Up close and personal with a Moosehorn Pond Bullfrog.
You just never know who might show up to a frog shoot. I was concentrating on frogs when something told me to look up and there it was. A bird in a tree within range for a nice shot.
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Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
You should consider doing a tweet about this post.
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I don’t tweet or quack for that matter.
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I’ve done both, but only in attempts to mimic the voices of the birds I was trying to invite to come a little bit closer.
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I do absolutely love bird photography! You were fortunate to capture an image of this one, so elusive in nature!
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I don’t attempt brd photography all that often so this was quite a treat. It’s probably good that we don’t see this species in nature too often.
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Well, I was surprised by both images. I didn’t know whether to let out a croak or a quack.
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I think either would be appropriate and appreciated, Ann. Glad to add a smile to your day. 🙂
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haha! great! A very handsome & sincere-looking frog, too.
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Sincere indeed. He listened to my tales of woe with an authentic empathy, Robert. 🙂
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Amazing. We both have current posts showing tree ducks!
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If I was caught up I’d know that. I’ll comment later but thought I should acknowledge that. TTYL. 🙂
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I’d like to meet the person behind the hand that perched the duck in the tree. So many questions!
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It’s not a very tall tree and seems dead if not all but mostly dead. Maybe if we had more rain it might have floated up there on its own but obviously some prankster gave it roost boost.
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LOL! Thanks for the laugh! Maybe the handsome frog was smiling at the birdie too… 🙂
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I do think he was amused by my surprise, Ann. 🙂
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Nice Steve! Your 2nd image “quacked” me up!😊
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Me too, Reed. Thanks.
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Someone is up to a little quackery this morning! You made me laugh! My but you certainly have the most handsome frogs in all of the land.
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We’ve had a few windy days this past week so ducky might have taken flight. I’ll probably stop by this weekend and check on him. All the frogs want me to make their portraits, Lori. I’ve a way with them. 🙂
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Well, not everyone has such a talent, Steve. Apparently, they do not feel the same way about me! There is a lot of jumping off in the water when I show up! 🤔☹️
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I hear my share of “plops” too, Lori. If I were a frog I’d hop right up on a pad for you. 🙂
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Ha ha! It’s a deal!!
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I can’t guarantee that reincarnation will make me a frog…but if it does we’ve got a date.
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🐸
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And so nice that the duck held still for you! 🙂 🙂 I believe the frog arranged the whole thing~just look at that smile.
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I think that I interrupted a secret rendezvous. 🙂
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An extremely rare bird sighting– are you going to report it on e-bird? 😀
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Only if I want to be banished for life. 🙂
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I guess all of us who go out in nature a lot occasionally find objects in incongruous places. A few weeks ago I found a deteriorating figurine of a lion on the ground, and this morning it was a real animal skull wedged onto the top of a post.
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I can’t remember what I titled it so cannot find it in my files, but once I found a puppet someone had placed inside a dead rotting tree. Poor thing was missing an eye and some stuffing was coming out and it was winter with snow and what a miserable little “Ollie” looking dragon it was.
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Hahaha. 😀
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Ha, ha! Made you laugh. 🙂
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You did, indeed, Steve. Thank you!
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My pleasure, Tanja. 🙂
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Ha – love it, Steve. Handsome frog and a mini quack in a tree!
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It’s a good morning with froggies and quackers.. Thanks, Ann-Christine!
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Indeed – best company!
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I love the Moosehorn Pond Bullfrog image. It transports me to a fantasy world I guess, the way it looks at me. Why do they call it a ‘Moosehorn’, because moose frequent the pond?
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Thanks, Maria. Yes, although I have yet to see one while there. A friend told me she and her husband saw one and while photographing frogs here once a guy stopped by in his pickup truck to tell me there was a cow and two calves nearby…I stuck with the frogs. 🙂 As I drive by here there are a few houses with moose racks on the outbuildings which they probably found somewhere along the road (named Moosehorn Road).
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Fine frog and friend!
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Thanks!
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Thanks for making me smile … with both images. This is the kind of bird I could successfully shoot (with my camera)!
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Same here, Denise. Nice and stationary just like we want them. Glad you got a smile from this. I try to add a little cheer with the images when I can. Thanks!
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Little rubber duckies still appeal to me for some reason. Our airbnb in Hannover, Germany, had a few in the bathroom but this is even more fun. Unfortunately, with the increase in people getting outdoors, around here I’ve been seeing too many little painted rocks stuck in odd places. There are organizations here that promote the practice as a sort of gift of kindness to the person who finds one. Sorry to be a killjoy, but I’m not at all fond of the practice. They’re turning up everywhere. When I go outdoors I am not interested in being reminded of the people who have been there before, I just want the outdoors itself. But this little guy….pretty funny. 🙂
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It was fun to see in the tree but I am with you on all the stuff people feel they need to do to personalize the experience. In addition I am not at all fond of stone stacking..aside from trail cairns. Seems ever shoreline I visit at Quabbin has dozens of them. I have a friend who used to work in the watershed and he knocks them down when he finds them. Of course the worst are the folks who graffiti national monuments that are thousands of years old. At least when caught they are prosecuted.
I never had rubber duckies as a kid. Bath time was all business. 🙂
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It’s really enough already. I should leave it at that. Except that I know there’s at least one short video out there somewhere that explains why you should not be making cairns (other than when necessary for way-finding). The guy stands in a stream, explains how you are likely disturbing habitat for several creatures and then knocks one down, with a big splash. 🙂
As for bathtime, that’s too bad. I don’t remember if I had them but I did have real little duckies when very young one year. I think they flew off.
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Yeah, little critters like stoneflies and dragonflies and damselflies all start out in moving water and rely on stones for shelter…as do their prey. I’ve knocked a few down also but,of course, the harm has already been done and the perps probably just show up, curse whoever did this, and rebuild. 😦
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I did see a sign somewhere – can’t remember where – explaining the issue. 90% of the people who make cairns or otherwise alter the outdoors probably have no idea that their actions could cause damage. But word will probably get out, gradually.
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I am sure that is true, maybe even a larger percent. Sadly, as we see with so much in our society, many probably wouldn’t give a cr*p even if they did understand.
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