Citizen Spotlight

Carol from Murrindindi Shire has been collecting data for The Frogs Are Calling You since April 2020.

Why did you join The Frogs Are Calling You?

I had been contributing to the Frog ID project for about six months and I was searching for more information on frogs and up popped “The Frogs Are Calling You” website. I thought it would be good to share the information I was already collecting with an organisation that was focused on my local area.

What do you do when you’re not recording frog calls?

My husband and I are both retired and love to spend time in the Australian bush - travelling, bushwalking, camping, kayaking and birdwatching. We walk for an hour most days along the rail trail and country lanes in our area and that is a great opportunity to hear and record frog calls, as well as do other surveys.

Have you done any citizen science before?

Yes, for many years I have been contributing bird surveys to BirdData and eBird. More recently, I have joined citizen science projects such as Wild Orchid Watch, Butterflies Australia and the Fairywren Project.

Are you a frog expert?

No, I am definitely not a frog expert, but it is amazing how quickly you learn about the frogs in your local area.

Where do you collect frog calls?

I collect frog calls from all around my local area. I’m regularly out and about walking trails in the district and whenever I hear a frog calling, I whip out my mobile phone and make a recording. It makes my walks much more interesting.

Have you learnt anything from the project?

I have learnt heaps from the project! I can now identify most of the frogs in my local area and am much more attuned to frog calls wherever I go. I love the fact that the Frog ID staff give you feedback on the calls you submit, and their encouraging comments really help to keep me motivated. In general, I think all citizen science projects make you much more aware of the world around you and that has to be a good thing.