Out Like a Lion March 30 & 31, 2018

Since returning from Florida, the weather in the Northeast has been dire. Finally, the last weekend in March was going to be a bit better and some rain was expected. We made plans with friends (including dear Teá) to meet up on Friday night in Bristol County to see if any of our native amphibians would be greeting the Spring.

We all got there at 7:30(ish) PM and as soon as we stepped out of the car, the distant Peeper chorus was very audible. Excitedly, we headed through the field to the wooded path that leads us past plenty of good vernal pools. We could hear Wood Frogs and Peepers galore but would we be able to get our cameras on them? Somebody spotted the first Woodie and when I was going over to try to get a shot, Andrea noticed this Redback taking a stroll along the water's edge.


There was one Wood Frog close enough to be photographed, our first of the year.


Among our crew were people specializing in other fields that really wanted to see salamanders. One gent found our first Spotted, a small specimen that was our First of Year and his Lifer!

This guy wasn't big enough to have breeding on his mind but he was up and moving about anyway.

Peepers were deafening once you were next to the water. They're always hard to find despite the noise they make. Eventually, my eyes settled on two of them. First and second on the year.



Not long after that, we saw our first large adult Spotted and it was a beauty.

He was Business Salamander. He didn't let the human paparazzi bother him at all... he kept on truckin' right to the water. He has things to do.

Next up, a bit further on, we saw a small Blue-spotted Salamander. Always a real treat.


We continued up the path for a way, then decided to turn back as the sightings had become less and less. Andrea and I were bringing up the rear. I was watching the path and I saw a small black and white swirl. It took a moment for my brain to comprehend what it was and I yelled for Andrea to stop!!! Too late. She was right on top of what had finally registered in my addled brain as a Four-toed Salamander in its defensive position... on its back, belly up, head hidden. She gently stepped back and I reached down to pick him up.We all looked on to watch him slowly unravel... *whew*

Luckily, it was small enough and it was tucked in between the heel and sole of Andrea's boot. I guess these little guys know how to survive. He walked off into the night like we were never there.

One bad thing about this spot that we walk... ATV nutjobs also like to tear up the habitat and we could hear the distant engines getting closer.

We got back to the spot where we'd seen our first Blue-spotted to make sure it was off the path before the man-children and their toys came tearing through. It was there that Teá noticed another Four-toed.

Lovely Fu-Manchu on this guy.

We were nearing the cross path when the noise and lights of the ATV scumbags came into view. They also had an off-leash dog running with them. At that moment, I looked down and saw a lovely Blue-spotted crossing the path. Ignoring the protocol of endangered and threatened species, I scooped it up to get it off the path. The murder-bikes went up another path, allowing us to get some photos of this guy.


The douchebags had been tearing up and down the paths and since we'd seen most of our targets, we decided to call it a night. (One mashed Blue-spotted was seen. Luckily, that's all.) As everyone headed back, I dawdled a bit just to enjoy the frog sounds and take one last peek around. When the ATVs weren't around, it was pure magic.


Back at the pool where we had seen our first animals, I looked into the water and saw a half dozen adult Spotted Salamanders swimming around. That is a sure sign of Spring.


I ended the night with a shot of a plump Wood Frog floating in "Ride'm Cowboy" pose.


That was fun... good friends, 6 species and a bit of exercise.

We got up early the next morning in hopes of getting some hiking in before our End Of Season Sea Turtle Party on Cape Cod. Since we'd be heading to the Cape, we made plans to hit another Cape spot early to walk one spot that has plenty of vernal pools that support many species of amphibian. Our main goal was Spadefoot Toads. We got to that sanctuary in late morning and immediately started adding to our bird count.

The main pond was overflowing, washing out the pond-side path but we went that way anyway, sticking to the edge or pushing our way through thorns up the hill. We didn't want to miss a chance at basking Garters (the spot looks likely for dens) or turtles. We were finally rewarded with our first Painted Turtle of this year.


The man-made vernals weren't as wet as we'd hoped and we didn't see any activity in the them yet. But our lack of anurans was made better by the proliferance of birds. We added four species on the year and got to watch lots of interesting avian action.

We got back on the road and headed to the sanctuary where our party was being held. When we got there, we saw the wonderful crew that we are honored to call friends, including the legendary Box Turtle Tim and his lovely wife Kim. These two do more for turtles than anyone else I know and have my undying respect. We all enjoyed the presentation and we all patted ourselves on the back a bit, which is deserved if I do say so myself.

Tim wanted to try out a new transponder to find some of his slumbering Box Turtles and asked if we wanted to join him. But of course! While on the trail, we spied our first Painter Stack... a tenacious bunch of turtles grabbing some early spring sunshine. It wasn't even 50° out.
 

When we got near the brumation spot of the targeted Box Turtle, the transponder picked it up nicely. Tim and Andrea too a peek in at her. She isn't very deep at all.

She's only a few inches down... hopefully she didn't chill her butt.


We found the other tagged turtle that we were looking for, still asleep for a few more weeks, then we all left and went and had some excellent Mexican food. It was a treat to get some extra Tim and Kim time. It was an excellent end to a great day. I barely made it home, what with my lack of sleep and full belly, but I did and lived to tell about it.

I'd love to end this with an "and so Spring is finally here" bit of optimism.

But it snowed today.