First Butterfly

I saw my first butterfly of the year; a Mourning Cloak, this evening on the Right Fork of Middle Fork in Upshur County, WV. The Spring Peepers were calling loudly and laying eggs. I also saw several clusters of Wood Frog eggs. I flushed a woodcock in the same wetland area. No trout, but the dogs had fun. It sure was nice to enjoy a warm evening, thanks to daylight savings time.

The Quack Is Back

The quack of the Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) can now be heard throughout the High Virginia's. These small terrestrial frogs are late winter breeders.  They lay their egg masses in small vernal ponds, as soon as the ice melts.  The adults will soon leave the breeding ponds and spend the rest of the year in moist, wooded upland areas.  They are difficult to locate during the non-breeding season, so you need to get out and listen for the quacks in the wet bottom lands, now.  The frog with the robber's mask is fairly small; about 2-2.75 inches in length. The colors of the Wood frog can range from shades of brown to almost black, so you need to be observant.  They are much larger than the well known Spring Peeper.  The Wood Frog's range extends farther North than any other reptile or amphibian.
A Wood Frog's Life (Nature Upclose)
A Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians of Eastern & Central North America (Peterson Field Guide Series)