Gray tree frog

I was prowling a hopefully new Avalonia Land Conservancy property known as Babcock Ridge—Avalonia is raising funds for its purchase but the organization's not there yet—as I prepare to lead a series of guided walks to familiarize people with the rugged woodland and, perhaps, entice them to give to the cause. The more I learn about the area, the more I wish I could simply empty my retirement account and give ALC the required money. Since I can't do that, I do what I can: surveying the area, noting its wildlife, and taking pictures, lots of pictures. For me, a prime attraction is the rich collection of vernal pools that dot the lower section of the woods. They're completely dry right now, but I explored them anyway, in the hope that I might find a female Marbled Salamander and her eggs. Marbleds are unique among our salamanders because they seem to possess a sense of the future: they lay their eggs in dry holes that, somehow, they know will become vernal pools. I didn't spot any Marbleds, but, standing out like a sore thumb in the leaf litter, I did notice a small Gray Tree Frog. Imagine this youngster against a lichen-covered rock or tree trunk and you'll get a sense of the wisdom of evolution—and protective coloration. In the bottom of a dry vernal pool, the frog is all-too-visible, but there were no predators in the neighborhood... and the amphibian was just passing through on its way to a safer spot.