Hunting Banjoli Rammi

A long, long time ago I was helping someone study for college biology, learning the binomial nomenclature for New York birds and wildlife. I've done that a couple of times now, taking in a singular amount of bastard Latin myself. This was particularly useless for someone of my station, but a lot of fun for a word person just the same. (I am still teaching myself bird names....)

Anyhow that person thought that the above name would fit much better for a Green Frog than the actual name at the time, Rana Clamitans. 

And I agree...to the point of thinking of them that way, lo, these many years later. (Good thing too, since the powers that be changed the name from Rana to Lithobates a few years back.)

Bloater Bob...or Bolster Betty...
I can't remember whether the tympanum larger
than the eye means girl or boy
and am too lazy to look it up.

Seriously though, have you ever heard one on a cool clear summer morning, plonking away out in the pond? Dueling Banjos comes instantly to mind....

This morning, as i walked out with Mack the Jack, the sun not quite up yet, but already painting the sky rich butter yellow, one of the garden pond Banjolis let out a "Kronk"

He froze in mid-sniff and rose on hinder paws to stare.

"What was that!"

Another honk...

From goofy little brown-and-white terrier noodling around checking bushes to shark-attack-Mack in an instant.

At each croak he became more intense, more eager, more ready to do battle. Alas his partner wanted...nay, needed....first-morning-coffee so he was dragged ignominiously up to the kennel, still perking and jerking at every frog call, and deposited therein.

Drat!

Dagnabbit!

In case I ever forget how ferocious terriers can be he is quick to remind me. The garden pond frogs are always a good time though, whether they show up uninvited and simply appear in the pond one fine summer day, or like this year's set, are rescued from the duck pond, which is drained and cleaned regularly, and deposited up here where the water is calm and steady all summer long.

Meanwhile I am working on learning Cyanocitta cristata.