Amphibian

Down at the canal again. Buds on the trees, birds returning from the south, flowers in bloom. Love/lust in the air.

As soon as I hit the towpath I could hear their call. Anaxyrus americanus, American Toad. In shallow puddles of the mostly drained canal they splashed about seeking a mate. Tumbling over each other, they humped away as if part of a deeply twisted amphibious Roman orgy.

One toad sat alone, calling desperately. Poor guy. (You can see the sound vibrations emanating from its body in the water.)

For the photo, I knelt down and leaned on one elbow to get at ground level (totally muddy!), shot wide open at f2.8 so everything in the foreground and the background would be soft. This helps the little fellow really stand out.

I love the Spring.