Salaman-day!

 

Red Backed Salamander

   I had another fantastic day herping. I had a nice day planned doing some fishing and some herping. I tried but didn't catch any fish. I did see a large blitz but it was way off shore and did not come in while I was there. The herping more than made up for it.

   I found my first salamanders of the year today. I lifted a rock off of the beaten path and low and behold there they were. I took  a couple of photos and put them back where I found them. They were Red Backed Salamanders which is the most common species in the Northeast. Despite one having a very distinct red back and the other being all dark grey they are the same species. 

   After I looked at them I ran into my friend Linda. She had a slow day birding so I told her about the salamanders and showed them to her. She told me she had a salamander under one of the pots in her garden and described it to me. It was a Spotted Salamander. I told her I had never seen one so if it was there when she got home to please let me know and I'd go to her house.

 

Spotted Salamander

   She called me twenty minutes later that it was there. As promised, I drove up to her house. It was a little guy about four inches. It was covered in dirt and not the most photogenic amphibian you will ever see but he was there! I took a bunch of photos and put the flower pot gently over him again.  

And, ho-hum, I found the Eastern Milk Snake again today.

  Below are more photos. Spotted Salaamder has spots. The Red backed do not. The one that looks like a snake is a snake. There is also a Praying Mantis and a frog below. 

The darker Red Bellied Salamander

Praying Mantis