Beating the Heat

A fat American Toad (Bufo americanus) has taken over the chipmunk burrow beneath our hot water heater. She sits at the mouth of the tunnel, keeping cool on a sweltering day. Normally toads shy away from humans, but sometimes it's just too hot to bother over a potential predator (I actually laid down in front of her to get the photos below). So she sits, practically filling up the hole, and stoically surveys the yard. You can tell by her expression what she thinks of it.