Daily Frog

Winter Robins

2012-01-19T15:47:00.000-08:00

The Hawthorne tree has been Go Food for a flock of robins over the past few days. These robins might be on their way from Canada--they seem more robust than the genteel variety we usually see around here in warmer weather. In any case, there are several dozens of them, and they are quite fond of hawthorne berries. The tree is looking a little sparse, but a great many of the berries are now on the ground--waiting for the next round of diners.

Same tree... a week apart

2011-11-30T16:52:00.000-08:00

Strange weather, here in Maine. I don't know what the critters are thinking, but this little Hawthorne tree near the pond must have been pretty shocked.

Early Autumn at the Pond

2011-09-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

Summer lingers around the rim, but Autumn is making it's way to Frog Song Pong. The pond babies of Spring have grown up to swim and fly and feed on their own. This little wood duckling is more of a teenager now. (Photo was taken through my window--they're too skittish to get close). We've seen five of them swimming around. Maybe the next book should be Pond Teens...

The chickadees are busily harvesting pine nuts from the cones.

Some critters avoid being the harvest themselves by clever camouflage. See this moth? Can you see it in the next photo?
Stay tuned for more Fall images.

Frog & Friends

2011-06-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe "frog & lunch" would be more accurate--I'm not sure. But anyway, this handsome fellow wasn't anywhere near these lovely moths. The black and white one is a leopard moth, and is nocturnal. I have no idea what the other one might be, but would love to know. First I've seen of either one of them. Gorgeous!

Froggy time at the pond

2011-05-31T20:04:00.000-07:00

So great to see the frogs again!

Turkey Crossing

2011-01-28T21:17:00.001-08:00

A parade of turkeys crossed the snow-heaped pond today, leaving zig-zag trails.

November Turtles

2010-11-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

Two Chrysemys picta picta took advantage of a strangely balmy day in Maine to soak up some sun. Two weeks ago there was a thin skim of ice on the pond.

Last frog of the season

2010-11-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

See the tadpole here? Hope he makes it through the winter to become a singer in the spring!

Autumn's color dazzle has actually come and gone. I took these photos just last week, but a strong-winded storm raged through two nights ago, ripping the leaves from the trees. They now stand stark and gloomy. The pond has a blanket of leaves, too, rippling gently when the windmill produces rings of bubbles on the surface. The turtles and frogs will hibernate through the winter, and hopefully we will have good ice for skating.

Fluttering by

2010-09-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

Mourning Cloak

Monarch

Black Swallowtail

Great Spangled Fritillary

These lovely creatures--little works of art-- flit near the pond, and stop for nectar in the flower garden nearby. The Mourning Cloak prefers tree sap to flowers, though.

Sunday frogs

2010-08-29T22:17:00.000-07:00

Fascinating froggies meditating at the pond today.

Munching Bunch

2010-08-22T22:00:00.001-07:00

Dining at Frog Song Pond:

A lone sandpiper searches for snacks along the muddy bank, dragonflies dart for dinner, and a dozen or more Cedar Waxwings soar for supper.

Blowin' in the Wind

2010-08-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

The newest addition to Frog Song Pond is a very cool way to aerate the water. Tiny bubbles generated by the new windmill will add much-needed oxygen so that the microorganisms will break down the heavy leaf matter that has accumulated at the bottom of the pond. The frogs and turtles will be SO happy!

We hired a very smart pond biologist and his equally smart (and strong!) wife for the job. The multi-talented Jesse & Stacey Coleman also own and operate Gorham Fitness Studio. Check out their blog, too, for great ideas for healthy families.

Frog time

2010-07-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

Seems like awhile since a frog appeared here. This fellow was near the dock yesterday.

Another Pond

2010-07-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous, isn't it?

Frog Song Pond is too small for loons. I recently had the good fortune to spend some time again at a friend's cabin on a pond near Lewiston, Maine. Two loon pairs, but no sign of chicks this year. I managed to record the calls! Click on the video (of the lake from my kayak, but you can't see any loons) and turn your volume up to hear these amazing creatures.

Landing Pad

2010-06-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

These gorgeous blue damselflies zip by the hundreds over the surface of the pond. Apparently, turtles make fine islands of repose.

Bully and the Bullfrog

2010-06-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when you find the perfect place to be, someone bigger comes along and scoots you away. Drat. Or Drake.

Note: This is my first day making videos! Very exciting....now back to work.

Today's frog

2010-06-04T05:58:00.000-07:00

Froggy faces

2010-05-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

Portraits of a few frogs from the pond.

