Toad Hunt

Decided yesterday to head out on a search for a species I have never photographed: the ever-so-elusive Fowler's Toad!  A day of searching produced a single toad, but I can't fault him for cooperativeness.

Fowler's Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri)

These endangered toads differ from the garden-variety American Toads (Anaxyrus americanus) in several minor and frustrating ways, including the shape of the ridges on their heads and the number of warts in a cluster.  Mostly though, they differ in their habitat preferences: Fowler's only like sandy beaches and dunes!

Fowler's Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri)

Lots of dragonflies still passing through on their migration south.  We don't have too many migratory dragonflies, and the most familiar is probably the giant Green Darner (Anax junius).  For me though, it's all about the saddlebags.

Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

As a little bonus for my time spent on the hunt, I came across the prettiest pillbug I've ever seen in Ontario!  These little crustaceans (related to the sowbugs or potato bugs you have in your garden) protect themselves by curling into a ball (or pill) when threatened.  I managed a series of photos that I quite liked.

Pillbug (unknown species, Order: Isopoda)

Pillbug (unknown species)

Pillbug (unknown species)

Pillbug (unknown species)

That's all for now!
Kyle