Friends in My Yard

I kept  hearing something moving in the leaves and iris but never could see anything.  Today that changed.  If you look in the center of the photo you will see a box turtle.  I was not the only one to hear him.  Hunter, one of my cats, also heard him and went to investigate.  The turtle pulled into his shell and even though Hunter was inches away he could not locate his target.

This may not look like a bat cave but it is.  It has been so hot this summer that I have only been out early in the moring and late at night so the unbrella has not been opened.  It was cool enough yesterday that I went out mid-day and opened the unbrella.  There was a little bat sleeping near the top.  By the time I got my camera he was gone and I decided not to bother him today.  I need to put up a bat house.

I saw the toad a few days ago.  The fountain was not running but did have water under the plate the toad was resting on.  He was coming up out of the center.  I checked the next day to see if he was in the bottom but it was empty.  I guess he got a drink and left for a better home.