Amphibians at Ridgefield

Red-legged Frog

Early Birthday Present

A day before my birthday in 2002, I came across some red-legged frogs at the edge of a quiet channel alongside the Kiwa Trail in the River S Unit. It was a nice early birthday present, my only previous encounter with a redleg was the one I found a few months earlier when I heard its awful cry and found it breathing its last as it was swallowed by a red-spotted garter snake. This was a much more pleasant experience — especially for the frog — and I was thankful for the chance to spend so much time watching them as they moved around the pond.

Most of the frogs were either at the edge of the pond or in the pond itself and grew still when I walked up and sat down, but soon enough resumed their hopping to and fro. But I was stunned this one actually hopped up into the grass right beside me. It was too close to use my telephoto zoom, fortunately for me it stayed where it was while I switched to my macro lens, then all I had to do was lean over and take the picture.

A red-legged frog duckweed beside the Kiwa Trail at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Duckweed

After having luck finding red-legged frogs at Ridgefield in the summer of 2002, I returned a couple of weeks later and was pleased to find them (and the occasional bullfrog) out and active again, and while none got quite as close as the previous visit, they did present some nice photo opportunities in the duckweed.

Unfortunately, although I look for them every time I hike the Kiwa Trail, I've never seen them since.

A red-legged frog sits on a rock beside duckweed-filled water

From Water to Earth

This frog had been sitting in the duckweed before hopping up onto a small rock. I wanted to convey a sense of the frog emerging from one world to another, so I placed it at the bottom of the frame as it sits on dry ground, the top third green water, the middle third transitioning from water to earth, the bottom third solid ground.

Pacific Treefrog

My Enemy Has Become My Friend

Ordinarily the tall green grasses that grow each year at Ridgefield are my enemy. As the spring progresses, the grasses get so tall that they block the view of many of the ponds around the auto tour. On this day, however, they became my friend. As I walked the short trail to the observation blind, a nice couple saw my camera and pointed out a treefrog next to the path. It was clinging to a tall blade of grass amidst the other foliage. The frog was much more tolerant than other treefrogs I’ve seen at the refuge and I eased my tripod into place until I found a nice pleasing green background.

As other visitors came up the path, I passed on news of the frog as it had been passed to me, backing out my tripod so everyone could get a good look and take their own pictures. I ended up taking fewer pictures than I normally would have but even so ended up with a couple of my favorite pictures.

Pacific treefrog clinging to a blade of grass at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Framed

As I hiked the Kiwa Trail at Ridgefield, I saw many treefrogs but none that I could photograph until I found this well-hidden frog. It was more cooperative than the others and I like the way the out-of-focus blades of grass frame the image.

A Pacific treefrog sits hidden in the grass at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Coming Out of the Woodwork

One spring as I crossed a long wooden footbridge on the Kiwa Trail, it literally seemed like frogs were coming out of the woodwork. The green ones were easy enough to spot at a glance but the brown ones required a closer look. The frogs often hid between the planks, just in case I was a hungry heron, but emerged when they felt safe.

Pacific treefrog sitting on a footbridge at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

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