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Fine Frog

October 13th, 2019

Fine Frog

I nearly stepped on this fantastic frog, as he hid in the grass.
I had never seen a frog that looked quite like this one.
He was lovely lime-green with dozens of small brown spots and gorgeous golden eyes.

I warned him that he had chosen a hazardous hiding place.
As I picked him up, he thought that he would be my dinner.
I told him that I don't eat Frog Legs, but he didn't believe me.
He repeatedly attempted to leap from my hand, revealing his long, slender legs.

I assured him that he was the finest frog that I had ever seen.
He looked at me like he thought that I say that to all the frogs.
I informed him that I fully intended to get some great photographs of him, to share with others, then I would release him in a safer spot where he could feed on lots of insects.
With that, he finally relented, calmed down and posed for me.

Fortunately, he allowed me to photograph him in my hand and in a small tree cavity, where he sat after I released him.
He loved feeding on the abundant insects in the area and I saw him there many more times during the long, sultry summer.

I named him Bob, the Barking Tree Frog.

Florida Gator Grin

October 13th, 2019

Florida Gator Grin

I was elated to see this American Alligator smiling big for me.
The way that the evening sun was shining through the jaw, illuminating the pink flesh inside the mouth, made for an intriguing photograph.
I excitedly snapped my photographs, thanked the Alligator for the outstanding opportunity, and was on my merry way.

The image looks similar to the Florida Gators emblem, hence the title.

Cute Camo

October 13th, 2019

Cute Camo

I covertly proned out in the muck, immediately following a severe late-night thunderstorm, to get a good close-up photograph of this striking Southern Leopard Frog.

Lying chest-down in the mud, mosquitoes fighting for my blood, I began to second-guess my decision to cozy up to this Frog, however handsome.

Fortunately for me, this colorfully camouflaged critter patiently permitted photography, without so much as a flinch.

I got my shots, thanked the Frog for the considerate cooperation, stumbled to my feet, inside two rain-soaked shoes, and overtly trudged back in the direction of the shower...
Squish Squash, Squish Squash, Squish Squash.

The Southern Leopard Frog is a long leaper.
When threatened, they can cover great distances in a very short time.
After fleeing the area, they will normally stop near cover and brilliantly blend in with their environment.
They remain so still that you will nearly step on them and not notice.
It is necessary for them to quickly master hiding techniques, because they have many predators, and frog legs are at the top of the menu.

Little Leopard Frog

October 13th, 2019

Little Leopard Frog

Here is a photograph of a small Southern Leopard Frog sitting in my hand.
This was no easy feat, by the way. These Frogs are extremely skittish.
I couldn't believe that it was actually letting me hold it, without jumping.
It tilted its head up and to the right to get a better look, directly at me.

Cute little critter.
I bet that it is relieved that I don't eat little Frog Legs.

Clingy Cicada

October 13th, 2019

Clingy Cicada

On a cool, damp morning, as my eyes scanned the area for critters, my heart leaped when I spied this big bug.

It was one of the elusive Cicadas that I had heard in the trees daily, but never actually saw.
I had finally found one near the ground, and it was alive...
IT'S ALIVE!
(sorry, Frankenstein flashback)

I crept over to it with my heart pounding in my ears, anticipating the disappointment of the Cicada's impending hasty retreat.
To my surprise, it climbed up onto my finger, with little hesitation.

Wow, that Cicada had some kind of grip!
It latched on, like it had no intention of ever leaving my warm hand.
I quickly photographed it, still expecting it to fly away at any second.
It moved around a bit and posed for me, but never chose to leave.

After getting my photographs, I was unable to return the Cicada to its original resting spot.
It refused to relinquish my digit, until I coaxed it onto a Cypress stump with the thumb and forefinger of my other hand.
Then it finally released its fierce grip on my finger, so that I could put it down.

It was wonderful!
I was then able to get even more great photographs of the Cicada perched on the stump, before I left the area.

I thanked God and the Cicada for the prodigious photographic privilege, then I left it alone with its thoughts.
It remained on the stump for a few more hours, until the sunlight became too intense for comfort.
Then the Clingy Cicada flew off into the shady safety of the tall trees.

A Moth in the Hand

October 13th, 2019

A Moth in the Hand

Meet Polly.

She is a gorgeous Polyphemus Moth, in the family of Giant Silk Moths.
The beautiful eye spots on her wings are God's way of helping her to scare off predators, like Birds and Frogs, so that she can have time to pollinate some flowers, mate, and lay her tiny beige eggs.

