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Description
This adorable little reptilian visitor is the Cope's Gray Tree Frog, Hyla Chrysoscelis, and is a frequent resident of the area because of a seasonal pond on my property. Despite its apparent grand dimensions this one's only about 5cm in total length, so they're a bit wee as frogs go. The black metal bar it's perched upon is the upper support of a piece of garden furniture.

During the wetter times the males can be heard beginning near sunset and sing all through the night until sunrise ... hoping to hook-up with a lovely little female version for some passionate hugging and ... well, you get the idea. Their stamina is quite admirable.

I've had the honor and pleasure to see hundreds and thousands of frog eggs and tadpoles, and it's a joy to see them wriggling about along the edges of water features as they slowly increase in size from a bit of black inside a ball of jelly to a miniature version of their parents with a rather alligator-like tail. Once they're strong enough to leave the water and eat larger insects I rarely if ever see them again ... until one or two decides to visit and perch upon my garden furniture or climb a wall of my residence.

Description
This adorable little reptilian visitor is the Cope's Gray Tree Frog, Hyla Chrysoscelis, and is a frequent resident of the area because of a seasonal pond on my property. Despite its apparent grand dimensions this one's only about 5cm in total length, so they're a bit wee as frogs go. The black metal bar it's perched upon is the upper support of a piece of garden furniture.

During the wetter times the males can be heard beginning near sunset and sing all through the night until sunrise ... hoping to hook-up with a lovely little female version for some passionate hugging and ... well, you get the idea. Their stamina is quite admirable.

I've had the honor and pleasure to see hundreds and thousands of frog eggs and tadpoles, and it's a joy to see them wriggling about along the edges of water features as they slowly increase in size from a bit of black inside a ball of jelly to a miniature version of their parents with a rather alligator-like tail. Once they're strong enough to leave the water and eat larger insects I rarely if ever see them again ... until one or two decides to visit and perch upon my garden furniture or climb a wall of my residence.