Finding salamanders in Michigan, at this time of year...

I live in Algonac. The "wild" areas near my house are: Walpole Island, Harson's Island, St. John's Marsh, and Algonac State park, plus land for hunting. I've been walking through the woods near St. John's Marsh, and everything seems pretty dry. All the ditches near the side of the road are dried up, the forest floor is too. When I stuck my finger in the soil, it seemed sort of damp, and cold, but not swampy at all, or mucky. Does the ground really have to be saturated with moisture for it to be habitable? I snooped around anyway, near fallen, and hollow trees, but found only insects. I've been seeing a lot of holes in the ground, but have no idea if they belong to salamanders or not. Is it worth spending more time seaching around burrows? Any good pointers here?

About weather: Today, it was in the 50's but wasn't windy at all, to me it wasn't unbearable, not so sure about the salamanders. Do salamanders stay underground in certain temperatures?

About indicators of prime habitat: What are some? Tomorrow, I'm going to be identifying trees, to find out if there are any red maple, black ash, American elm, or balsam poplar, tag alder, willows, and dogwood trees in the area. According to some info I found on the internet, those trees grow in swamps. Any other indicators?

Also, by salamanders, I mean newts too.

(Message edited by xamphibiax on October 06, 2004)

(Message edited by xamphibiax on October 06, 2004)

I would check under logs, or in other damp microhabitats you can find. Someone who is more experience with searching for sallies in that kind of terrain may be able to help. I have only seen Redwood forests, which at the time of year I go to them are always wet.