Ok, so salamanders dont catch much brook trout or even striped bass, but, they are one of my favorite yearly events. My apologies to all the hardcore fly fishermen/women readers... Tonight's post is about salamanders.
Tonight was actually the third warm rain of this spring, one was brief, cold, and didn't even melt the snow... last night was not as severe.. tonight the rain came down.
Yellow spotted salamanders come out of hiding to lay eggs on the first warm rainy spring day. ever drive around after dark and see all the frogs in the road??? well.. one day a year mixed in with the frogs are these huge amphibians thicker than your thumb.
If anyone recalls last years post (http://connecticunt.blogspot.com/2013/03/sos-save-our-salamanders.html) I was a little late to save as many as I had wanted to, but this year was a little better, although there were casualties, I will save you the horrific photos. this year was all about the saving. All collected salamanders are put into my 1 acre vernal pool, where they lay their eggs and continue to thrive in a local ecosystem with the resident fairy shrimp, grays tree frogs, and the now loud again peep frogs. The sound of my swamp on a humid summer night is a deafening chorus of nature that might keep city-folks awake all night. We prefer to keep the windows open, it's something that without... I might be kept awake all night with the silence.
Tonight I got soaked to the bone, and filled up the bottom of a cooler, with each salamander being possibly 20 years old, not doing anything to help them is not an option to me. We put the roads there.
This lone large toad was transplanted to my front step, as well as a few greys treefrogs. they usually stick around all summer, filling up on the moths that gather at my porch light which never turns off.
This is unreal, thanks for shairng
ReplyDeleteOne at a time with a flashlight in the road. The warm pavement makes them pause.... then squish. Every salamander saved ensures next years rush!
DeleteDamn I missed it. I thought it was going to be too cold. Maybe I can find some late comer tonight.
ReplyDeleteIf it rains again, it'll probably happen. Last night was definitely the big march here. In Mystic, the large march was last week. Maybe different colonies move at different times
DeleteWow! Living in an urban area i don't get to see stuff like that. I did notice all the night crawlers were out last night at work. I guess I should stock up on some.
ReplyDeleteThey were out in full force for sure.
DeleteReally really really enjoyed reading this and looking at the pictures. I am a bit of an amateur herpetologist myself. Thanks for sharing, variety is the spice of life.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments!
DeleteExtremely cool. Kudos for going for the save. Wish I could hear your swamp.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Its always fun. I've always lived the rain too, so a chance to watk around in springs first warm rain (downpour) for hours always feels great. Better than a warm shower,
Deletespring is here.
Very cool. i was on the lookout this weekend but didn't see any myself. Nice job.
ReplyDeleteThanks . let's hope they don't all wash away with this rain. looking at all the local streams a kayak looks like more fun than a fly rod
DeleteAmazing. thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Nathan!
ReplyDeleteLovely creatures you've caught on camera. As you know I'm tying up some Black Gnat Leisenring style. Unfortunately I won't be able to fish much this summer so I wonder if you would like to try it out and tell me how it turns out. If you want to do that just e-mail me your address (I've lost it) to meo@spray.se and I'll post some to you ASAP.
Tight lines,
Mats Olsson