A toad in the hand is a lot better off on the compost heap

I found this little chap - a common toad - nestling in the rotting kitchen waste on my active compost heap. He walked off when I removed the cardboard from the top so I could add the contents from my kitchen caddy without squishing him.

I decided to check out what was going on in my other heap - the one I've left alone to "mature" - because there were some potato plants growing on it that looked nearly ready. I lifted the cardboard and disturbed a common lizard, then dug around the potato plants and found myself grasping a toad. Not a pleasant experience for me, or the amphibian in question.

I couldn't decide if the toad I'd spotted on the active heap had made his way across to the other heap in record time, or if this was a similarly sized second toad.

I've seen toads and lizards on the heap before but it's good to know they're regular visitors.

I haven't seen a hedgehog yet this year on the allotment but Rick had a close encounter with one while picking blackcurrants a month or so ago (I am very jealous). It pottered out from the layer of dead leaves around the base of the cardoon plants, looked at him with a faintly bored expression then wandered off.

This is why it's important not to be too much of what my American friends would call a "neat freak" on your plot. Hedgehogs like nothing more than a pile of dead leaves in a corner to nestle into, and if you remove them all to leave bare soil, it's a far poorer environment for wildlife.

 

Comments

[Carol]

I'd love to find some toads in my garden or compost bin, but haven't so far. Great story. Gardeners do encounter some interesting wildlife. We don't have hedgehogs around here, just pesty rabbits and nasty raccoons.

[Anonymous]

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[andy hamilton]

there are a couple of frogs that have made a home on my allotment. Living side by side with the slow worms. In all it is great for keeping the slug population down. I must admit I am slightly jealous of you toad!

These spammers are a bit tiresome. I really don't understand why there is not a law against spam. I loose hours trying to keep on top of them. I am sure that millions are lost each year due to spam. Do they really generate more money than they waste, I can't think of any other reason that world govenments are leaving this epedemic alone.

[becky]

Wow, a toad came to live with your compost . . .what a surprise.
I'll have to see if one is in mine as well.
I like your blog.

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[Lawn Mower Man]

Isn't it lovely when you find wildlife like that. We used to have newts in a previous garden, but sadly we don't have anything so unusual at the moment. No pond though. I think i need some water in the garden to attract more wildlife.