It occurred to me, when reading about the metamorphisis these toadlets will go through to become actual toads, that growing pains were a real possibility. Everything changes! The little mouth becomes a head-wide orifice. Legs sprout out of its body. Even their innards change to accommodate the "adult" diet. It's like these guys were hatched about 6 weeks too early and have to complete their development in front the eyes of Toad Daddy's like me. For that I'm happy but all that changing is very hard to contemplate.
As I watch the toadlets I see that some don't seem to be growing while others have grown twice their size of a day ago. They are still very small but their "heads" are bigger and their tails about the same size as it was.
Their swimming skills have improved too. They have spread out to occupy the entire bridge pond with the exception of the area just below No Name Falls. A bit too turbulent I think. Some are busy going from place to place while others seem content to just rest on a rock and soak in the sunshine. In the mean time I found Mrs. Toad out of her shallow den and scrunched down in the rocks. I think that is to warm herself and expect she will return to her den when the day heats up.
A bit of "Name that Toad" news. I found that the Woodhouse's Toad is also called the Rocky Mountain Toad. I thought that appropriate since I live in the Rocky Mountains. I also found that toads out-number frogs in this arid clime. I suppose that's not so suprising as the toads live mostly out of the water.
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