Monsoon desert, uh.... 'sheep'?

Last week, I'd let my dog out in the evenings as the summer monsoon rains were really beginning to kick in and I heard a flock of sheep "baaaing", "bleeting" (...whatever they do) ....out in the desert.  Even Bolt sat on the front porch and listened.  I couldn't figure out who in the heck would start raising sheep out here in the desert during monsoons...and around so many coyotes.  Cattle are one thing...but sheep?

I got the flashlight and tried to see if I could find them...wondering if a few close sounding ones got loose, but I didn't see anything but puddles and grass.  Bolt sat on the porch, cocking her head and watching me.

The next day, I read in the paper that the same thing happened to a local cops' widow.  She woke up hearing sheep outside her window.  Well, after looking everywhere for the darn thing, she called her police buddies to see if they would round it up, thinking one must be loose in her yard SOMEWHERE, and it was keeping her awake.  They came out and found it under a water cistern.  Turns out it was a pretty small "sheep" with a really good cistern acoustic stage to perform from.   haha.
The "sheep" was a TOAD!  (She had the darn thing arrested and sent to the county prison holding pond for disturbing the peace.  heheee... just kidding).

Couche's Spadefoot Toad

(non-poisonous...sounds like a sheep, I imagine coyotes love 'em)

I really thought I'd been in the desert heat too long and was losing it...  Wrexie's hearing sheep now.  great. 
It did make me feel a little better that a cops wife thought the same thing.  Poor coppers.... wonder how many "sheep" calls they get?  hehe.

OK... I told you kids "lick" the "sheep" to get high.  Well, silly me...

I got my 'sheep' mixed up.  It's not the 'sheep' toads that they lick... it's the  "Jimi Hendrix"Toad.

Sonoran Desert Toad

(poisonous...see the gland behind its eye?)

(not sure what THEY sound like...probably sings like Jimi Hendrix or something)

I think most people out here know about these toads... because if a dog grabs one in its mouth, the toad releases poison from the glad that causes hallucinogenic effects...the dog foams at the mouth and gets violently ill or even dies. 

Bad trip.

I read that some people were catching the toads and using the gland to get high....

"magic mushroom toad" I guess.   geeze

"The skin secretions have hallucinogenic properties. (Toads are involved in reports of toad licking or the smoking of dried parotoid gland secretions. Some states have passed laws against toad licking, and classify the venom of toads as a controlled substance.)"

http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/b.alvarius.html

I read in one article that they're extinct in Califrornia now...

hmmm...wonder what happened there?

I really hope I don't see flying javelinas next week....

See their little white 'wings' all folded in? ...it could happen out here.

Pink Floyd knew pigs could fly...