49.3

I found this Leopard Frog under the shade of a tree, next to a pond, where it had hollowed out a patch of dirt into a kind of nest that it was lying in. It didn't move as I got closer, probably thinking that if it did so I would spot it and perhaps grab it and gobble it down whole. The frog was as still as a statue. I moved slowly towards it, scooting along on my elbows until I was right in front of it, guessing that it most likely wouldn't jump towards me if it wanted to escape. I was right. I got so close to the frog I could almost touch it with the end of my macro lens. There was only one problem--a piece of straw or a stick was in my way and I knew it would ruin my shot if I didn't move it. I also knew if I moved my hand towards the frog it would scare it away, so I found a small stick to move the object that was in front of the frog's head--and as I did the frog made a sudden move forward and snatched up a mouthful of dirt! Seeing this made me laugh out loud--the frog looked like it was foaming at the mouth, rabid. I think the frog was waiting for a worm or an insect to eat and it mistook the movement of the stick for a tasty meal--but ended up with a mouth full of dirt instead! So funny! Poor frog!

Photo taken at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Virginia.