Toad in the Road

I’m on a streak of wildlife “rescues”. Last week it was a turtle, today it was a toad.

We are in this pattern of warmer than normal days. I have a feeling that when temperatures snap back, they will snap back hard. For now, it is time to get out and enjoy the warm days. I even broke out the shorts because it was sunny and too hot to walk in pants.

We were at what I should start calling the Lone Goose Park to distinguish it from the Turtle Pond. I say this because the goose I wrote about awhile ago was still there enjoying the grass near the lake we walk around. Still find it odd to see a single goose when they normally flock in larger numbers but he still seems just fine so I guess I shouldn’t worry.

(If I were a better blogger, I would have linked to the two previous posts I’ve already mentioned but I’m too lazy to do that)

Anyway, as we were walking, we came across this toad attempting to hop to the other side. Now, there are no cars on this path but enough walkers (some with dogs), joggers and bicyclists that make it a dangerous place for a toad to hang out. Figured he was just taking his time because the path was warmed by the sun and probably felt good to him. Still, I couldn’t just leave him there to take his chances.

Started by trying to herd him to the other side but when I got close, he’d just kind of shrink down and stop moving. Might be a good defense mechanism in other circumstances but it is sure to get you squished if the person isn’t looking down. A lady passed us and smiled a bit because it probably looked a little silly – toad herding is not easy.

But I saw a bike bearing down and decided to just give up and pick him up and carry him to the other side. Put him a bit in the grass and watched as he hopped away. I was assuming the advice for turtles held for toads – move them in the direction they were going. At least he didn’t turn back to try and recross the road so I guess I got him where he was trying to go.

I know it will eventually get cold and he’ll dig himself in for the winter. Hope he finds a good spot and stays off the path.