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European Toad


European Toad
Photo Information
Copyright: Joe Kellard (joey) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1996 W: 245 N: 6508] (23200)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-08-11
Categories: Amphibians
Camera: Canon Powershot S3 IS
Exposure: f/2.7, 1/40 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-08-13 1:31
Viewed: 496
Points: 38
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
You'd think seeeing as I live near water that I'd see a lot of toads...however I've only seen one since I moved here 12 years ago!
While in Wales I saw three!
A small baby toad, a dead one and this beaut.
Here's some info on the European Toad.

The Common Toad (Bufo bufo) or European Toad is widespread throughout Europe, with the exception of Ireland and some Mediterranean islands. Its easterly range extends to Irkutsk in Siberia and its southerly range includes parts of northwestern Africa in the northern mountains of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

Adults can grow to 18 cm (7 in) and their skin has a warty appearance and ranges from green to brown. As a defense against predators they secrete a toxic, foul tasting substance called bufagin. This is enough to deter many predators although Grass Snakes and hedgehogs are immune. Although the adults spend most of their time on land the females enter ponds and other still waters to lay their eggs, toadspawn, which can be distinguished from the spawn of the common frog as it forms strings rather than a large mass of eggs. Eggs are laid in the spring, with the females attempting to return to the water in which they were born. The young tadpoles resemble other tadpoles in their appearance except that toadpoles have a larger, rounder blacker head and shorter tail.

Common Toads eat invertebrates such as insects, larvae, spiders, slugs and worms, which they catch on their sticky tongues. Larger toads may also take slow worms, small grass snakes and harvest mice, which are swallowed alive. Toads generally hunt at night, and are most active in wet weather.

In Germany, Great Britain and Poland many toads are killed on the roads while migrating to their breeding grounds, in some places special tunnels have been constructed so they can cross under roads and local wildlife groups run toad patrols carrying them across busy crossing points in buckets.

Toads have a long association with European witchcraft, as familiars and ingredients in potions.

Thankyou for your comments
ridvan, jmirah, Matt-Bird, nainnain, PaulH, angybone, LordPotty, pierrefonds, ramthakur, vanderschelden, peter_stoeckl, eqshannon, Alex99, haraprasan, Silke has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To jmirah: Toadjoey 2 08-13 02:19
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Critiques [Translate]

selam joey, excellent shot and very good composition of this toad and nice pov and bg with splendid colours.good details presented
Well done !
Regards ridvan

Hi Joe,
I didn't know you knew my ex-wife...She's never looked better...Outstanding capture with excellent detail and color...The eye, nostrils and "warts" are in perfect focus. The expression and wet grass make for a great composition...Very well done...

TFS
Jim

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1086 W: 29 N: 3294] (11787)
  • [2007-08-13 2:56]

Hi Joe,
looks like you had a productive time away in Wales...it's a beautiful part of the country!
Love the texture of the skin here, and the eye is excellent..all nicely framed by the dew.
tfs
Paul

bonjour
je visite ce matin et vois cette magnifique photo.
parfaite couleurs et netteté super, l'oeil est vif et bravo pour les gouttelettes d'eau.
bon travail, merci du partage, amitiès
edith

Great details - love the bumpy skin and the dew on the grass. Great!!!!

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2885 W: 169 N: 8419] (26122)
  • [2007-08-13 4:11]

Hello Joe,
Fine portrait of a Common Toad with excellent composition as if it were coming into the picture. Great sharpness and detail of the eye which is the focal point of the image. The dew drops in the grass are an extra plus.
TFS and best wishes, Ivan

Excellent exposure and detail in this environmental portrait Joe.
I understand toad licking is popular with druggies in some countries.Apparantly the fluid they exude from their skin is hallucinogenic.(Can't say it interests me much ... I'd rather have real acid ;)
We don't get toads here, just frogs, but in Fiji I used to throw cane toads into the hotel swimming pool so I could have it all to myself.... he he he :)
Very nice work.
Cheers, Steve

Hi Joe,

A nice image of the european toad, the photo has a good composition, sharpness and nice colors. Thanks for sharing.

Pierre

Good to see you back from your holiday, Joe.
Hope you had a nice time.

Very good capture of this toad. The eye in particular looks grand.
Well done and TFS.

Hello Joe,
Good sharpness displaying the structure of the skin very well.
Impressive eye. Nice side view.
Well done
TFS
Annick

Hi Joey,
impressively lively and clear portrait of the Common Toad.
They are famous for their beautiful eyes, and this is very well reported here. Excellent point of view to get on eye level. Like most of our Amphibians, they are by no means that common than they used to be. They are said to be severely endangered by road traffic, and by insecticides brought out by agriculture in many parts of Europe. Lucky encounter - thank you!
With best regards,
Peter

Wow! If we have this...then I am blind...never seen one and so sharp focused and evenly toned. Well done Joey.

Bob

hello joe,
fine capture of the toad, i liked the composition very much, nice pov, well saturated colours, the waterdroplets on the grass looks nice,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3237 W: 154 N: 4942] (15909)
  • [2007-08-13 11:18]

Hi Joe.
I like your very impressive shot so much. The toad is looked on FG perfectly. Blurred a bit nicely coloured BG is so suitable for this subject. Reproduction of the animal skin is superb as well as the expression of the "face". Well done and TFS.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1989 W: 8 N: 5274] (17097)
  • [2007-08-13 13:16]

Hi Joe,

Great close-up of this frog - warts and all. He has a nice eye. Looks wonderful in the tall grass. Very nice colors and details. Never saw a frog here. We have poisonous Colorado toads in the summer and they only come out at night. Ugly things too.

Jane

hello Joe.
Good close up and nice focus on the the toads eye. That skin of the toad looks horrible and old, great job,
regards
Matt.

Hi Joe,
An excellent capture of this beautiful toad. nice composition of dew in grass and very good details and POV. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 753 W: 108 N: 1730] (5406)
  • [2007-08-15 4:25]

Ouf! There's a face only a mother could love! The toad's not yours! We are very happy to see you back here again!
Perfect composition, great colours, good details
TFs
silke
:D ok

Hi Joe... very good image, stunning warty look... I like the way you have cropped this one... good composition. I think the water droplets compliment the warty look quite well...

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