tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post5495197022391464886..comments2023-12-30T17:31:11.883+00:00Comments on The Solitary Walker: Bufo BufoThe Solitary Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11284354541952038339noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-26778055819531636092009-04-24T00:59:00.000+01:002009-04-24T00:59:00.000+01:00SW,
I read this article today in Newsweek and thou...SW,<br />I read this article today in Newsweek and thought of you:<br /><br />http://www.newsweek.com/id/194578<br /><br />I was going to email it to you but couldn't locate an email address for you...Valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01566477778406400875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-49001130278828326792009-02-27T23:27:00.000+00:002009-02-27T23:27:00.000+00:00There are 'toad tunnels' under some busy highways ...There are 'toad tunnels' under some busy highways too, Bella!<BR/><BR/>I've particularly noticed the lack of wild flowers in the British countryside since the 1960s. The causes are well documented: intensive agriculture; monoculture instead of small-field crop rotation - depleting the soil of goodness; pesticides; the grubbing out of hedgerows; the draining of ponds; urbanization etc. All this of course has a big effect too on the biodiversity of fauna. When I was young there were fields of hay meadows close to our isolated house in the country - where grew cowslips, lady's smocks, poppies in profusion - and of course there were bees and butterflies and many other insects.<BR/><BR/>However all is not completely lost: many farmers are now much more environmentally aware, and young people better educated and more knowledgeable about this. Also environmental issues are now in the forefront of politics.<BR/><BR/>Or am I perhaps being naively optimistic - to prevent myself getting too depressed?The Solitary Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11284354541952038339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-3658283187181137372009-02-25T23:07:00.000+00:002009-02-25T23:07:00.000+00:00Toad crossing signs - amazing really ... Your comm...Toad crossing signs - amazing really ... Your comments have made me think too - where are the small birds and insects commonly found in surburban gardens?<BR/><BR/>I don't see any common sparrows anymore, or bees (I know this one is global crisis), toads(plague proportion in rainforests, not city), frogs, ladybugs, and only a few butterflies if lucky (no-where near the number I saw as a child). Also I remember collecting snails by the bucket load...now I haven't seen a snail in years. Is there a global crisis in the small animal world that has been overlooked?<BR/><BR/>:) yes, I did know you were playing devils advocate re Toady.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-89120415218976516972009-02-25T21:54:00.000+00:002009-02-25T21:54:00.000+00:00Your post has made me realize that I do not know t...Your post has made me realize that I do not know the difference between frogs and toads! I've just looked on Wikipedia, but nothing seems to draw attention to ways to tell which is which.Raph G. Neckmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02468502742144495020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-28145866389346268332009-02-25T08:30:00.000+00:002009-02-25T08:30:00.000+00:00Thanks everyone for these comments.And particularl...Thanks everyone for these comments.<BR/><BR/>And particularly to Bella for introducing a different perspective and showing us how one country's national treasure can be another country's pest. This has really made me think, Bella, about lots of things: how mankind has 'interfered' with nature, often with catastrophic consequences, and how 'positive interference' is now so necessary to redress the balance.<BR/><BR/>Here in the UK we have 2 kinds of toad - the common toad (bufo bufo) and the much rarer natterjack toad which has a more sepecialized environment - sandy heathland in East Anglia and NW England. Toads are, I think, in general much loved - and there's a big educative process going on - in TV nature programmes, schools, books etc - to increase awareness about threatened creatures and disappearing habitats. We even have 'toad crossing' signs on some roads!<BR/><BR/>Re Mr Toad from 'Wind In The Willows' - I'm afraid I was playing devil's advocate for the purposes of my argument!The Solitary Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11284354541952038339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-48314118842317199832009-02-25T01:10:00.000+00:002009-02-25T01:10:00.000+00:00Not intending to be contrary or dampen the applaus...Not intending to be contrary or dampen the applause for toads, here in Australia toads (an introduced species) are in plague proportions and have severely impacted on environmental biodiversity and eco-systems. Again, not their fault, just another example of humans using science and the animal world to achieve their own limited agenda. In the tropical north there has has been numerous expeditions to hunt and kill the plagues of toads. Living here you are acculturated to dislike toads and it was a pasttime for boys to use toads as cricket balls (sounds horrible I know). I think there is a link to the near extinction of green frogs because of the toads.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, how can one not love the maniac enthusiasm and skulduggery of Toad of Toad Hall.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-8696687176008919672009-02-24T19:14:00.000+00:002009-02-24T19:14:00.000+00:00You haven't done so bad yourself Robert pro toad o...You haven't done so bad yourself Robert pro toad ode is not a bad first line and there is always road for the next line.<BR/>I love toads - a greenhouse is not a functioning greenhouse if it doesn';t have a resident toad.The Weaver of Grasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13947971556343746883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-90555908088006214762009-02-24T17:30:00.000+00:002009-02-24T17:30:00.000+00:00I'm actually rather fond of toads. We had one livi...I'm actually rather fond of toads. We had one living in our garage for a while. They eat slugs, you know, which makes them alright by me!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-63795763804172407582009-02-24T17:15:00.000+00:002009-02-24T17:15:00.000+00:00Toads are fine, fat, ugly creatures who always rem...Toads are fine, fat, ugly creatures who always remind me of someone's great uncle. We always had toads around the house where I grew up, and even my mother—who was never very tolerant of snakes, lizards, and frogs—was seldom inclined to give toads a whack with the shovel.<BR/><BR/>One of the great boyhood tricks, both harmless and amusing (though perhaps embarrassing to the victimized toad) was to capture lightening bugs—fireflies—on a summer's evening and feed them to the resident toad, then watch the internal light show as the insects flashed and the toad's belly glowed.<BR/><BR/>I've built several rock-roofed grottoes or caves, "toad holes," around the yard, where toads find damp, dark shelter during the day. At night, I sit little candle lanterns atop the roof stone. The flickering light attracts bugs, and when they flutter into range, the toad zaps them with its long, sticky tongue. (I'll try and do a blog posting about this toad-friendly landscaping feature.)<BR/><BR/>Your toad ode must be written…so consider this an addition to your DYI list.Grizz…………https://www.blogger.com/profile/04828454689578685330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-58764118676623945062009-02-24T08:14:00.000+00:002009-02-24T08:14:00.000+00:00Well, you've got the title already! The pro-toad-o...Well, you've got the title already! The pro-toad-ode is quite groovy!<BR/><BR/>I think the word 'toad' probably does not help them...the sound of it. Maybe it needs a new name.<BR/><BR/>xRachel Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8319797996494487653.post-83706562909404647342009-02-24T03:29:00.000+00:002009-02-24T03:29:00.000+00:00I may be so bold as to do an ode to a toad.As a ch...I may be so bold as to do an ode to a toad.<BR/>As a child, I lived in the wild,<BR/>Wandered the woods whenever I could<BR/>The streams nearby caused my mother to sigh <BR/>For the laundry tubs filled,<BR/>With frogs and their wogs<BR/>And nearby the house in the dark damp spaces<BR/>Lived a toad fat and calm,<BR/>Who let this small child hold the toad in his palm.Timecheckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03655966328174898998noreply@blogger.com