Becoming an Identifier

Video by Taylor Hermiston

The unique sounds of local birds and amphibians filled the ears of Quinte locals as they observed a presentation on how they can volunteer their time being an identifier of the different species in the area. Terry Sprague, Community Wildlife Monitoring Coordinator, presented two programs, one called Frog Watch Ontario and a more structured program called the March Monitoring Program. These two programs offer the same two components, birds and frogs.

Sprague said, “By monitoring these specimens, we can have a better idea what their habitat is like. They aren’t sensitive to environmental changes and are very susceptible to toxins.”

He hopes that through these programs, the community will be able to figure out how much birds and frogs are affected by our presence and how we can restore the Quinte Bay back to what it use to be. The number of volunteers has gone down, so he hopes the workshop will inspire others to contribute to observing around the Bay of Quinte Water Shed.