Posts in Category: toad
Toad in the Road
On my scooter on the way down to the Kennebunk Bridle Path on Sunday, I saw something in the road as I passed. It did not register that it was a toad until I was by, but the scooter makes a very easy Uey, and I circled around for a better look. It was one of the lager toads I have seen in Maine, a real grandfather by the look (or grandmother for all I know). It was sitting, apparently warming itself on the sunlit asphalt, right in the track of the next oncoming tire. If I had been driving a car instead of my scooter (on which I stay on the pedestrian side of the white line at the edge most of the time), I would have hit it myself. It was not eager to move either. I stamped petty close without getting a hop. I finally had to nudge it over the white line with my toes. Then of course, I took some pictures. 🙂
Before I got back on my scooter I did move the toad completely off the road and into the pine needles and small plants on the far side. I have no idea if the toad will thank me for that, since I don’t actually know which direction it was headed in when it stopped to sun, and I am sure it was not as warm in the pine needles as it had been on the asphalt. Still, I was not about to leave it for the next passing tire.
Canon SX40HS. Program with iContrast and –1/3EV exposure compensation. 630mm equivalent field of view. f5.8 @ 1/500th @ ISO 160. Processed in Lightroom for intensity, clarity, and sharpness. And a second, more intimate shot at about 1000mm equivalent.
Frog and Toad at Old Falls Pond
Old Falls Pond is the only place near home where I have found Northern Leopard Frogs. I am certain they are other places in York County, but I have not seen them. On the other hand, I see at least one on every visit to Old Falls Pond…and generally right in the same area. This tiny fellow, the size of a quarter, was hopping toward the pond, across the trail, and paused only long enough for a few pics. While it is an interesting creature all around, I find it especially interesting that the dark stripe on the face runs through the eye. I think that might be unique.
Canon SX40HS. Program with iContrast and –1/3EV exposure compensation. 1240mm equivalent field of view. f5.8 @ 1/400th @ ISO 160. One of the things I really like about the Canon SX40HS is the ability to fill the frame with will small stuff from 5 feet. It makes shots like this possible with minimal disturbance of the subject.
I found the frog on the way in to the pond. On the way out, I almost walked on this equally tiny Toad, which I am pretty sure is just a small American Toad. I used the same technique to photograph it, but by the time I found the Toad, the sun had gone behind clouds, and the this fellow was far less cooperative…it rarely sat more than a split second before the next hop…so I popped up the flash on the SX40 to give me enough light to catch the fidgety Toad in mid hop if necessary.
Even so, the exposure was f5.8 @ 1/60th @ ISO 400.
Processed in Lightroom for intensity, clarity, and sharpness.