The naming of things in nature
During our Ontario visit we continued to be amazed and delighted with daily nature sightings. This little rabbit above, we named "Clover" as he was breakfasting on clover on my son's lawn when we saw it. Two other rabbits seen previously were named "Hoppy" and " Lightening Bolt" But what kind of rabbit was it really? One look at its 'cotton-like blob of a tail sent me searching google for pictures of a cottontail rabbit. And "yes," I think I read the clues right. This rabbit in the pictures above is an eastern Cottontail Rabbit I think.
One day while walking along a forested trail near the pond. I saw movement on the trail in front of me. It was so tiny! Maybe only about half an inch long. From its body shape I thought a 'frog'! So after downloading the pictures on the computer and searching Google with the words 'miniature frog' I came up with nothing that seemed to match. Then I examined my pictures more closely and I realized I had not noticed any green on the little creature
So I questioned my naming of it as a frog. Then I noticed red bumps on its body. And realizing a frog's body shape and that of a toad were very similar I did a search with the words,'miniature toad with red bumps'.... and voila! I found images similar to my little creature of a 
red-spotted toad!
Go figure!Its all in the naming isn't it?! Just follow the visual clues that nature has presented in trying to id what you have seen!! Have a great day everyone!
So I questioned my naming of it as a frog. Then I noticed red bumps on its body. And realizing a frog's body shape and that of a toad were very similar I did a search with the words,'miniature toad with red bumps'.... and voila! I found images similar to my little creature of a 
red-spotted toad!
3 comments:
Hi Ann...oh could that header picture be Currants or Gooseberries??? oh yum!!
I just love the Rabbit photos so darn cute they are...I miss them here so much....they used to be so plentiful until the Coyotes took over years back and cleaned them i out, along with the Patridge!!
It so much fun with ID ....these computeres are unbelievable...who would have thought this back in my younger days !!
Have a great time enjoy !!
Grace
Grace, I don't know what the red berries are but they looked so beautiful in the sunlight I just had to get their picture. computers, yes, they are amazing! with access to so much information available at your fingertips. The rabbit! I never see rabbits anymore around here anymore and was totally charmed with the sighting of the one I saw. Thanks for dropping by.
Ann
You are so right about the naming of things in nature--I'd never thought of it before, but it's so true...
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