside Gardenia St, Lakeside) were she locate some toads and tadpoles the previous evening. She did remove as many tadpoles as possible, along with the toads. There was still a few tadpoles, but most have been flushed down stream due to rain. Also looked at creek off Livistonia. Creek running due to rain. Will need check when water levels are down. Whilst with Katya, Jolly (Jolly Electrics Gardenia St) had found and dispatched a large female toad found in one his drains.
• Went on a Recon trip to gravel pits near intersection of Werio Road and Victoria Highway. No toads located. Drove down Werio Road and got a female toad 130mm and a male toad 120mm. Had a quick look around new subdivision no toads seen. There is numerous burrowing frogs in this area, so hopefully these are not been mistaken for toads.
• Found a 130mm female toad at airport near Victoria Highway
Toad Up-date 10-01-2011
Report to Luke Bentley DEC
• 2 toad located inside of toad proof fence Lat -15.407251° Long 128.889900°
• Point Springs getting in and out very wet and muddy, not to bad around the springs. Did not locate any breeding. The large waterhole at the eastern end is very chocked up with vegetation. Did not notice any signs of life at the western stream/spring area. This area is under a lot of canopy cover. In the evening there was no signs of life at this area, including no frogs or reptiles. The larger animals are making use of crossing areas, but have damaged the fence in several areas. The plastic gutter guard has some holes in it allowing access for toads into the secure area. Two toad (1 female and 1 male found in side the secure area) Once breeding occurs in the ponds next to the fence (in fact the fence dissects one pond) tadpoles and metamorphs will have no issues getting through the plastic gutter guard. We did pick up several toads on the outside of the fence. Some close to the area of the damaged gutter guard. No calling heard. No other reptiles noticed. Lots of toads on the track between the hills and Cave Springs Road. Just too wet to stop out there, would never get the quad going again. This area would be perfect for the Argo. We picked more toads along Cave Springs Road (maybe a bust along the road using the RTV?)
Toad Up-date 07-01-2011
Report from Greg Smith Lake Argyle Cruises.
• Lake Argyle to the spillway 18 toads on the road.
• Lake Argyle to the highway 41 toads on the road.
Toad Up-date 06-01-2011
• KTB received a phone call from a lady who lives in Livistona Rd in Lakeside, saw 3 toads heading into the creek. KTB to drop of one of the toad kits.
• KTB received a phone call from house 21 Garden Area. KTB picked up a gravid female toad.
Toad Up-date 05-01-2011
• Received phone call from Rob Floyd at lot 14 Webber Plains Road re toad tadpoles. KTB responded and dealt with.
Toad Up-date 02-01-2011
• Phone call from Tony Fitzgerald, this morning. He saw a toad at 11 Kurrajongs Road last night. He tried to catch it but it got away. KTB will send team in.
• Several dead road toads on the Victoria Highway, out the front of Lakeview, near the M1 and near the airport. Also several dead toads, along Ivanhoe Road. This is a vast increase over the past few weeks. Normally see only one dead toad every few days.
• Will do a short drive down the Victoria Highway tonight. Will do a drive/quad bike out towards packsaddle springs with Chad in the next couple of days, as well as recon around the gravel pits/Telstra tower near valentines.