A Frog and a Blackbird Egg

Yesterday I spent the morning at Mill Pond Park with 4th grade students from Ganiard Elementary.  Recently, I had visited their classrooms to give a presentation on wetland habitats - the field trip was an extension of that presentation.  During their field trip, the students spent most of their time searching for and identifying aquatic macroinvertebrates. 

Macroinvertebrates were not the only animals that were observed.  Students also noted muskrat lodges, sunning turtles, Canada Geese, and Red-winged Blackbirds.  Several very observant students discovered a few surprises like this well-camouflaged Green Frog.

Green Frog at Mill Pond Park.

Staring contest

Even more well-hidden was a Red-Winged Blackbird nest, nestled in among the cattails.

Red-winged Blackbird nest among cattails

Tucked down in the bottom of the nest was a single pale blue egg, mottled with dark spots.

Red-winged Blackbird egg