This fascinating amphibian is a barking tree frog.  This species of tree frog is one of the largest and stockiest that we have in our area (South Alabama).  It is called the barking tree frog because of the small-dog-like barking noise that it makes, and we have heard them outside our windows many times.  As far as we know, the two photos are of the same specimen, so it is fascinating that this frog can change color like a chameleon.  Going from the greyish green hue of our house to a bright lime green color.  The species is beneficial in the fact that it eats all sorts of pesky insects like mosquitoes, beetles, flies, etc.


It is amazing the diversity of creatures that you can find by simply walking out your front door.

The Harpy Eagle is the world's largest and strongest eagle. It's also one of the rarest.

Few other animals depend so heavily on pristine, unpolluted habitat as the harpy eagle. This magnificent bird  mates for life. Each pair needs at least 15 square miles of rainforest to hunt in with their relatively short but very broad 7-8 foot wingspan and talons that would make a grizzly bear envious. They nest in tall thick trees that burst out of the thick rainforest canopy. Unfortunately this is the kind of tree that loggers value. This is one of the reasons that this amazing bird is now so uncommon.  

They range from Panama to southern Brazil and are vary rare across most of this.  They nest once every two years and raise one chick, which they feed a very similar diet which they themselves eat.  This includes monkeys, sloths, porcupine, large birds and young deer.