Thousands of Tiny Toadlets

 Remember my blog post of just one month ago (May 18) reporting a mass-mating frenzy of American Toads along the shore of Mud Pond at Moreau Lake State Park (see photo above)? Well, I visited that same shoreline today and discovered what that mass mating had brought about:  thousands and thousands  and THOUSANDS of tiny toadlets, massed on the muddy shore as far as my eye could see!

Here's a closer look at some of the itty bitty individuals congregated in this incredible assembly, teeny tiny toadlets no bigger than crickets. I have often found these wee creatures hopping about on the sandy trail that follows the shore of Mud Pond, but never have I seen them gathered in such astounding numbers.  Much of the local wildlife -- birds, snakes, otters, minks, snappers, etc. -- will not go hungry this week. (Sorry, little guys, but all God's children gotta eat!)

I did manage to take a video of this amazing amassing of toads, a sight I have never encountered before in all my life. Maybe not in yours, either : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIfVdaD69i0&feature=youtu.be