Coqui!

One of my favorite parts of Puerto Rico is the incessant call of the Coqui each night. As soon as dusk falls the coqui come out of hiding and give a full chorus, even in the city. But at the rainforest, they are loud and comforting and perfect.


The Coqui give an enchanting call and round out the perfect Puerto Rican experience. If you're visiting the island, you will never forget the little Coqui with the big sound.

Coquí

We had heard of the Coquí before traveling to Puerto Rico but we never imagined they would become such a major part of the landscape.  The first night on the island we stayed with some lovely Couchsurfing hosts. They gave us a killer room with floor high windows on two sides.  With the wind coming off the coast, we fell asleep to the sound of Coquí that night.  This would be a comforting lullaby as we traveled the island.

Coquí is the common name for many endemic species of Puerto Rican frogs.  I believe the species we found while staying at Casa Cubuy Ecolodge was the Eneida's Coquí (Eleutherodactylus eneidae), seen in Emily's hands.  It's endangered and only found in mountains between 1000 and 3000 feet.  The little guy that Emily is holding was found outside our room so we gently moved it out of the path of people.  We also found one in our shower that we tried to remove but after an unsuccessful capture we decided the little frog could live with us.

I would love to have a few Coquí around to fall asleep to here in South Florida.

Grackle vs. Frog

In a battle of survival, this poor frog lost it's life to a ferocious young grackle. I love the rich green background, the frog legs splayed open, and of course the chestnut texture of the bird. If you're into nature photography or just wildlife, Green Cay is the place to be. I can't tell you how excited I will be when I finally have the chance to walk around the park, but until then you will find me fighting the never-ending workload on my desk. Just when I think I've figured out how to do something, I realize I have 5 more jobs waiting. This interim-manager learning process is at least on a curve and I see an end on the horizon. Every day I'm feeling a little bit better about my job responsibilities. It's nice to feel more like the grackle and not like the frog.

All photos are taken at Green Cay by Bill Kominsky.

Camden Hill State Park, ME

After a wonderful night of camping we woke up bright and early to do some hiking around Camden Hills State Park. Our first stop was a quick drive up to Mount Battie. This was the view from the top. Down below is the sleepy bay town of Camden. All the little towns along the Maine coast were filled with cute shops and great restaurants.

For our day hike we chose the Megunticook Trail which took us to the top of the 1385' mountain. Along the way we paused for all sorts of herps including the snake above and some toads. Near the last one third of the hike we took a nice stop by some waterfalls. After a little exploration we found some salamanders and even posed for a photo together.

The weather was perfect for hiking. We only had one base layer on and it felt perfect. Of course when we made it to the rock face at the top we did have to put our jackets on but otherwise, this really was the right time of year for trekking up the trail. The trail wasn't very steep and really the only difficult part was the last section that you see in the photo below where the trail became more of a rock hike.

All of our efforts paid off at the summit where we found an even better view of Penobscot Bay.

We settled in on the rocks and enjoyed the view for probably close to half an hour or more. A Peregrine Falcon gave us a great aerial show. It's not very often that you get the chance to see a bird like that from above. It whipped through the valley and occasionally came over to perch in a nearby tree.

After soaking in Mount Megunticook and the view we trekked back down the trail. The Maine woods really are beautiful and much wetter than I imagined. On parts of our hike we had to cross boards so we didn't sink into the muddy trail.

Before leaving Camden Hills State Park we took a quick side trip to their shoreline. Rupp enjoyed exploring the tidal pools while I enjoyed just watching the waves come in and hit the rocks. We don't have many rocky coasts in the Southeast so I was very content to sit and enjoy my surroundings. It's not very often that we really take the time to just be somewhere without doing something. I even put my binoculars down for awhile and enjoyed my last moments at the park.

After a great morning we had really worked up an appetite so off we went back south to find food and head towards our Puffin trip. Even without the Puffins this was an amazing day of exploration and good times with one of my best friends but the boat trip at the end would make it perfect. More on that soon!

Tri-Colored Heron vs. Pig Frog

My camera cord is still missing in action so until it shows up you will have to wait for the Big Day report. Instead I'm bringing you an excellent photo taken by my dear friend Bill Kominsky at Green Cay this weekend. Don't forget to click the photo to see a bigger version.

*Update: Apparently this duel was a lose-lose situation for both involved. The Pig Frog died during the battle and the Tri-colored Heron couldn't swallow the frog because it was too large.