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 at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. 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.