2 New Toad Discoveries... Yep 2!!

The flapper on the front of my skimmer basket broke last week when I was cleaning the skimmer. It had been repaired once a few years ago so I wasn't all that put out to buy a new one.

The part came in Tuesday morning. Before installing it in the skimmer basket I cleaned the leaves and crud that had accumulated. When I went to re-install the basket I noticed a very small toad try'n it's best to swim out of the skimmer.

This little guy gave it his all. He was doing a cross between a frog kick and breast stroke and just made it out. He swam over to the side of the skimmer pond and was breath'n hard. I left him to recoup his energy and after about 30 minutes he was gone (not back to the skimmer).

I then returned to the skimmer to install the basket when I noticed another toad baby. This was was half the size of the previous one and had zero chance of getting out of the skimmer as long as the pump was going. I reached in and scooped him up. He clung to the tip of my finger. In fact, he was about the size of my finger tip. Very small. He too must have been exhausted because he didn't try to get away. I took him over the the garden under the pot trellis and deposited him on a plant. A few minutes later he was not to be found.

Tuesday was a great day in the baby toad arena. To think at one time I thought they had all died... I've learned a lesson about Ma Nature.

Now if Joe would return.....