From our esteemed Conservation Agent:
When ere wee froggie wakes,
en strugglen outa tha muck, gaspin fer breth,
clingin ta sticks en reeds, suckin up warm sun,
en at lass calls out ta ‘nother wee froggie,
”Peep Peep Peep Peep Peep Peep Peep…”
‘Tiz Spring me thinks,
en its time fer fun en frollik.
-Anon.
Ladies and Gentlemen and Children of all ages, the time has come – after a long and cold winter – for another fun filled cliffhanger of a competition that will limber up your biological clock and test your auditory acuity like none other. It is, of course …
THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL
HOUSATONIC WATERSHED
SPRING PEEPER STAMPEDE
(Spring peepers Pseudacris crucifer
)
Again, in this spring of 2021, the founder and executive director of this seasonally notable event, Shep Evans, will treat two important people to luncheon at the famous RED LION INN in Stockbridge:
- The person who most accurately predicts the date and exact time that spring peepers will first be heard anywhere in the Housatonic Watershed in Massachusetts this spring, and…..
- The first person to actually hear and report spring peepers anywhere in the Housatonic watershed in Massachusetts this spring.
Winners of prior years’ competitions and numerous runners-up and well-wishers can attest to the veracity of this offer and the festive and sumptuous nature of the mid-day feast at the Red Lion Inn. So, get with it folks! Put on your thinking caps. Get your entries in. Spring is close at hand. The peepers are nearby, just waiting for warmer weather and rain.
HERE ARE THE RULES (Read carefully, please):
- Predictors must e-mail their prediction of the DATE and TIME of the first peeping together with their NAME and MAILING ADDRESS to Shep Evans at Stampede Headquarters, at least 24 hours before the first peepers are heard peeping. The e-mail address is <shepevans@yahoo.com>.
- Only one prediction entry per person, please, consisting of the predicted DATE and TIME and your NAME and MAILING ADDRESS.
- Hearers must e-mail notice to Shep Evans at Stampede Headquarters within 24 hours of hearing Spring Peepers including the DATE, TIME, PLACE OF HEARING PEEPERS and the NAME OF A WITNESS, plus the HEARER’s NAME and MAILING ADDRESS. Again, the e-mail address is <shepevans@yahoo.com>.
- The hearer need not be a resident of our Housatonic Watershed in Massachusetts, but the peepers heard must be peeping here.
- People reporting hearing peepers, must have an identified witness of the hearing. No exceptions!
- If the same person wins both the predicting and the hearing (this actually happened once), that winner gets to bring a friend to luncheon.
- In case of a tie, the judges will invent a run-off to determine the winner.
- The results will be publicized to all participants, and all entries will be available for inspection, after our luncheon.
- Winners of three prior Spring Peeper Stampedes (any year), either predicting or hearing, are automatically retired from competition and are not eligible for this year’s contest. All prior winners will be encouraged to join us for lunch when the time comes.
Good luck and pray for warm rainy nights!
ShepEvans
Shepley Evans
Spring Peeper Stampede
P.O. Box 155
Stockbridge, MA 01262
shepevans@yahoo.com