More FavoRitE GarDeN CrittErS!

I've compiled a few items to share what I love about two creatures that are rarely even noticed and are often considered pests. They can be beautiful - sometimes it's just how we perceive them that makes them seem ugly!
The first little creature to feature is the common garden toad;


This video is more audio than visual, sit back, put your feet up and enjoy a serenade from the toads that live in the garden....

And here's a short video of one of the toads in daylight; (the audio may seem hokey - well it is, I'll admit it!) I took the clip for my almost 3 year old grand daughter Vanessa to enjoy!



I also managed to get a few nice close up still shots of this fellow, I took them just prior to shooting the video!



Here's a profile shot that shows how their eyes are situated, making them excellent silent hunters;



It's very easy to provide habitat for toads, in fact they probably already live around your yard and you just haven't noticed them. They usually hide from the hot sun and are very shy. They are also incredibly tough - our canine companion, Keisha, has often tried to play with the toads and usually she just gets a sour taste in her mouth for her efforts - the toad will lay down as flat as he can get and secrete a milky substance that discourages most predators from gobbling him up!



Keisha the Toad Hunter learns a lesson!


Close-up of the secretions!

Here's a shot of a toad house we tucked away in a safe place in the garden;

It's actually this easy to provide protection and habitat for garden companions. Toads need a cool moist hiding place, where they'll hang out most of the day. Sunrise and dusk are their main hunting times, when bugs and worms are active. Toads aren't quite as selective as some other gardening "helpers". They'll eat good bugs like ground beetles and earthworms, they'll also eat mosquitoes, and they'll eat other pesky destructive critters like june bugs and earwigs.
Keisha, the dog part of our family, has yet to learn how to tell our "pesky" visitors from our "friendly" ones but hopefully she'll clue in! She is learning, the hard way, that their skin doesn't taste good at all and fortunately no harm has been done to either!

I've one more critter to feature but it might be best to make a separate entry so it doesn't take forever and a day to upload for those interested in viewing the photographs.

Enjoy! Offered with much love... from the garden, and the caretaker! ;)