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Dr. Frog & aspiring herpetologist Chance at the frog pond board walk.

Dr. Cline and froggers looking at red spotted newts.

Along the frog pond board walk on a chilly night.

It was a cold dark night...she could barely feel her frozen toes as she crept along the well-worn path followed by 5 old and 15 new (and somewhat insane) friends of the frog pond. She grinned to herself as she explained why there was no signage...why there was no water in the pond...and why there were no frogs. Dr. Frog stood alone in the corner under the tower making his yipping noises, clicking sounds and grunts to imitate the tiny beasts that we pursued. Nothing. De Nada. The quiet sat upon the bog mockingly.

Yet, wait...could it be? The beam of her head lamp caught the faint shimmer of eyes from beneath a worn old stump. With a slow hand she pulled the little creature from the decay. Yes! A red spotted newt! And a marbled salamander...very slow from the icy January night...but alive and interesting for her first time froggers. The Anniston Star reporters pencil made slashing sounds across his paper pad and the Star photographer lit up the night with flashes from his camera. Children squealed with glee as they scattered all over the moist bog destroying habitat like little black bears scrounging for grubs. Wait! She said with her best sing song children's-attention-getting voice...how would you feel if someone turned your bedroom upside down, dug holes in your floor & left you in the cold? All the little tadpoles sighed under their toboggans and grinned with understanding...thus righting the logs & debris so that the newts & 'manders could cozy back down in the muck. At least 20 of the little buggers were unearthed to be photographed and oggled...rejoiced over and released.

We had a great but COLD night...15 customers who had NEVER heard of the Field School but saw the new Frog Pond Adventure signs on HWY 9 braved the January weather & had a wonderful time. It should be in the Star tomorrow...look for it!

See the whole story in the January 8th Anniston Star.