For the last couple of weeks the pool has played host to a number of young California Toads — Anaxyrus boreas halophilus (http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/a.b.halophilus.html)

I’m not sure where they came from. There were never any eggs or tadpoles in the pool. My best guess is that they hatched in temporary pools or ponds during the spring rains, and when those dried up they came in search of water to finish their development in. We had normal rainfall this year (25 inches) for the first time since we moved in, and though there wasn’t much in the way of standing water on our property (except right after the heaviest rains), we’ve seen ponds develop on other people’s land, and the largest ones haven’t quite dried up yet.

These youngsters range from about 1” to 2.5” or so. Right now there are about eight of them. Apparently the chlorine doesn’t bother them.