Toad

My husband sometimes will bring home presents. Often these are saved items from a job site. Rocks that were going to go to the landfill or paving stones that were left over and would just be thrown away. Plants have come home too. Saved peonies from a remolded school's entrance are in bloom now in my backyard. I love his gifts.
Once in awhile a gift comes home in his lunch box. These small gifts usually really surprise me. I have been treated with garden snakes and turtles and toads. Once a huge praying mantis was his companion on the way home. These critters go outside.
Last summer we heard a toad in the yard. We saw the toad a few times but it was not too friendly. While planting out some orange strawflowers this past April I saw the toad again. Not as shy this year. Somehow, lots of hopping I expect, Toad has made his way around the yard and has found a home in our back pond area. He calls for a mate and sits ever so charminly on the center rock in the pond. Tonight while waiting for fireflies he sang forth. I like to think this is one of the toads that came home from a job site when his home was being destroyed. A relocated toad. We do not know very much about toads. I do know they are friends of the gardener.





I need a reptile field guide. Now I want to know what kind of toad is he? My Husband did some research and we think this is an American Toad.