The Tadpole

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I saw the tadpole for the first time this year when I clambered up to the upper pool. He was over on the edge. The next two times I came out to Ray and Lori's, I found him grazing on the algae growing on a dead tree has fallen into the water. Then I found him at the lower entrance, closer to where I first saw him. Looking over to the tree, I also saw him grazing and wrigging up over the drowned trunk. When I came closer, I noticed him on the bottom of the pool also, so I know there are at least three tadpoles in the pool, quite possibly four. Some have bigger hind legs than others, so I'm wondering if they don't take at least two years to complete their metamorphosis.

I hadn't brought a camera with me through the lower pool, so I ran back up to get it, frightening the tadpoles as I passed. Only one was back on the tree when I came back, so I photographed him. While I was moving gradually closer, I looked up under the overhanging rock, and saw an adult bullfrog or greenfrog sitting there in the damp darkness. I tried to take her picture, but the flash didn't penetrate. Anyway, here's "the" tadpole!

Photos taken Aug 17, 2003

The tadpole on the tree.

Here he is closer up. He's a lot prettier in person - you should see the delicacy of his webbed feet! But you get the idea. I put this photo up in such a large file because he's about lifesize here, and neither Ray nor Lori have seen him yet.