Saturday 11 July 2015

Loads of Toads

Yesterday, we read via the Edinburgh Natural History Society that thousands of toadlets had emerges over the past couple of days from Blackford Pond. So today we went along to see what we could see! The grass round the pond was moving with the toadlets and we had to rescue several of them from the path

and help them into the grass

Unfortunately if they keep moving on through this grassy area they come to a main road.....

It's very early for toadlets to be emerging, and I've no idea what prompted them!

We then walked into the Hermitage of Braid and were happy to find lots of ladybird larvae on the nettles

and this rather handsome small tortoiseshell caterpillar

and let's not forget the young jackdaws, just fledged and harrassing their parents for food (though they're behaving well in the photo!)

Also lovely to see lots of ringlet butterflies flitting round Midmar Paddock (which unfortunately may be built on if the current owner has their way.) There's a petition to save Midmar Paddock here).

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6 comments:

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Oh, what a fun post! There's been a hummingbird moth visiting the flowers 'round here the past few days. Josephine made its acquaintance this morning. No harm done to either. Right now she's lying under the roses, set for a nap.
Happy day from m & jb to cgp and cgb!

eileeninmd said...

I love the toads, they are so cute! Sounds like an awesome day! Happy weekend!

Rambling Woods said...

Nice to see the little toads..

RG said...

Lotsa emerging toads here too! Some of my friends get SOOO excited about them!

Whe I was little I was told they give you warts!

Anonymous said...

the everlasting battle between 'progress' and nature :(

HKatz said...

Maybe because I caught and kept them as pets when I was a kid, frogs and toads remain dear to me. We had a few terrariums at home, drier ones for the toads, and I always thought them fascinating.