Third and Final Frog & Toad Survey

Last night five of us went on the third and final frog survey in Kroshel.  The sky was mostly clear and the moon was visible as a banana shaped object in the sky almost orange as we left.  The temperature was about 65 degrees and the wind was still.  The air smelled like freshly cut clover. The mosquitoes were ravenous at the first 5 stops but must have went to bed after that.  We heard some tree frogs and several green frogs.  At the fifth stop we heard a very low rumble as we got out of the car.  The rumble was loud and low and ominous.  We also heard a hysterical cow crying. Each inhale and exhale was a scream.  That was disturbing but the low, rumbly baritone growl was worse.  At this stop, on a corner, we have always seen a really high fence.  I questioned what kind of animals needed such a high fence; buffalo, giraffes?  Whatever was behind that fence was not happy with us.  I thought it sounded like a bear.  Seriously, it was a scary sound.  See, this is why I could never do this frog and toad survey on my own.  Without the other four people around me sharing their feelings about this huge beast who was upset by our presence, I would have turned tail, got into my car, and gone home pronto.  The first cow stopped the hysterical screaming.  A calf cried a couple times.  Then another cow to the south of us took up the hysterical screaming  while the rumbling growl continued.  Was the cow giving birth? Was it a bull behind that fence?  That was our best guess.  Not even the dancing fireflies could take my attention off of that scary sound.  Five minutes can last so long sometimes.  I was glad to get away.  At White Lily lake we heard green frogs talking continuously.  A couple times a harsher sound came to us - almost like two stones rattling together or a hammer striking wood.  Mink frogs!  Our third species of the night was mink frogs.  I hoped to hear snipe or owls or loons but no luck on that. We had a good evening. Five people spending time together listening to the sounds of the night and appreciating Mother Nature.  I didn't get home until 1:30 a.m.  I went right to bed glad to be far away from that growling, menacing bull (or whatever it was).