The naming of things in nature

During our Ontario visit we continued to be amazed and delighted with daily nature sightings. This little rabbit above, we named "Clover" as he was breakfasting on clover on my son's lawn when we saw it. Two other rabbits seen previously were named "Hoppy" and " Lightening Bolt" But what kind of rabbit was it really? One look at its 'cotton-like blob of a tail sent me searching google for pictures of a cottontail rabbit. And "yes," I think I read the clues right. This rabbit in the pictures above is an eastern Cottontail Rabbit I think.

One day while walking along a forested trail near the pond. I saw movement on the trail in front of me. It was so tiny! Maybe only about half an inch long. From its body shape I thought a 'frog'! So after downloading the pictures on the computer and searching Google with the words 'miniature frog' I came up with nothing that seemed to match. Then I examined my pictures more closely and I realized I had not noticed any green on the little creatureSo I questioned my naming of it as a frog. Then I noticed red bumps on its body. And realizing a frog's body shape and that of a toad were very similar I did a search with the words,'miniature toad with red bumps'.... and voila! I found images similar to my little creature of a red-spotted toad!

Go figure!Its all in the naming isn't it?! Just follow the visual clues that nature has presented in trying to id what you have seen!! Have a great day everyone!