I think my Leopard frog is a sentient being.

[Baitball Blogger]

I have three of them, living in a small fountain pond which was originally established as a frog habitat. It started as a pipe dream to attract them to the pond since there were few signs of native frogs or toads in the area when I started. Each year has provided a different experience, and this year the water feature is officially established with three Leopards. There are four small ponds in the feature and it's amusing to see how each frog took a pond, according to size.

The pond is also home to guppies, which I feed twice a day. This summer the frogs have become so accustom to the feeding routine that they don't bother to hide from me. So, as I drop the flakes for the fish, the frogs' eyes peer above the surface of the water and watch.

After a few weeks of this behavior, I noticed a pattern with the big one. He stationed himself where the current of one pond flowed into the other. As the guppy flakes make their way from one pond to the other, the fish swarm this opening. I soon figured out that at every feeding the frog was taking the liberty of selecting one of the fish for his meal. It presented a perfect opportunity for him because the guppies were too distracted to pay attention to their surroundings.

So I am grateful that I didn't lose him today when he almost succumbed to the heat of a hot car. I had taken plants to a friend's house and the frog had stowed away in one of the containers. It was my friend who noticed the frog sitting in plain sight on the side of the mat in the back of the car. "This one had to come from your house," she said. My response brought laughter. "My Leopard frog!" This was the first time I had seen him out of the water. He's a big one. Maybe a a few months away from full grown.

As I loaded the trunk the frog didn't attempt to move. He just sat there as if he knew that we were headed home. I shut the trunk and postponed errands in order to rush him back where he belonged. He was a bit disgruntled about the net that I had to carry him in, but he seemed to calm down the closer we got to the pond and didn't struggle when I had to bounce him out of the net.

Seriously grateful that it ended well.

[BlueJazz]

1. I've always thought frogs were the coolest amphibians

[Baitball Blogger]

2. They really are. They are also the canaries in the mine when it comes to global warming.

I don't know how fast they grow, but I may have had several encounters with this particular Leopard. I came across it one cold November when I left the guppies out too long in the outside pond and had to do a rescue to bring them in before they died from exposure. As I was cleaning out the pond I discovered the frog wintering in the bottom when I scooped him up in the net. I put him back and decided to wait until spring for the cleaning. At that time he was the only Leopard frog in my yard so I felt sorry for it in the spring time when its mating calls went unanswered. I thought he was gone for good when we had a week long rain and he up and left.

What I do miss this year that I had in the early years were several nights where there was a chorus of rain song. I don't know what frogs were responsible for that particular chant, but they seem to be gone.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. I really like frogs and toads. They're cute.

[shenmue]

4. Me too

The teeny tiny ones are the best.

[Baitball Blogger]

5. We had watery little things that were transparent where I grew up.

I only encountered a few. Very rare.

[a kennedy]

6. only toads we have a dark brown or black ones......and it seems like we have more then normal...

wonder if I'm just seeing more.....or our wetter weather has something to do with it. Yours is beautiful.....