Eye tricks

2010-05-27T13:25:00.000-07:00

Mystery Guest

2010-05-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

You can see the chest markings here. The bullfrog and the turtle don't seem

to be bothered....or perhaps they're oblivious.

The mallard seemed unfazed by the new guy...

VERY excited to find this Green Heron at the pond today! Rather homely compared to it's elegant cousin, the Great Blue Heron, this bird is smaller, more compact, and has a shorter neck. The coloring is lovely, though---a grayish green back and wings, and a rich rust-colored chest that has a white striped pattern. Sorry for the blurry photos---the heron was across the pond and I had to do a full zoom to catch it at all.

Surprise visitor

2010-05-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, I stepped out onto the patio that looks out over the pond and startled a fox---who leaped from the patio and dashed down toward the pond. I had my coffee instead of a camera, of course. Later I got a shot of the fox's intended breakfast, though. This little fellow and his friends have condos in the stone wall next to the patio.

Best Buddies

2010-05-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

These two mallard drakes hang out together all the time.

Zen Turtles

2010-05-01T19:45:00.000-07:00

These turtles look so...well....HAPPY! Or maybe they are meditating on the wonder of the world. More photos on my other blog, HERE.

Saturday Frogs

2010-04-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

Cute, huh?

I've spotted a couple of frogs over the past two weeks, but today's sunshine brought out a bunch of them.

Duck Dock

2010-04-07T15:19:00.001-07:00

Catching the rays on a strangely warm Maine day.

They're back!

2010-03-19T13:59:00.001-07:00

Several days of strangely warm weather (60's....this is Maine...) and although their is still ice on half the pond, the inhabitants of Frog Song Pond are venturing forth. Three brave turtles appeared to bask in the sun, and were then joined by the first Mallard pair. One little turtle slipped back into the water, but the other two held their ground....uh....log.

Springing

2010-03-16T14:37:00.001-07:00

The pond is waking!

Yes, yes--it's only March. But our ears already strain to hear the first peeper anyway.

Here are the first crocuses:

Races

2010-01-15T13:28:00.000-08:00

The frozen pond provides a great short-cut for critters. These parallel tracks make me believe that they have secret races... deer? turkeys?

Frosty pond

2009-12-07T20:52:00.000-08:00

The first snow of the season fell Saturday evening, and

ice sealed the pond. Frogs and turtles are all tucked into the mud until Spring!

Last Baskers

2009-10-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

Soaking up the last of the sun's warmth, this pair of brave little turtles huddled in the crisp air on the log today, surrounded by a pond filled with Fall leaves. They might be the last ones we see until Spring.

No frog sightings today, though.

Autumn snooze

2009-10-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

After a week of chilly weather, including some rain and even snow flurries, today is gorgeous. The pond critters have all hunkered down for the winter, though. No turtles or frogs in site. Only life forms were birds and this little grasshopper.

Frog & Friends

2009-09-26T20:21:00.001-07:00

Postcard days---that's what we've been having. Heartbreak blue skies, light breezes, that nearly-fall chill in the air.... and the almost sad feeling that winter will be here before we're ready.

September

2009-09-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

I actually had to look for frogs today. Usually, when I get within 10 feet of the pond there's a yerping and leaping and splashing of energetic amphibians, indignant that I have disturbed their sunning. But it was only about 60 degrees this morning, and no ribbity squawks announced my arrival. I made my way to the other side of the pond, and was boldly harassed by this little red squirrel who apparently thought I was after the juicy acorn clenched in her jaws. I didn't know a squirrel could talk with its mouth full. Hmmm.

Finally----a few frogs and a solitary turtle, soaking up the September sun.

Back to School

2009-08-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

Here it is, nearly September. This is the first time in 20 years I haven't had a child going back to school! Both are college grads now. My little tadpoles sure grew fast! And so have these....

Not the same frog, I'm sure, but the stages of growth anyway.

Dragon Dazzle

2009-08-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

Darting jewels

click and buzz

over the pond.

Brief pause....

then dash again.

Damselflies and Dragonflies

Today's Frogs

2009-08-22T15:15:00.001-07:00

Saturday afternoon....here's who's

hangin' out...

Time for Turtles

2009-08-22T06:25:00.001-07:00

I just put up this site, and already the turtles are lobbying for equal time. So here they are.

They are Eastern Painted Turtles, by the way.

Frog Blog

2009-08-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

M usings from Frog Song Pond has been filling up with frog photos, so I thought perhaps they should have their own site. Here are a few new portraits to get this started. Enjoy!

Ribbit.