Thursday, May 10, 2007

American Toads

I looked over my neighbor's fence this evening and peered into his neglected fish pond. My neighbor who built the backyard water garden next door to me passed away this winter after a long and arduous battle with pancreatic cancer. Since he doesn't have fish (his did not survive through the winter in his shallow pond), the toads that laid their eggs this spring have now hatched. Megan and I had toads singing in our backyard fish pond, but the fish surely gobble the eggs or any tadpoles. Anyways, tonight I peered into his dark pond, no bigger than three feet across, and noticed a plastic Kroger bag submersed in the water. Against this lighter background I could see hundreds of free swimming black dots, each a tiny polliwog! It is amazing how spring and early summer abound with brand new creatures. I've had the fortune to stumble upon young birds, squirrels, rabbits, and now toads this spring.

Tom

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