Landing Pad

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

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

Froggy faces

Portraits of a few frogs from the pond.

Eye tricks

Mystery Guest

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

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.