A tiny Cricket Frog sits still, assuming its nearly perfect camouflage will keep it safe. I never would have seen it had it not hopped right in front of me as I walked down the lakeside trail.
Five-Lined Skink 1
This Five-Lined Skink frequently hangs out near the gap in this brick wall. I see it quite regularly and was able to get close enough to take a few good photographs. Five-Lined Skinks are common in Central Virginia. You can usually find them on old logs or on rock piles. They never seem to stray far from good hiding places.
Don’t Come Any Closer
When I first saw this Rat Snake it was on the ground, just a few yard ahead of me on a small, little used, lakeside trail. I turned, took a few steps back, dropped my backback and got my camera ready. When I turned back around it was gone. In a matter of seconds it had disappeared into the forest. “Oh well,” I thought, “that’s how they survive.” Continue reading “Don’t Come Any Closer”
Three Amigos
These painted turtles remind me of three friends posing for a portrait. They were basking in the sun, soaking up some solar energy in the Great Dismal Swamp when I took this photo.
Painted Turtle 1
This painted turtle was sunning itself on a cool spring day which probably allowed me to get closer than I otherwise might have. There were a few other turtles nearby but I like the coloration of this one.
King of the Mud Puddle
Walking in a park near the James River on spring afternoon, I stopped to see if there might be anything interesting in a large puddle adjacent to a small pond. Sitting, quietly a few feet from the trail was this red toad. It remained so motionless as I photographed it, I began to think it might be a toy frog somebody put there as a joke.
Evening Frog Encounter
This small frog was hunting insects in my yard one night. To get the picture I used a handheld flashlight and the on camera flash with my camera mounted on a tripod. I think it is a leopard frog. If you believe differently, please let me know.
American Alligator
Swim At Your Own Risk
This alligator quietly swam by to investigate while we were watching several other nearby alligators.
Bullfrog
This bullfrog sat silently in the shallow water waiting to see what might fly within reach.