This frog wasn't in my throat

 This is the weekend for herps. Yesterday we posted about our adventure with a snapping turtle hatchling. Early this morning, while SiSi was feeding her face and I prepared for our early walk, with the Better Half and her dog were still sleeping, I noticed, to my surprise, a gray tree frog on the kitchen counter. As I went to grab it and put it outside, it leapt to the floor and then, as I reached again, it jumped over my hand. By now, SiSi was anxious to get outside and  take care of some pressing business. I left the frog to its own devices.

tree frog on deck railing

Photo by J. Harrington

Ten minutes or so later, SiSi and I returned. By now, I had enough sense, even without my first cup of coffee, to have collected my clear plastic cup and piece of thin cardboard that I use to capture spiders and moths. (Fishing nets serve for birds and bats that find their way into the house.) This time the frog was squatting near the middle of the kitchen floor. I stealthily placed the cup over the frog and then slid the cardboard under the cup. The frog was now entrapped and transportable to the bird bath on the deck. I went back to the kitchen and poured my coffee. SiSi pointed out that her water dish was empty.

I suspect that the ability of a frog to breach the walls of our fortress is on my shoulders. Last night, as I was bringing in the bird feeders, I left the walkout door to the deck open. That's probably when the frog hopped in. Fortunately, neither dog noticed it for herding or snacking purposes.

Later this morning, what I believe is the same frog was back climbing up the walkout sliding glass door. I shooed it away. It's probably lurking under the bird bath again, waiting to see if I slip up again this evening.

The Tree-Frog Pedigree

by John B. Tabb

Our great ancestor, Polly Wog,
With her cousin, Thaddeus Pole,
Eloped from her home in an Irish bog,
And crossing the sea on the "Mayflower's" log,
At the risk of body and soul,
Married a Frog; and thus, you see,
How we come by a place in the family-tree
And the family name, Tree-frog.

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