Dense secondary vegetation and unkempt settlements in the vicinity of wooded fringes are wont to harbour a good population of four-lined tree frogs. The amphibians are more often heard than seen, for there is a slightly ventriloquial quality to their monotone nasal quack and the animals, when they occur in fairly high densities, seem to take pleasure in playing a game of musical leap frog. Taking abrupt turns to call, they happily confuse ducks who wander and wave their heads in a futile attempt at aural triangulation. Even at close proximity, the frogs are hard to spot for they favour cryptic perches such as leaf litter-strewn rubble and lichenous bark, to which they cling tight in imitation of a woody protrusion. I suspect it's all part of a grand conspiracy to keep curious ducks out of their private foam parties, where amplexing pairs couple while creating a foamy lovenest over a convenient pool. But given the penchant of hormonally-high male frogs to embrace any available body, regardless of gender, and even form living layers of spongey beancurd, it's just as well that my duck is deemed unfit for such fun. Sometimes it's okay to not want to have it both ways...
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