F is for Frog for ABC Wednesday Round 9

Frogs have their beginnings as eggs and then they develop into the tadpole stage. It is while being a tadpole that the frogs arms and legs and lungs develop and the tadpole turns into a frog. Frogs are amphibians. Amphibians can breathe both on land and in water. My grandsons David and Jesse like frogs and I hope they enjoy this post for it is especially for them that I am posting it. They are fortunate that they have seen many frogs over the summer in a couple of ponds near their home. Frogs like to live in ponds. The soft mud in the bottom of ponds provide them with a place to spend the winter when they dig into the soft mud at the bottom of the pond and they spend the winter months there breathing very, very slowly while they sleep.

Boys, when spring comes again and the frogs have laid their eggs, which you will be able to see in your ponds, then the eggs will grow into tadpoles (some people call tadpoles, Pollywogs) and you will see the tadpoles swimming around in your pond.
There are different names for some frogs and the pictures of the frogs shown here, above and below these words, with the spots on them are called Leopard Frogs.
Another Leopard Frog. You can see that this frog has some green on its body also. I think this frog is quite handsome.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

I had forgotten that not all frogs live in ponds or watery areas and so was very surprised yesterday (2006)This information about the leopard frog is from a post posted in 2006. to see a Leopard Frog in my garden.

Upon doing some research I find that this species prefers to live in grassy or cultivated areas.

Leopard Frogs are usually from three to four inches in length and have interesting looking brown spots with light green outlining them. This frog had a nice 'grassy green' colour overall. The two ridges on this frog's back was really noticable



This green frog above really has its eyes wide open. Some people would say that a frog's eyes pop out. Not really but they are very big and bulging and noticeable and outstanding at times. All the better to see the flies with that they like to eat with their quick, sticky tongues.
This picture above and below is of a Green Frog. A green frog's upper jaw is green and it has striped bars on its legs. I saw a lot of green frogs when I visited with you and your family this summer.
A. Green Frog above. I took this picture at Jesse River's Pond, when we went there one day.
The rest of these frog pictures are of Bullfrogs. Bullfrogs are big and noisy The sounds they make are very loud. I think you also have bullfrogs in your ponds.
A bullfrog here is puffing up its throat.

Relaxing in the water.

.The lily pad of the Yellow Pond Lily aboveprovides ample seating for this resting frog.

ABC Wednesday is hosted by Mrs. Nesbitt. Each week a different letter is featured. It goes in alphabetical order and next week is the letter 'g'. I have never photographed a giraffe before it won't be giraffe,so I'm not sure yet, what 'g' topic I will feature. If you would like to contribute to ABC Wednesday , you may do so by locating the meme here:http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

decorative water glasses for Ruby Tuesday

I had gone to New Brunswick's largest flea market on the past weekend at Sussex, New Brunswick. One of my goals was to find an old series of water glasses with wildlife images on them. I didn't find the ones I was looking for but much to my pleasure I found three old glasses with beautiful, vibrant cardinals painted on them and here they are above, now in my china cabinet. I love them!

Got photos with red? Why not share them by posting them to
Ruby Tuesday. To find this delightful red focused meme, please click here.http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Tree Watching for sapsuckers

I spent some time this morning sitting in my back yard watching our Buckthorn Sea Marina Tree. This tree attracts many bugs and birds. My purpose in watching it this morning was in hopes in getting some photos of a sapsucker that I frequently see there. My patience was rewarded and more. I discovered that hummingbirds are attracted to that tree also.And finally my wait was rewarded and a sapsucker came along.( See the sapsucker in the picture below) Notice the holes drilled in the tree. This action is characteristic of a sapsucker. They drill holes in trees to collect sap which they drink. came along. I shall have to continue my watch in hopes of getting , clearer pictures as these ones I have below show the bird behind small branches, first it was in top of the branch and then under it.
But the biggest surprise and delight to my tree watching was this: A most beautiful Mourning Cloak butterfly!The butterfly then flew through our fence and landed nearby on some dry grass.What productive enjoyment that was; sitting with my camera watching our Buckthorn Tree. I think I may try that again. Have a great day everyone! A happy Sunday to all.

Deer at Quispamsis for Camera Critters.

Its not unusual to see deer wandering around in this community. For many deer this is 'home' even though many of the wooded areas have been turned into housing developments with a only few patchy woody spaces still to be found. Yesterday morning while leaving town we found this small family group crossing the street. There were many 4 or5 or more deer in the group which included two young males developing antlers. It was unusual to see the ones with antlers as usually the males do not often accompany the family group. These two young males perhaps have not yet shed their attachment to their mother.

This morning a Viceroy AT Three Tree Creek

White Admiral on Yellow Coneflowers

Finally a butterfly sighting! A White Admiral feeding on yellow Cone flowers in my yard.! As of yet my pink coneflowers have not served their purpose of my planting them, they have not attracted any butterflies yet this season that I have seen. They used to be the focus of many fritilaries. Where are they this summer? My husband, David drew my attention to this butterfly feeding yesterday. Thank you, David!
What a beautiful richness of colour these images of the butterfly and flower created!
I thought this was an interesting angle with the admiral settled on the cone in the center of the coneflower.
This White Admiral was not alone on the coneflowers. This green grasshopper seen below stayed stationay on the petals while I was taking these pictures. Its pretty grand and intricate isn't it?!

Cardinal wildfowers for Ruby Tuesday

Some might be surprised that I call this beautiful Cardinal flower a wildflower. Yes, it is a wildlower that grows wild along the rocky ledges along our local riverbank. I had forgotten about looking for it this until one day last week while walking along a trail near the river I spied the beautiful red of its blossoms.


