Toads

There are toads everywhere, especially on our Dusk Watch walks as it's been such a wet summer again! We're having to be really careful not to tread on any. Some people ask how to tell the difference between toads and frogs "If it's warty, and it can live to forty", then it's a toad. Generally toads have shorter necks, rounder faces and can hold more moisture in their skin so can live further away from water. They lay their spawn in chains too rather than clumps. You can't get a wart from a toad, but they do have poisonous glands behind their eyes so you should wash your hands afterwards - but don't hold them for long, if at all as they are cold blooded and our warm blooded hands are uncomfortable on their skin.

Here's a poor wee toad that a fox caught last night though, but the foxes have to eat too :-(