Well I have been pretty busy lately and have managed to do a fair amount of poking around. I hope you all enjoy!
I will start out about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I poked around Southern OH and then a little around Hamilton Co. Here are the results of those couple outings.
Pickeral Frog
Jefferson Salamander
Spotted Salamanders
Habitat of Streamside Salamanders
Marbled Salamanders
Ravine Salamander
Garter Snake
Then near the end of March a couple friends (Terry and Eddie) came down from Michigan to try and rustle up some Kirtland Snakes as well as anything else we can muster. It rained all day and we didn't do so well... I think they enjoyed the birding and the some scenery but I felt pretty bad about the drive. I guess that is March weather for ya. Mike Graziano met us at one spot and they got a picture of me playing the fool because I happened to have waders on.
They left and what do you know, some real heavy rains seemed to be moving through. I called Mike back up and we decided to do some roadcruising through southern OH. The rain had already kind of passed and we weren't sure what would happen if we didn't catch it. Let me just say I was happy we went anyway.
6 Ky Spring Salamanders were seen on the road. Here is a sampling.
An american toad
Mountain Chorus Frogs were out in force
We saw one jefferson salamander as well as a spotted and a fourtoed.
Streamside also found
The real gem of the night for me was my first adult Red Salamander!
Soon after I traveled to Ky to hang out with the boys at the KHS. We got out in the field, and although the snakes weren't really up and at em yet, we nailed the amphibs.
My first mud salamanders.
I flipped this one on my own that day with them, and then cruised the third one on the roads that night.
Here is a nice looking larvae Clay(the mudmaster) found.
In KY these guys are found in streams?!? But I got mine in what I believe is more of a classic case of mud sally habitat.
A muddy seepage next to the stream
We also saw a cricket frog.
And some Streamside Sallies.
So then I spent some time in SE Ohio hunting more elusive mud sallies with Carl Brune. We didn't have much luck, and we also struck out on 4 toeds and adult spring sallies.
Carl did flip the first racer of the year - pictured on the carpet it was found under.
And I cruised a garter before we met up the first day.
We did see one spring larva though, and a bigun at that - just at 5 inches.
So that puts me around Mon. I stopped at some places down in southern OH hoping for the first kingsnake of the year. None of those but happened to find some of the neat little woodland snakes.
Dekay Snake
My first OH Smooth Earth Snake
That night I heard news of more snake movement so I hit the fields the next day. I had hoped to do this sometime soon when the nice weather arrived but I made it a priority.
Bad picture because of tricky situation - so I had some fun with it.
You betcha the snattlerakes are coming out!
Can't wait to get back out for some more stuff tomorrow!
Jason
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www.buckeyeherps.com
