After our serendipitous encounter with the Painted Turtle at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, Bhavna and I continued to explore the edges of the pond. Bhavna’s sharp eyes caught another unexpected visitor.
I squinted in the direction she was indicating, and there, camouflaged against the green of the lily pads, was a small Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog. Its mottled brown and green skin allowed it to blend with its surroundings, making it a challenge to spot even from just a few feet away.
I slowly raised my camera, trying not to disturb the scene. The frog sat perfectly still, as if it knew it had been spotted but was confident in its disguise. Its tiny body rested on a large, green lily pad, with its eyes focused on the world around it, alert and ready to leap at the slightest disturbance.
The light filtered through the surrounding grasses, casting gentle shadows over the water. I managed to capture a few shots before the frog decided it had posed long enough. With a quick hop, it leapt off the lily pad and disappeared into the water, leaving only a slight ripple as evidence of its presence.
