- Nikon D200, Sigma 150 mm f/2.8, SB600, 1/60s, f/5.6, ISO 100
I knew they are here, even if I never saw one during the six and a half years we live in Eastern Iowa. We could hear their resonating trill, especially after a rain. But despite I peered in every tree and bush around many times, I never saw one of these little guys until a couple days ago. The Common Gray Treefrog seems to be a master of hiding itself (I hate to blame it only on my eyes ;-) ) but finally I found one at night right on the front porch of the house. This treefrog was less than 40 mm (~1 ½") long, just to give you an idea about its real size.
There was no time for preparation. The little guy was moving around fast and I was afraid to lose it. While Joan had an eye on it, I ran in the house, grabbed the 150/f2.8, the D200, and the SB600 flash light with a dome diffuser. The 150/f2.8 gave me enough distance to just mount the SB600 to the hot shoe of the camera. I know this sucks, but at the other hand the Common Gray Treefrog is mostly nocturnal and I believe even a direct flash tells this story. Yes, making a picture of this guy sitting between the leaves of a tree or bush would be great but I'm happy to have my first shot. This image will of course make it into my "Iowa Wildlife Gallery", which I invite you to visit by clicking right HERE. Have a wonderful Sunday!