Goose Pond Mountain State Park, 09 April 2008

The toads are trilling! The Nature Strollers were treated to their cascading song several days earlier than last year, catching us by surprise. As we walked toward the first pond today we heard them. The male toads inflate their throats as they produce their love songs.



Females are larger and follow the song to join their mates in the pond and lay eggs. These eggs are laid in beautiful spiraling strands, like necklaces. The eggs themselves are counter-shaded; they are black on top and white on the bottom, helping to camouflage them from predators from above and below.