Got photos with red? Why not share them by posting them to
Ruby Tuesday. To find this delightful red focused meme, please click here.http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

And from a previous post on august 17, 2010:Cardinal Flower for Ruby Tuesday

I remembered this morning that a friend had told me two weeks ago that Cardinal flowers were in bloom growing wild along the rock ledges along the shore of our river. I hurried down there this morning taking my cane with me. The rocks were a bit damp, mossy and slippery in places. I managed to get s few pictures of this vibrant red wildflower. Isn't it beautiful!?

yellow garden flowers for mellow yellow monday

"Tis the season to be yellow" in my garden! I see an explosion of yellow whenever I look out my windows these days.
Cone flowers are an all time favourite of ours, and if you look carefully at the picture, amid the yellow, you can also find a pink cone flower and also a white one! They were favourite of butterflies once too. for I have seen very few butterflies feeding on them for the past two years. No butterflies have been attracted to them, that I have seen yet this year. I keep watching daily but no luck in my butterfly sightings yet.
We are hosta lovers and have about 50-60 different kinds in our garden. The one above is an exception as it shall remain nameless. Originally it was a gold standard, but over the past few years seem s to be marchin or * growing to the beat of its own unique rhythm or pattern. It is a favourite of ours and is very striking in its development of greens and yellows..
Golden Glo!!! This particular plant has survived a couple of moves. Originally I dug it up from an old deserted homestead at Prince William, NB many years ago. Since then we have brought it with us to our present home and gardens where we now reside. It grows very tall and spreading. A good wind has it bowing down. It is an old species and in the past has been known as the "outhouse plant", I guess because it was often planted around outhouses to maybe camouflage them, or perhaps to present the facilities in a more positive and attractive light.
My grandmother Clara Pheasant Robinson always had golden glo in her garden and it was for that reason why I planted these flowers in mine. From its roots an abundance of memories grow for me.

Got pictures with yellow that you would like to share? Why not post them on Mellow Yellow Monday, a delightful meme that focuses on the colour yellow?Just clink here:http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/ to access this meme

Common Nighthawks

Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor)

I kind of forget about Common Nighthawks each year until they begin to re-appear again over my back yard in the evenings of early or mid-August. Soaring over the old chimneys of our house, they disappear, then appear again coming from another direction. Quick in flight and manoeuvring at high speeds; they are beautiful to watch. They are insect eaters and eat hundreds of insects and mosquitoes each day while in flight. They are always welcome birds.

I have only seen Nighthawks flying and perhaps would not recognize them otherwise for when in flight their distinctive white wing bars give immediate recognition. The white wing bars are on both the underparts and outerwings ; but only the male has a white tail bar. Below is a male Common Nighthawk. Also distinctive of the male is the white throat patch which is easily seen in the photo. The female has no white tail bar and its throat patch is buffy instead of white. This can be seen in the photo of the female Common Nighthawk below. Also notice the short beak which is characteristic of both male and females.

an male adult American Redstart for Worldbird Wednesday

I have been getting tantalizing glimpses of an male adult American Redatart from my window last evening and again early this morning. If I am patient I might be able to get photos sometime today of this speedy little beauty as he flits and zips about Bird Alley among the leaves. But then I recalled I had seen this species here before and a check in my archives found that I had posted this post included below on August 18th., 2008 and I love its pictures, so here it is a repost of that previous sighting

August 18, 2008

This wood warbler is one that is very distinctive in its colouring and lends itself easily to identification. However it is only in its second fall season that this male American Redstart develops its striking orange and black adult plumage. A male wears a yellow and gray plumage for its first year, closely resembling this female American Redstart seen to the left. It is only after the first year that the male displays it easily seen reddish-orange and black feathers.
As with all warblers the Redstart is no exception in its quick movements as it darts about the foliage feeding on insects. This warblers tail movements are very noticeable, quick and fast, as it often spreads and fans it in the surrounding vegetation.

Got pictures of birds you would like to share? Why not post them on Worldbird Wednesday? http://pineriverreview.blogspot.com/To find out how, please scroll down the right hand side of this page until you come to the worldbird logo, click on it and follow the directions from there

A California Gull for Ruby Tuesday

Its red orbital ring and red gape are the features which led me to identify this gull as a California Gull. This bird also had yellowish greenish legs.

Got photos with red? Why not share them by posting them to
Ruby Tuesday. To find this delightful red focused meme, please click here.http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

A Goldfish for Mellow Yellow Monday

This Goldfish shown above was gently netted in a natural freshwater pond, then released. Its colour was astounding with its surprising golden hues! It was so beautiful! I couldn't believe its colour and it was so large . There were two sizes of goldfish in the pond, small tiny ones that schooled near the surface and then the size that had been hand held above, This was an amazing experience! Wow!

Got pictures with yellow that you would like to share? Why not post them on Mellow Yellow Monday, a delightful meme that focuses on the colour yellow?Just clink here:http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/ to access this meme

A Yellow Bird for Mellow Yellow Monday

Last evening just as I was starting to think of what to post for mellow yellow Monday ion the morning, this yellow bird flew into Bird Alley.
I was delighted of course. I have seen few warblers this summer so for a beautiful yellow one to visit bird alley was a real treat.I have decided this is maybe a female adult yellow warbler, as it is so overall yellow! at first I had though maybe it was a Pine warbler as I could see it has 'yellow spectacles around its eyes, but it wing bars were not very distinct so I settled on the bright yellow clue distinguishing this bird as a yellow warbler.Got pictures with yellow that you would like to share? Why not post them on Mellow Yellow Monday, a delightful meme that focuses on the colour yellow?Just clink here:http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/ to access this meme