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Chorus Frog

We often find these tiny chorus or tree frogs on our deck, in the potted plants, even in the bbq – we need to open the grill before lighting it – and also in the garage. I don’t know why they think that these places are good frog habitat but here they are. There is no open water for them and we never hear a ‘chorus’ of them, just lone frogs here and there. Once, in the fall, when I was bringing plants back in the house before cold weather set in, a frog came in and its calls of protest were so loud, we were encouraged to find the animal and return it outside, to its ‘natural’ habitat!

 

 

 

 

Here is some information about these wide-spread frogs.

Out of the Ashes

Back in April, there was a fire on our hillside – you can see the images from that day here. Our neighbor’s place suffered a lot of damage and he asked me to document the recovery over the course of the growing seasons with my camera. He set up a photo point for me to visit on a regular basis and after 2 1/2 months, it’s easy to see that recovery is well on its way. So far, there has not been a big influx of weeds in most places. In fact, the native wildflowers are doing well – even more abundant than in the areas that were not burned! The bitterbrush, a favorite food for the local mule deer, does not seem to be sprouting back. This will be a major change in the habitat. Grasses and forbs are doing well.

 

April 20, three days following the fire. The yellow rebar marks the photo point.

 

May 1. The burned pine tree on the right and bent over to the left burned bitterbrush show up in all the images in this series.

 

May 13

 

May 22

 

May 30

 

June 14

 

June 28

 

Balsamroot bloomed very well in the burned area.

 

Lupine is blooming more abundantly and for a longer season in the burned area compared to the non-burned area.

 

Douglas sunflowers are also more abundant.

 

Lush growth

 

The day of the fire.

 

 

On the Road Again

Luna and I are on the road to visit friends in Montana. Today was a gorgeous day to be on the road with enormous fluffy clouds and blue skies for background. Many raptors everywhere we went. Bald Eagles, kestrels, ospreys and more.  I could have spent the whole day birding and making images!

First stop – the Carlton Store

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The Columbia River at Pateros

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See that marmot teasing Luna?

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Chief Joseph dam

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Douglas County

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Grand Coulee dam

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Great clouds

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Cool blind for bird watching at Reardan Ponds

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Welcome to Idaho

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Lots of water in Idaho. That is a road. It is next to the very cool rails to trails project – the trail of the Coeur d Alenes

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Looks like a person could still ne skiing at Lookout Pass

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The Clark Fork, a tributary of the Columbia

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Wildflowers on our Hillside

I managed to get in one wildflower walk last week after the big rain. Everything was sweet smelling and lush with new growth. Lots of birds and insects to amuse the ears and eyes and pollinate the flowers too. This is the time of year when change happens constantly as the hillsides become more green with new grass, the flowers add color and the light changes all day long. Spring is a time of renewal for all of the senses.

 

Balsamroot

 

Waterleaf

 

Lupine – waiting for sunshine and warmth before it shows us its lavendar petals

 

Shooting Star

 

More Balsamroot

 

Serviceberry bushes have covered the hillsides with their white flowers like frosting on a cake!

 

A honey bee on a waterleaf. Another portrait of this bee may be seen at my other blog.

 

Leaves of a Bitterroot grow and disappear before the delicate flowers appear.

 

Never too much Balsamroot

Wild Horses

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We stopped by the BLM wild horse facility in the Mason Neck area by the Potomoc River this afternoon. The horses looked pretty tame to me. Folks can adopt them.