Northern Red-legged Frog

One of our favorite things to do as a family is take a walk down to the cool waters of the south fork of Beaver Creek in the summer. In addition to the relief from summer heat, we also almost always find other organisms taking advantage of the water. Yesterday's expedition was no exception to this. While we were turning over large cobbles in the now dry creek bed, we came across a Northern Red-legged Frog enjoying itself in a shady area at the base of a hill.

If you don't know about Red-legged Frogs, they are listed as a species of concern in the Federal Endangered Species watch list, and also listed as a sensitive species within the state of Oregon. They are an interesting species as they are associated with both wetlands and forested areas, therefor need unique habitat situations to thrive. They use forested areas that have shallow and still water for their breeding grounds. When we found this amazing little frog, I took a good look around to view the area. It is just about the perfect spot. There is a pond that holds water in the winter that is generally still, except during periods of high flooding. To the north is open fields and to the south a lush canopy of older Douglas Fir trees and Big Leaf Maples. I hope to see more of these in the future!