What is digging a home in my back yard?

[Sandra A.]

I ran across a huge toad three days ago while poking at weeds in my back yard. Flat black cinder and here pops a big toad from a neat hole only the size of him. He just sat there staring at me while I said "well, and who are you?". I thought it was the strangest thing and a first for me in my 14 years here. We are talking no water anywhere nearby, just hot black cinder (?).