Most of the time when I am lucky enough to spot a Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea), the frog appears to be sleeping. Why is that the case? Many frogs spend their time in the water and have an easy way to regulate their body temperatures. Tree Frogs probably need to avoid direct sunlight and I suspect they are more active earlier and later during the day.
Yesterday afternoon the rain finally stopped and the skies were gradually clearing, so I decided to go out with my camera. I spotted this tree frog when I was walking along one of the trails at Huntley Meadows Park, a nearby marshland park that I have avoided the last few years because it tends to be overcrowded. The frog was perched in the crotch of a small tree just off of the trail.
When I first saw the tree frog, it had its front feet tucked under its head and appeared to be dozing, as you can see in the first two photos. I experimented with slightly different angles and formats and can’t decide if I like the landscape format of the first photo or the portrait format of the second one.
Later in the day I passed the frog again and it seemed to be a little more alert. The frog had pulled one of its feet out from under its head and appeared to be daydreaming.
When I returned home from my outing, I decided to take a cue from the frog and took a short nap.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
What a great photo! He is adorable. 😎❤️
I agree……adorable and an exquisite photo!!
Thank you
I wonder what he’s dreaming of…
Your photos did a great job of evoking sleepiness, Mike, for you and for me. I really liked each one of these photos, the details, considering this is a creature who is smaller than the palm of my hand and not easy to see.
Thanks, Jet, for your words of encouragement. I was actually looking for tree frogs (along with dragonflies) and knew there was a chance that I might see one, since I had seen a few along this trail in previous years. Nonetheless, I was super happy when I spotted this one. Indeed these are wee little creatures. 🙂
Fabulous photo, Mike. I think you have caught not just the pose of the frog perfectly but also his smooth texture. I like the contrast between the bright green, glossy skin and the scuffy texture of the branch.
Thanks, Laura. I love when there is contrast in my photos–sometimes it is a contrast in colors, in shapes, or, as was the case here, in textures.
Great shot… you got the right moment 🙂
Colourful, sweet-looking frog. Given the frog’s arranged itself vertically, my preference is the vertical photo (and I can see more detail without having to click in). Nice!
Thanks, Liz. That’s actually my favorite too. I did not lead the post with it only because I do not like the way that the WordPress Reader handles vertical photos.
Snap!
Very cute creature, thanks for sharing.
Thanks. Most frogs do not qualify to be called “cute,” but I think that green tree frogs are an exception to that general rule.
[…] Sleeping tree frog — Mike Powell […]
Gorgeous image. That frog looks very serene!
Thanks, Chris. He seems to be meditating or praying–definitely a peaceful feeling.
Beautiful click👌
Thanks.