July 12, 2018

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It was getting dark when I set out for my walk on July 12.

I saw a frog.  Or is it a toad?  I could see better than this pic indicates, but it was pretty dark out.

Same image as above, lightened.  (Note tan plastic grocery-shopping bag, barely visible bottom left.  I put the trash I pick up into such bags.  I empty the bags, over and over, until they are either ripped or too disgusting to continue to use.  I find empty, clean-enough, bags in the environment, and use those, rather than acquiring more trash bags when I shop.  I essentially always have reusable bags with me when shopping, and I employ those for all usual purchases.)

This individual was (apparently) happily hopping along until it spotted me.  Then it froze.  The famous "Nothing to see here; I am a lump of mud" defense?  I was concerned about it just sitting on the dark sidewalk.  Someone could easily have missed seeing it, and could have inadvertently mashed it into oblivion.

I tried to gently encourage it to move off the sidewalk into the grass, but it was REALLY resistant to that idea.

Flash photography (above) didn't phase it.



The next shot involved the camera being less than a foot from it, and that flash didn't move it, either.

It was about 3" from head to rump.  I finally was able to convince it to get OFF the sidewalk.

I wonder if it was ... lethargic? ... from the dry conditions.........  If I'd had water with me, and if I'd thought of it, I would have poured some water on it.

I only very rarely see amphibians.  Maybe as much as two or three times a year.  Always glad to see them!


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