Where the wild things are
September 04, 2006
The toad is back in the container pond tonight. I caught him staring intently at the metal frog anchored in a container of star grass. I have to surmise that the toad, like that leaping metal frog, is an extraordinary jumper. Check out the height of the container pond in the photo below.
How did he get up here? I’d love to catch him in the act one day.
The garden is overflowing with young anole lizards, who probably hatched out after the recent slight rain. They’re pretty approachable, merely cocking their heads as you creep closer. Get too close, however, and—sproing!—they disappear into the jungle of the garden.
The tin mariachis play to seedy Susans. My nod to South Austin, junk-yard art.
Moonlight . . . ah, relief from the sun
Don’t you just love all the little creatures in the garden. The lizards in particular are great fun to watch. About two years ago the day gecko arrived in my garden. It is bright lime green with red stripes and blue and gold around the eye. I am beginning to wonder if they are out competing the anoles. Here is a picture of the Gold Dust Day Gecko like we have. They have a large bit of variation in the species. http://best.berkeley.edu/~jhey03/img/photo_albums/hawaii_march05/Gold%20dust%20day%20gecko1.jpg
Wow, your day gecko’s coloring is beautiful. Aside from the common anole, I’ve seen bigger, spinier lizards around Austin but never in my garden, only on the west side of town, where the hills and more rugged terrain begin. But yes, it is fun to see what wildlife you can find in the garden, even a city-bound garden like mine. Of course, lizards and toads, being slower, are easier to photograph. I’ve been trying to snap a hummingbird for a few weeks but just can’t catch her “standing still.”
That looks like the reptilian equivalent of a painted bunting – gorgeous, Christopher.
We get little geckos, but they’re very pale, almost translucent. They hang around the porch light.
Annie
He’s lucky that you’ve got a spot for him to rest on. It’s so sad when toads get into water that they can’t get out of and drown. I haven’t seen my toad for awhile even though I keep a little saucer of water out for him. Maybe he got tired of me always messing around his spot and moved on.
I’ve had lots and varied lizards this year. And this weekend I found a dead snake. I’ve only ever seen little worm snakes (Carophophis amoenus?) in my yard. The dead snake was about two feet long and had a pinkish stripe down its back. Larvalbug identifies it as a eastern blackneck garter snake. This is interesting. Apparently it feeds on toads, frogs and small fish. Maybe that’s where our toad went.
You sound like you don’t mind snakes, M. That’s how I am—so long as we’re talking garter snakes I find it pretty interesting to have them in the yard. We also have a great horned owl in the vicinity, so the snakes and toads have to watch out that they don’t get eaten too. –Pam
I don’t think I’ve ever seen an anole lizard at my house. I DO get geckos around the front porch. I also have two toad friends that hang out on the patio at night.
That’s strange. I thought the anoles would be prevalent everywhere around here. We have those translucent geckos under our porch lights too. Sometimes we’ll find one in the house and have to rescue it, though maybe they’d prefer to be inside. Isn’t it supposed to be good luck to have a gecko in your house? –Pam