Andy Avram
New member
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2007
- Messages
- 35
- Reaction score
- 6
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Northeast Ohio
- Country
- United States
This year’s spring got started especially slow, especially in my corner of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
Ohio</st1:State></ST1
. Luckily during an Amphibian Conference in <st1:City w:st="on">Columbus</st1:City> on March 15, while my home was locked in snow, central <st1:State w:st="on"><ST1Ohio</ST1</st1:State> was starting to get moving. After the conference a few friends and I decided that we should be cruising for a certain salamander. A few years early I had success after the counterpart Reptile conference and we tried the same area. A walk out to a large wetland in a corn field produced a few Northern Leopard Frogs (Rana pipiens) and many calling Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer crucifer) and Western Chorus Frogs (Psuedacris triseriata), but we were unable to actually see any of the little tree frogs. A little more cruising and at once we all saw it on the road and screamed out lout, “TIGER!”. After a very uncoordinated exit of the vehicle we were looking over a beautiful female Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum). I apologize but I am trying to learn my camera still and try to only use it on manual settings.
Here she is:
<O
Here is the crew looking her over:
<O
From left to right: Jason, Carl, Dean.
<O
Afterwards we split up and I followed Carl south to his house with plans to check out a neat area the next day. With Carl’s son, Ryan, in tow we headed out to a nice forest with lots of ravines, vernal pools and streams. We did alright hearing lots of frogs calling and seeming the common salamanders. After the sun came out the Wood Frogs (Rana sylvatica) began calling and I was able to catch three of them, all different colors. Unfortunately my picture of the pink female makes her look more tan, but she was definitely pink.
<O
Nice rusty brown Woodie.
<O
Pink female with dark male
<O
We were also able to turn up a very red Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus) under a log.
<O
Fast forward to April 1 and we finally thawed out in NE Ohio</ST1 and our salamanders began moving. I missed the overland migration by a day or two but a friend and I were able to find many <ST1Jefferson</ST1’s Salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) breeding in a pond I made my work dig about 2.5 years ago. I don’t know where they were breeding before but this was a previously unrecorded population. I saw about 15 or so this night.
<O
Female
<O
Male
<O
Also present in the ponds was the beginning of the Spotted Salamander (Ambsytoma maculatun) movement. I saw about an equal amount of Spotteds and about a week later or so the rest of them hit the ponds.
<O
Here is one:
<O
Here is another:
<O
Afterwards we hit up another pond that we occasionally find a Small-mouthed Salamander (Ambsytoma texanum) or two. We hit it right on this night, seeing about 20 or so in a breeding. Our park district has about five locations for these salamanders as they are on the northeastern edge of their range here.
<O
Male:
<O
Female
<O
During a conference for work at <st1laceName w:st="on">Cuyahoga</st1laceName> <st1laceType w:st="on">Valley</st1laceType> <st1laceType w:st="on">National Park</st1laceType> a few other things of interest popped up, such as mating Snapping Turtles, <ST1Jefferson</ST1 and Spotted Salamanders laying eggs and a few other odds and ends. Back at work I found a new area for Northern Red Salamanders (Pseudotriton ruber ruber) in the park I work in. I found 16 larvae (most about 3.5-4”) in 30 minutes but no pictures.
Andy
. Luckily during an Amphibian Conference in <st1:City w:st="on">Columbus</st1:City> on March 15, while my home was locked in snow, central <st1:State w:st="on"><ST1Ohio</ST1</st1:State> was starting to get moving. After the conference a few friends and I decided that we should be cruising for a certain salamander. A few years early I had success after the counterpart Reptile conference and we tried the same area. A walk out to a large wetland in a corn field produced a few Northern Leopard Frogs (Rana pipiens) and many calling Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer crucifer) and Western Chorus Frogs (Psuedacris triseriata), but we were unable to actually see any of the little tree frogs. A little more cruising and at once we all saw it on the road and screamed out lout, “TIGER!”. After a very uncoordinated exit of the vehicle we were looking over a beautiful female Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum). I apologize but I am trying to learn my camera still and try to only use it on manual settings.Here she is:
<O
Here is the crew looking her over:
<O
From left to right: Jason, Carl, Dean.
<O
Afterwards we split up and I followed Carl south to his house with plans to check out a neat area the next day. With Carl’s son, Ryan, in tow we headed out to a nice forest with lots of ravines, vernal pools and streams. We did alright hearing lots of frogs calling and seeming the common salamanders. After the sun came out the Wood Frogs (Rana sylvatica) began calling and I was able to catch three of them, all different colors. Unfortunately my picture of the pink female makes her look more tan, but she was definitely pink.
<O
Nice rusty brown Woodie.
<O
Pink female with dark male
<O
We were also able to turn up a very red Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus) under a log.
<O
Fast forward to April 1 and we finally thawed out in NE Ohio</ST1
and our salamanders began moving. I missed the overland migration by a day or two but a friend and I were able to find many <ST1Jefferson</ST1’s Salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) breeding in a pond I made my work dig about 2.5 years ago. I don’t know where they were breeding before but this was a previously unrecorded population. I saw about 15 or so this night.<O
Female
<O
Male
<O
Also present in the ponds was the beginning of the Spotted Salamander (Ambsytoma maculatun) movement. I saw about an equal amount of Spotteds and about a week later or so the rest of them hit the ponds.
<O
Here is one:
<O
Here is another:
<O
Afterwards we hit up another pond that we occasionally find a Small-mouthed Salamander (Ambsytoma texanum) or two. We hit it right on this night, seeing about 20 or so in a breeding. Our park district has about five locations for these salamanders as they are on the northeastern edge of their range here.
<O
Male:
<O
Female
<O
During a conference for work at <st1
laceName w:st="on">Cuyahoga</st1laceName> <st1laceType w:st="on">Valley</st1laceType> <st1laceType w:st="on">National Park</st1laceType> a few other things of interest popped up, such as mating Snapping Turtles, <ST1Jefferson</ST1 and Spotted Salamanders laying eggs and a few other odds and ends. Back at work I found a new area for Northern Red Salamanders (Pseudotriton ruber ruber) in the park I work in. I found 16 larvae (most about 3.5-4”) in 30 minutes but no pictures.Andy
