Nature |
 | Toads
02 1152 x 864 223K |
Photographed on the footpath at Aberlady Nature Reserve. Mating toads were everywhere; we had to be careful not to step on them. I got very close and switched to macro mode, taking my time. The toads remained motionless throughout, though earlier we saw a female walking along the path with the male on her back. Below is part of what Encarta says about toads: |
 | Toads
03 1152 x 864 231K |
Toads are shy,
usually nocturnal animals, hiding during the day in dark, damp places
and hopping about at night in search of insects, grubs, slugs, worms,
and other invertebrates. They are often brownish or grayish in colour
and have warty skin; a flat head; swollen parotid glands on the side
of the neck behind the eyes; bright, jewel-like eyes with a transverse
(crosswise) pupil; and slightly webbed toes. They are often stouter
than frogs and cannot leap as far. The tongue of the toad is attached
to the front of its mouth. The tongue is flicked forward from the
mouth, and the sticky tip grasps the prey and carries it back to the
mouth. Unlike most frogs, most toads do not have teeth. The tongue
produces quantities of mucus to help in swallowing. All anurans blink
when they swallow; and because there is no bone between the eye and
the mouth, the eye is pushed against the roof of the mouth, forcing
the food further back. Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. |
 | Green
Beetle 1024 x 768 212K |
A close-up shot of a very attractive bright green beetle with white spots and red legs. (This photo also featured on Highlands page 6.) |
 | Tiny
Caterpillar 1024 x 768 147K |
Photographed near the Bone Caves in the Scottish Highlands. There were several of these on this rock beside the footpath. They were less than 1 cm long. Just after I took this photo, the wind blew the caterpillar away. |
 | Berry 1152 x 864 181K |
These were growing on East Cairn Hill, part of the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh. They are Cloudberries - (Thanks to Pete McDougall for that info. Corroborated by Sam Wilson. ) |
 | Butterfly 1152 x 864 135K |
A delicately patterned butterfly feeds from white flowers near the source of the River North Esk. You can see the pale green 'fur' on the creature's body and the trailing edges of its wings. Its antennae are glinting in the sunlight. Species unknown, length about 2 cm. |
