Community Science Water Monitoring Program

Observations

• 18 August 2016

  Site D - Sundial Creek SE by Couchiching Conservancy

• 12 August 2016

  Perch Creek at Doyle Road by Couchiching Conservancy

  Leopard frog, cardinal flower in bloom, many caddisfly larvae in water, damselflies, dead mouse on bank near bridge, angry chipmunk still there, no birdsong.

• 12 August 2016

  Perch Creek Headwaters by Meagan Coughlin

  Creek has run dry, no water to test, garbage all over road near site. Note: The team went back on August 14, 2016 and cleaned up the garbage. There was water in the creek again during this visit as there was rainfall the previous day.

• 4 August 2016

  Site D - Sundial Creek SE by Couchiching Conservancy

  Frog and snail - black with orange spots on back. Water striders. Upstream of site: dark coloured fish approx 3-4 inches long darted from culvert to riffle area, jumped and quickly went back to culvert. Also saw small fish with orange tail.

• 24 July 2016

  Perch Creek at Doyle Road by Couchiching Conservancy

  Saw a groundhog running along the road and then entering the bush near the creek, gold finch calls heard, large green frog, lots of caddisfly larvae, family of grackles nearby, small snake seen retreating under rock in river, angry chipmunk still there. Lots of branch and leaf debris in water still, but less than last time.

• 24 July 2016

  Perch Creek Headwaters by Meagan Coughlin

  Orbweaver female still there but the male is gone (lover's spat?), many small frogs, minnow school is still there and they're getting bigger, damselflies and dragonflies spotted, lots of traffic today so no birds seen or heard.

• 20 July 2016

  Site D - Sundial Creek SE by Couchiching Conservancy

  Lots of jewel weed, lots of goldfinches, blue jay, noise from the construction, cool water, sandy bottom, no aquatic plants in sample area, 2 water spiders, 1 purple button, common yellowthroat. Secondary stream that flows behind houses was stagnant, with algae blocking the point the two streams meet. A second nitrate reading was taken approx 20 m upstream from the testing site. Reading was 1.5.

• 17 July 2016

  Site D - Sundial Creek SE by Couchiching Conservancy

  Wild parsnip, very light high cloud cover.

• 12 July 2016

  Perch Creek at Doyle Road by Couchiching Conservancy

  Leech sighted, many caddisfly larvae, fast moving diving beetle, young water striders, cicadas heard. Chickadees calling. Angry chipmunk still there. Snake skin on bank. Trail through vegetation where something crossed the river. Female grouse and babies spotted crossing the road near bridge. Lots of branch and leaf debris in the river today.

• 12 July 2016

  Perch Creek Headwaters by Meagan Coughlin

  Blue jay, ovenbird, chickadees calling. Minnow hatchlings still present. Many horseflies and deerflies. Male and female orchard orbweaver spiders seen on cattails.

• 28 June 2016

  Site D - Sundial Creek SE by Couchiching Conservancy

• 27 June 2016

  Perch Creek Headwaters by Meagan Coughlin

  Minnow hatchlings, two green frogs, caddisflies, horseflies and deerflies.

• 27 June 2016

  Perch Creek at Doyle Road by Couchiching Conservancy

  Breezy day. Water level and flow are low. Caddisfly larvae, dragonflies, horseflies, deerflies, small fish in water. Common yellowthroat calling. Daisies and cow vetch in bloom. Animal track heading to the water, too small for cows though. Angry chipmunk still there, and might have a family :)

• 13 June 2016

  Perch Creek at Doyle Road by Couchiching Conservancy

  Water striders, chickadees, territorial chipmunks, horseflies. No traffic, evidence of sediments as we worked through the site. Water level is quite low.

• 13 June 2016

  Perch Creek Headwaters by Meagan Coughlin

  Lots of dragon flies - ergo lots of mosquitoes! Chickadees, wild turkey. High traffic on the road today.

• 2 June 2016

  Site D - Sundial Creek SE by Couchiching Conservancy

  Green frog sighted, chickadees calling, robins calling.

• 30 May 2016

  Perch Creek at Doyle Road by Couchiching Conservancy

  Water striders, abundant blackflies and deerflies, dragonflies, Eastern Phoebe, veery, red eyed vireo calling, caddisfly larvae in water, barred owl on Victoria Road on the way back.

• 30 May 2016

  Perch Creek Headwaters by Meagan Coughlin

  Many different dragonflies and damselflies, swallowtail butterfly, small pile of goose scat on bank. Ovenbird, chickadee, and blue jay calling (the latter very agitated over something). Caddisfly larvae still present. Small minnows spotted, and one larger fish that darted away once we got close to the bank. Looked like it might have been a sucker but can't be 100% sure.

• 16 May 2016

  Perch Creek Headwaters by Meagan Coughlin

  Caddisfly larvae still present, little brown birds of various kinds sighted, last year's cattail stalks have all fallen, this year's growth of them has started though. Several marsh marigold plants in full bloom.

• 6 May 2016

  Sedge Wren Marsh by Couchiching Conservancy

  stoney substrate. 1 frog. A few blobs of algae beginning to form around submerged sticks. Beaver dam is not built up.