Well, we're not total idiots; we knew no reptiles would be about. But some Redbacks and possibly some Spotted Salamanders might still be braving the underside of a rock!
So, we headed to Hoar Sanctuary, a place that has been rich in Salamanders for us in the past, though we seemed to pretty much neglect it during the warmer months of 2012.
Sure enough, it was cold, but after a bit of hiking and plenty of flipping, we warmed up. About half way around the short trail, we saw our first Redback!
A robust fella!We got to a watery area and tried looking for frogs, but there didn't seem to be any. Further along, however, a noggin seemed to be poking up! A Bullfrog!
He was at a terrible angle; I was lucky to get this shot! I tried to get a better shot, but he slowly sloshed around... away and out of sight. Hopefully, he buried himself away for the winter.
So we felt pretty good, if a bit cold!We continued flipping. More Redbacks turned up...
All of them were pretty good sized and chubby for hibernation. The last guy, a skinny Leadback, was an exception to the rule.
So, we saw no Spotties, but a half dozen Redbacks and a Bullfrog on November 17th is just great for us! A quick hour and a half of pure herpin' joy!
We still haven't beat last year's 11/20 redback!!! Maybe there's still hope.
ReplyDeleteMay be this weekend!
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