On Vernal Pond

The red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is one of the most common species of songbirds (and birds in general) in most of its range.  I saw a number of them this morning, including this male.  It is hard to get a really good picture of them, since they were wary of me (the crunching of leaves and sticks as I approach doesn't help), and for the time being, I am using only a simple point-and-shoot digital camera with average zooming capabilities.  But, I thought this one turned out pretty good.

 I found this female western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata) underneath some bark.  She wasn't being a willing candidate for my photographic efforts, and even though it was a near-record low of 44 degrees (for mid-May), she was froggy and wouldn't sit still.  This was the best I was able to muster.  These frogs are extremely adaptable and can endure very low temperatures.

 The blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale) is one of my favorite local amphibians.  I always get excited when I find one.  The blue-black combination is so unique to this group of animals.  They are fairly common, but secretive.  I found two today, but since they were nearly identical, I'll leave you with an image of the first.