Watch where you step

This tiny (no more than two inches long) leopard frog leapt out of my way this morning when I was venturing off the trail to check the wood ducks. It's the first one I've seen in several weeks.

Hiding in the grass

This is the second time this year I've seen a leopard frog, and the first time I got a decent shot of one. It hopped into the tall grass as I approached, but I was able to get a shot on my macro setting. The sunlight was striking the animal just right to give me a good shot, I thought. Note its toes which look like long fingers.

Hoppers & flyers

I often hear rustling and movement in the tall grasses alongside the trail, and always wonder what little critters are hiding there. Today when I'd approach the grasses, things were hopping and moving all over the place, including the three creatures shown here. At the top is one of several grasshoppers, this one on a blackberry leaf, that I noticed. The middle shot is of another pond damselfly - I hope you can make out its pretty wings. And the bottom is, of course, another young Leopard Frog, one of three I saw jump into the tall grasses in a span of two feet. Apparently these frogs move onto the land in mid-summer, returning to the water in October or November to hibernate in the muddy bottom.

Frog fixation

I know, another Leopard Frog. But I discovered this one by forward thinking. As I was walking along the low part of the trail just before it heads into the wooded section this morning, there was the usual hopping of young frogs from the mowed grass into the tall grasses at the water's edge - except they move so quickly you don't really see them. So, I thought, I'll look ahead to see if I can see any that haven't moved yet. Sure enough, there was this little head peeking out of the vegetation.