How lucky for you. The last toad I had in my yard was over 5 years ago. I keep hearing more reports of toad and frogs so what ever has been killing them either has become less letal or the few toads and frogs are more imune.

Thanks so much. It was really cool.
That would be great news. Sure hope that's what's going on. Heard they found something,... is it a virus?
There's a surprizing amount of wild life in CT. Around the state i've seen snakes, [copperhead babies?]&[a ribbonsnake], a rare turtle with orangey legs, 2 toads, a fox, too many deer, bats, opossums, a raccoon and there was a bear on the news in West Hartford last week!
Maybe its because, most backyards, large and small, have a few feet of wildstrip, across the rear edge of the lots.

wow I have LOTS of toads here in the woods of West Mi. Never thought everybody didnt have them. I am blessed!

What a coincidence, I almost started a toad thread too.. :)

Last week I walked out on my front sidewalk at night and what looked like a leaf suddenly hopped into the garden bed when I walked by! It was a big fat toad!

I was so excited because he is the first toad I've seen in the yard after living here almost 5 years. I even put a large plant saucer down on the ground last year and fill it with water so the toads would access to water. (The birds drink from it sometimes too.)

I think he might be living under the bulb and daylily foliage. Of course I had to run and grab the camera -

{{gwi:1347725}}

What a handsome guy!
Isn't the the rarer kind?

I too have a toad living in my backyard, under some concrete edgings that have been laid crossways so as to form a nice, cool and shady "toad house"

All of you who have toads do so because you are doing something right, and should congratulate yourselves

Florey, I don't know what kind of toad that is, it doesn't look like the American Toad which is in my field guide. Does anybody know?

Betula, what do you think attracts toads? I garden organically and have lots of "messy" areas, and then I put a couple plant saucers down on the ground near the gardens and filled them with water.

Terrene, I see a toad in my yard almost each year. I've noticed that they like cool, moist spots. Keeping a saucer filled with water at all times is a must. So is a "toad house" You can use a smallish clay pot turned upside down with a little "door" chipped out.

They like the nice messy, poisen ivy patch, that's one area that stays undisturbed, he he.

Here are some cool toad links, from google:

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/american_toad.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Western NY Herps [reptiles etc]