Frog-O-Rama

Day 325: I figured it was about time I took a "Me Day" in between working at Mount Rainier National Park and in the Nisqually Land Trust's Ohop Valley property, time for me to break out the bike and put some miles on my legs. Since I had another chore to be done in Puyallup, the logical choice for a ride was the Foothills Trail, and because the day was somewhat shortened by the aforesaid task, my goal was a mere fifteen mile round trip.

Now it must be said that I never go anywhere without the camera around my neck, quite literally. Riding the bike, it is slung over one shoulder, jouncing along on my hip bone every time I hit a rough spot in the pavement. It's a small price to pay to have it at the ready when a sneaky Scrub Jay or elusive butterfly flits past, and of course it means that I don't have to unpack it when I choose to stop somewhere for a minute.

The Foothills Trail passes through a wetland area for a mile or more as you head southeast from Orting toward South Prairie. For the most part, this area consists of boggy places overgrown with invasive Japanese Knotweed, but as you get closer to South Prairie, there is a nice little pull-out with two picnic tables, an elevated "campfire" grill, an interpretive sign and a lovely (if narrow) view of a marsh. I always stop at that point, hoping for frog or dragonfly photos. Today I hit the Frog-O-Rama jackpot!

Those of you who expect the naturalist to launch into Latin at this point are going to suffer a grievous disappointment. Plainly put, I haven't got a clue as to these handsome princes' identities. I would not be surprised to learn that any or all of them may be that nasty invasive species I've heard rumours about, but if so, I think for the moment I'd rather continue on in innocent ignorance. As for the blue faces on some of my subjects, I believe it is a seasonal change of appearance or the beginning of a moult. However, I do not say that with any degree of certainty. Any herpetologist out there who'd like to chime in here is welcome to do so!

Ever enthusiastic to the point of being obnoxious, I invited several other trail riders to pause and join me in frog-watching. When they would say, "I can't see any frogs," I would zoom in on one and let them view it on the flip-screen over my shoulder. More often than not, then they began spotting them unaided. Then the fun began, each of us pointing out new discoveries. What a great way to spend a day off, opening peoples' eyes to the joys of Nature all around them. Oh, wait a minute...that's what I do anyway, isn't it?