Toad Invasion

You really know that spring has arrived when your pond is invaded by toads.  Last year we had so many and they laid so much spawn that it killed our fish.  This year we were on toad watch.  As soon as we saw the familiar movement in the water, David went out with a large net and netted 20 toads, apparently 10 pairs.
They are the Crapaud Commun, the common toad.  They have a distinctive copper coloured eye with a horizontal pupil which enables them to see well at night. The female is larger than the male who only attains a body-length of 8cm, while a fully grown female can be 13cm. 

Some of these were certainly that large.  They seek out still water and ponds, usually the water into which they were spawned.  Toadspawn  differs from frogspawn as the eggs are laid in strings.  Last year our pond was so filled with this never-ending spaghetti of toadspawn that the oxygen in the water was used up and it seems that this is why our fish died. In France the toad is a protected species.  We were warned by our neighbours against touching them as in Provence they are a porte malheur - they bring bad luck, although if they cross your path, they apparently bring good luck!

We took them all down the hill to what used to be the Les Bassacs wash house, which oddly is quite a long way from the hameau, seemingly a disincentive to the residents of Les Bassacs to keep their laundry clean!  It is completely overgrown with brambles now,  but is a good source of water for most of the year, and we felt a better home for the toads.

The toads in their new home disguising themselves as leaves

On the way back up the hill we came across this orchid.  A Himantoglossum Robertianum,  it is the first orchid of spring and grows all over south-east France in the garrigue.