The frog soap opera (most dramatic series this summer) continues.
As usual I was up before the sun. After reading the local paper I opened the shades and let my eyes wander the back yard. The frog was already on station at the lower waterfall. I thought about the old saying in frog land, "The early frog gets the bird!" You can take that anyway you want so long as your smile'n
The birds had not made their appearance and weren't expected until the sun arrived on it's trip from New York to San Francisco and points west. I went out to add seed to the bird feeder as the little guys get really pissy if I don't feed them on time.
The sun finally made it's appearance and I was watching the circus of birds that had also arrived. They just love this seed we get and have told all their friends so it's just a great big bird feast most mornings. I would estimate we get over 200 birds on any given day stopping by the feeder. Of course I may be counting some of them twice or even thrice as they all seem to look alike to me. Well, that's not entirely true, I can tell the mourning doves from the robin red breasts, it just the individuals I have trouble delineating. As usual I digress, excuse me please.
Ginger got up and made coffee and I was again watching out the window for some hapless bird to venture too close to what is now our frog. I saw a small bird hop toward the waters edge. The frog was already turned in the birds direction but too far away to make it breakfast. The bird started drinking. It would take a sip of water and then look around nervously. Take another sip and look around again. The frog didn't move. Wow, I thought, doesn't this guy see that bird! The bird flew away. Opportunity knocked on the green guys door but he didn't answer.
I told Ginger the frog doesn't seem too aggressive this morning. She joined me at the window. "Where is he," she asked. "He's all the way over to the right. Next to the rocks," I replied. "I don't see him," she said squinting and leaning toward the window. "Oh, maybe if you looked on the left side instead of the right you would have better luck," I said not knowing my left from my right.
Just about the time Ginger spotted the frog a mourning dove was coming in for a landing. They sometimes jump off the roof of the house and make a turn over the waterfall on the way to the feeder. This one was on that flight path. As the bird flew over the waterfall at an elevation of about 2 to 3 feet the frog made a leap into the air. Straight up like it was an ground to air missile. Fully extended with mouth open. I thought this guy should represent us in the Olympics either in the long jump or diving competition.
The mourning dove veered from it's glide path just in time to save it's life. A very valiant effort by our frog. Another awesome episode in the pond opera. I imagine what it would have been like if they had connected. It only takes a second or two for the episode to take place but the intense drama continues.
One giant leap for frog-kind.
No comments:
Post a Comment