When I first saw Polly, she was trying to perch out of the reach of several Eastern American Toads, who had been intently watching her fly in spirals, above their bumpy heads.
I guessed that she would have been like a late-night steak dinner, to them.

I offered her my hand and, to my surprise, she gladly accepted.
She must have sensed that I meant to do her no harm.
I could feel her fuzzy feet desperately grasping at my skin, to remain on my hand.
She finally climbed up my fingers, until she found a comfortable spot.
Then she calmed down and rested for a while.

She flew away, shortly after daylight, the next day.
Carpe Diem, Polly.

Mesmeric Moon

October 13th, 2019

Mesmeric Moon

I have been fascinated by the night sky since I was a child.
I remember lying down in the cool grass, holding hands with my girlfriend, and staring up at the stars, late into the night.
Good times.

Now that I am a grown up Nature Photographer, I try to capture the night sky on camera, in order to share the experience with others.
There is one problem, though.
It is extremely hard to take exceptional moon photographs.
I have tried many different ways to bring out the detail of the terrain on the moon surface.

The particular phase of the moon, local weather and atmospheric conditions, camera steadiness and shutter settings greatly affect the resulting photographs.
I have found that it is best to take many photographs at different settings and hope that one of two of them turn out really great.

This is one of my better moon photographs.
It is a shot of the Waning Gibbous Moon, showing decent detail of the "Sea of Crisis" near the top, with some cool craters on the right side of the moon.

Daring Dragonfly

October 13th, 2019

Daring Dragonfly

One warm and sunny day, as I was heading into the house from the back yard pond, this beautiful young Female Blue Dasher Dragonfly lit on my finger.

She flatly refused to fly away, so I brought her inside with me, retrieved my camera, inserted the memory card and battery (tricky with one hand), and escorted her back outside for a photo opportunity.

She acted as if she thoroughly enjoyed it.
When I took her into the sunlight, she went into the obelisk posture (similar to a human handstand) and posed for me.
After I got my shot, I finally managed to coax her off of my finger and onto one of the broken tree limbs that I had erected as dragonfly perches, in the back yard.

I am frequently amazed by the cool critters that God puts in my path, and the beautiful photographs that result from our meeting, that I can now share with others.

Refuge Rights Revoked

October 13th, 2019

Refuge Rights Revoked

"CLOSED DUE TO GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN"

These wicked words were prominently printed on a swinging sign on the locked gate, when I recently traveled to one of the National Wildlife Refuges.

The administrators have always made a point to remind us that these are OUR Wildlife Refuges, some proudly displaying signs stating,
"Visit YOUR Refuge Again Soon".

If the refuges really belong to US, then why are we denied entry, simply because our leaders have their heads up their hineys?

Keep in mind that these refuges do not require guided tours or interaction of any kind with anyone.
You simply drive in and view the wildlife on your own.
You don't normally see any of the workers there, anyway.

There was little that I could do, short of crashing the gate, so I huffed and puffed and went on down the road.
Little did I know that I was about to encounter some beautiful Wading Birds that had found their own refuge, away from government meddlers.

My heart hit ninety miles a minute,
when I first spotted them wading in the wetland.
When I was finally able to count them, I thought that this surely was God's way of providing me some cool critters to photograph, without any government intervention.

They were breathtaking Roseate Spoonbills
and their number was Seven.
I hurriedly readied my camera gear,
thanking God the whole time.

When I made it out to where they were wading, they looked at me and started doing a "what's up" nod.
They patiently posed for several minutes, then took flight, in a brilliant burst of pink.

So the Government Shutdown attempted to ruin my trip, but God saw fit to bless me with an awesome adventure that even ludicrous legislators could not spoil.

Colossal Caterpillar

October 13th, 2019

Colossal Caterpillar

It looks like Fall has finally arrived.

I enjoy the slight chill in the Autumn breeze.
I enjoy the skeletons swinging from the trees.
I enjoy the contrasting colors of the falling leaves.
But I especially enjoy the Colossal Caterpillars.

Every October, I look forward to the Tersa Sphinx Caterpillars showing up to gorge themselves on the plentiful Borreria plants.
I search the vegetation for the brown or green caterpillars with seven splendid eyespots on each side of their plump bodies.

To my delight, I recently found a beautiful brown Tersa Sphinx Caterpillar that showed up earlier than expected this year.
It seems friendly and appears to be about the size of my middle finger.

This Caterpillar will eventually morph into a beautiful medium-sized, triangular-shaped brown and beige Tersa Sphinx Moth, if it is fortunate enough to not be eaten by a predator.

 

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