Nothing new for my tally today, but the watermeadow is awash with baby frogs or toads. They are mostly scrambling through the grass, but some have tried to leap.
And we still have tadpoles…
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Common Frog
Finally, I have snapped a frog. I was planning on finding frogspawn as a compromise but haven’t been able to get to the pond yet. An actual frog is even better. This is a frog because its skin is slimy and smooth, rather than dry and warty. It has longer legs than a toad, webbed feet and hops rather than crawls. It is slimmer than a toad and has a more streamlined shape.
I’m still hoping to see frogspawn or tadpoles. Last summer we had many tiny froglets hopping around in the watermeadow.
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Common Toad
There have been dozens of young frogs and toads all over the grassy paths of the watermeadow. The pond has been so overgrown that we missed the tadpoles. I think we have seen both frogs and toads, but they have been so little and quick that we haven’t managed to get a good photo. In the end, Mr C caught this little toad, and then placed it back in the grass where I had my camera ready-focused for a photoshoot! We know this one is a toad as it was dry-skinned, and you can see the warts!
There are only two types of toad to choose from. The Natterjack Toad, although it likes the coast, has a definite yellow line down its back and is greener in colour. So, this is a Common Toad, clearly browner in colour and no stripe.
We had a toad in our greenhouse for a long while. We called him Terence, and he kept the greenhouse free of slugs and snails. Maybe one of his offspring will make it up the garden and become a new tenant.