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Gato Moteado

(10,019 posts)
Thu May 8, 2025, 12:45 AM May 8

Detailed photos of a cat-eyed snake eating a gliding leaf frog.....VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED

if you get a chance, read about the explosive breeding events by gliding leaf frogs (Agalychnis spurrelli). They happen several times during the rainy season. During these breeding events hundreds, if not thousands, of these frogs are climbing all over each other in huge groups, mating above the water. Unsurprisingly, frog eating predators usually abound once they realize this is going on.....this is a cat-eyed snake swallowing the last part of a gliding leaf frog during a breeding event just outside my house.

I saw this happening about 8 or 9 feet up in a tree....I ran back to the house and got a makeshift wobbly wooden stool and used it to climb into the tree. I was holding onto the tree with my left hand and holding the camera with my right hand....I had to hold the camera above and in front of me to get it level with the snake's head and i focused by looking at the screen on the back of the camera.

Go ahead, ask me anything about these shots





11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Detailed photos of a cat-eyed snake eating a gliding leaf frog.....VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED (Original Post) Gato Moteado May 8 OP
These are so well done, dear Gato! I am astonished at their clarity and details. CaliforniaPeggy May 8 #1
i get a lucky shot every now and then Gato Moteado May 8 #2
That is nonsense, and you know it. CaliforniaPeggy May 8 #3
you are, and andy was, too kind Gato Moteado May 8 #6
Beautiful work! HAB911 May 8 #4
sometimes you gotta climb into a tree to see the cool stuff Gato Moteado May 8 #8
indeed you do HAB911 May 8 #9
just watch out for the... Gato Moteado May 8 #10
Yikes! HAB911 May 8 #11
Amazing photos! You are a very skilled photographer. Callalily May 8 #5
thanks....but it's probably more luck than skill Gato Moteado May 8 #7

CaliforniaPeggy

(153,995 posts)
1. These are so well done, dear Gato! I am astonished at their clarity and details.
Thu May 8, 2025, 01:08 AM
May 8

Especially considering what you had to do to get them!

CaliforniaPeggy

(153,995 posts)
3. That is nonsense, and you know it.
Thu May 8, 2025, 02:02 AM
May 8

You are a talented photographer with a huge grasp of the technical aspects. Your work is stellar! Seems to me that Andy felt the same as I do.

HAB911

(9,668 posts)
4. Beautiful work!
Thu May 8, 2025, 07:15 AM
May 8

I would like to think I would climb a tree full of frogs and snakes, but........

HAB911

(9,668 posts)
11. Yikes!
Thu May 8, 2025, 02:02 PM
May 8

pretty soon as far north as here in Tampa, we'll have to worry about pythons but not in the trees.

Our good snakes the black racer and rat snake however climb better than I can!



Gato Moteado

(10,019 posts)
7. thanks....but it's probably more luck than skill
Thu May 8, 2025, 09:56 AM
May 8

....plus i have amazing subjects to photograph

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