08.23.2016 Our property’s co-owner-well, one of them

The vast majority of us have this sense that we own the land we live on and it’s all ours.  Not so, at least not in my opinion.  Before we cleared the land, dug our foundations, erected a home, and planted lawns and gardens, others have been occupying the property for decades, centuries and, for some species, eons before we showed up.  In the case of this little fellow, it is possible he just hopped on over from one yard to another or possibly is one of many generations to be fruitful and multiply in this once former farmland.

Woody here is a wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus).  I’ve photographed a few of these guys, but this was the first time in our yard.  I hear them at night along with a varied amphibian chorus. We’ve peepers and tree frogs galore along with American toads and one yard over is a small stream with a few resident bullfrogs.

We really need to be aware of who shares the land with us. I’ve noticed a decline in the insects I see in our yard lately, along with fewer snakes, frogs and other small animals.  I think the culprit may be the lawn treatments a few of our neighbors employ.  Hard to say for sure with my limited knowledge.  The lack of rain hasn’t helped either. At least there are not any bug zappers around us.

 

Anyway, it was good to see this one co-owner.  I pay the mortgage, but he keeps the insect and slug populations under control.

This image was made with my little S95 while lying prone on our lawn.

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