A wayward toad that bounded onto the main runway at St. John's airport on Monday morning had officials hopping after a pilot reported a "foreign object" on the airstrip.

While it was an unusual situation – and was noted in an incident report filed with Transport Canada – the director of operations with the St. John's International Airport Authority downplayed the incident, saying there were no threats to safety or delays in flight operations.

Glenn Mahon said the amphibian was removed from the runway without incident.

"It was a single, small toad," said Mahon with a chuckle.

There was no threat or concern for the aircraft, outside of the fact it may have startled the pilot. - Glenn Mahon

Mahon added that it was probably just the second such incident in his 30 years at the airport.

The American pilot of a privately registered Hawker Hurricane from Philadelphia was landing in St. John's during daylight hours on Monday morning when he noticed the object.

Believing it may have been a rock, the pilot notified airport officials.

A duty officer quickly collected the toad and relocated it to a boggy area.

The daily occurrence report to Transport Canada noted that there had been a small delay and what initially were thought to be “large numbers” of frogs. But Mahon it was a simple toad, not frogs, and that there actually had been no delays.

"There was no threat or concern for the aircraft, outside of the fact it may have startled the pilot," said Mahon.

Mahon said runway inspections are conducted "a number of times" each day, and it's rare that toads are found. He said there is no evidence that toad populations in the area are on the increase.

The story drew parallels to a similar incident at the airport in early July when a moose became trapped in a fenced area just outside the airport property.

The moose was tranquilized and relocated, and airport operations were not affected.