Reptile & Amphibian Forums

...while herping in Northern California last week.

Arboreal Salamander - a relatively large, tree climbing amphibian:

Ensatina:

California Newt - I saw 88 of these crossing a dirt road on a rainy day:

Santa Cruz Black Salamander - this is the first one I've ever seen:

Third Eye

>>...while herping in Northern California last week.
>>
>>Arboreal Salamander - a relatively large, tree climbing amphibian:
>>
>>
>>Ensatina:
>>
>>
>>California Newt - I saw 88 of these crossing a dirt road on a rainy day:
>>
>>
>>Santa Cruz Black Salamander - this is the first one I've ever seen:
>>
>>Third Eye

Nice finds. It is getting late in the season for California newts. Usually only a few male stragglers are all that remain in the streams by early May. Soon they will be heading towards their summer estivation sites and they won't reappear until the first rains in the fall. The other salamanders are more likely to be found during the summer months, especially in the woodlands and forests. I once saw an Ensatina crossing the road at night, in the fog, in the Santa Cruz Mountains in summer.