The small marsh I see from my window is a shallow pond surrounded by a circle of cattails decorated with Red-winged Blackbirds. A few Mallards paddle and dip in the water quacking to announce their presence. Swallows dance over the pond, pirouetting and gavotting, snapping up insects in their beaks. But its the Chorus Frogs that I love most about this little marsh. It’s a sweet lullaby the males sing throughout the night, soothing in its repetition, calming any troubled thoughts.
Chorus frogs are tiny – a dozen of them can fit on the palm of your hand – if you can catch one!
I would like very much to paint one but I paint from life and these little creatures are nearly impossible to see hiding in the dark, murky water. Not only does their diminutive size and excellent camouflage make them hard to see, but they hide in an instant should anyone approach their pond. They have been singing since late March and I know that soon, when their mating season ends the males with be silent until next spring.
