Saturday 17 May 2008

Brimstone and Toads

The daily walks with my old dog are very slow these days. I may not be getting the brisk workout that I used to get, but now that I have a fab new camera phone, I get to take photographs of interesting things that we see as we crawl along. I was thrilled today to see a new (to me) moth sitting low amongst the grass. A gorgeous sulphur yellow, I was thus not surprised to identify it later as a Brimstone moth.


I had my phone with me while digging in the garden too, and a lucky thing too. I disturbed this gorgeous toad and, before I had my phone, I'd have had to dash indoors for the digital camera, by which time Toady would no doubt have hidden himself again.


Just look at that fabulous camouflage. You can barely see where the toad ends and the soil begins. I was relieved that I had done no damage with the spade - all his limbs were still there and I enjoyed carrying him (in my gloved hands) to a safer green spot. Toads seem so ancient and wise somehow - much more so than frogs...or is that just me?

6 comments:

coffeecup said...

I can't believe your photos were taken with your phone. They're all so professional. Superb detail. It's lovely to see Toady. Been a while since I've spotted one, plenty of tadpoles this year, frogs though. That camouflage is so effective, perhaps there are more toads out there, but it's just so much harder to see them. At least I'm hoping so.

Puddock said...

I know - my old phone had a pathetic camera so when I treated myself to a new one I made sure it had a good one. This is a SOny Ericsson phone, with a Sony Cyber-shot 3 mega-pixel camera in it. I couldn't believe the quality of the shots I get with it - almost as good as with my full-size camera.

Toady's camouflage is too good really. I hadn't a clue he was there until he was suddenly sitting there in front of me, looking disgruntled. I am going to have to dig very slowly and carefully from now on...but I don't need to tell you anything about digging...lol

Anonymous said...

The camera on your phone is better than my actual camera. That toad is amazing. I cannot believe the camouflage.

Gretel said...

Ah, lovely toady! You are right, there is something different about them - my Andy reckons toads are to frogs what hares are to rabbits.

(you were right, a felted toad would be good, I will have to look out for the right kind of 'eyes')

Anonymous said...

Awesome Toad photo Daisy - do Taods have a Scottish nick name too??

Puddock said...

pg - your Andy is so clever! I think he's got it absolutely right - hares and toads share a mysterious quality that rabbits and frogs just don't have.

rr - according to my Beginner's Dictionary of the Scottish Language, puddock covers toads as well as frogs, but I find that hard to believe. This requires further investigation...