Bufonidae Toad

The first True Toad I saw this year was in late April while out hiking and during the hike, I ran across about 50 small juveniles who had just recently become land dwellers. That same week I ran across a nice adult specimen sitting in the morning sun on a creek bank next to the trail.  Although it was not cold I suspect he allowed me to get as close as I did due to the lower temperatures and basically sat and posed for three or four shots before taking off.

From my experience Toads prefer living in loose soil near the edge of a forest where they can enjoy some benefit of moisture with many insects around the plants.

The genus Bufo are toothless having a bony jawline that remains clamped shut until the toad pounces on its prey item.  I find the toad to be a wonderful creature which is an important part of the woodland ecosystem.  Over the years their numbers are in decline - drastically.  My personal observations tell me they are now becoming extinct in areas that are harder to locate in the wild.  Over the course of several years, the number of adult Toads spotted during the year has drastically dropped due to man's encroachment of natural habitat and the possibility of an imbalance in the environment making them a prim prey animal. 

I find this picture as an example of a Bufonidae or True Toad.  The toad pictured has just emerged from his winter home and as you can see is looking a little thin.  I am sure he will do fine; I will check up on him throughout the year as I normally revisit areas I have spotted toads or other small creatures.

The first photo below is a very young juvenile about the size of a man's thumbnail and He was one of the hundreds in and around the waterline.  So small in fact I had a hard time finding him through the camera viewfinder. 
The other photos below are of a full adult just coming out of winter quarters.
Just a little thin for the long winter hibernation.

Please be mindful of Nature, and tread carefully!