Watts Flats Wildlife Management Area April 23, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, birds, dragonflies, mammals, reptiles.2 comments
One of the bird walks for Audubon’s spring birding series will be at the Watts Flats Wildlife Mangement Area. I decided to check it out today. I’m frankly kind of suprised I’ve never run upon it before this. It is so close, and so accessible.
We parked at a lot at the corner of Swede Road and Green Flats Road.
View Larger Map
Before getting to the parking lot, we saw a mink bound over Swede Road in front of us. Later we would also see a muskrat, and plenty of evidence of beaver activity:
We parked close to Swede Road and walked Green Flats Road to the second parking lot. It looked as Green Flats Road is supposed to continue as a grassy trail.
But the bridge and much of the trail was under water!
We turned left instead and into the woods. The trail was wet – even covered with water in some places. But I could see it would be a very nice trail when the water goes down a bit. We hiked out until we got to a spot where the trail was covered with two feet of water, then turned around and back out to the car.
Along the way, we saw plenty of wildlife.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Garter Snake
Canada Goose
We also saw robins and crows, a red-tailed hawk, a pair of frisky kingfishers, and a very large bird that we could not identify. I swear it was shaped like a cormorant, but it was a light brown color. I heard red-winged blackbirds, but never saw one. Dozens of frogs jumped into the water before we could see what they were. And we even saw dragonflies – one was definitely a Common Green Darner. I suspect the other one was, too, but I couldn’t get a good look.
Plants were also plentiful, though not many in bloom yet.
Pussy Willow
Colt’s Foot
Ground Pine
It was a very pleasant afternoon walk. I look forward to going back early in the morning in a few weeks as part of the birding classes. Hopefully the water will be down and we can hike around that pond.
Walking back to the car…
Vernal Pool Pilgrimage April 5, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, spring.5 comments
Morning Staff Meeting. Live Animal Report. “Everybody’s fine.”
“But hey, speaking of live animals, do you think tonight might be the night?”
“Could be. Rain. Temps near sixty.”
“It’s supposed to get cold again, though. And snow.”
Later in the day, we check the hour by hour forecast. Temperatures aren’t supposed to drop until 11pm or midnight. I send an email to the Spontaneous Naturalist list, post a notice on Facebook, and call Wanda. “Tonight’s the night. Dig out your rain gear and your strongest flashlight. I’ll pick you up at 7:30.”
Wanda - dressed for the weather, flashlight ready!
We arrive just as the light is fading. Peepers are singing. Rain is steady, but not unpleasant. We walk out the maintenance road, along the big field, into the woods and find two friends on a bench, clad in rain gear, also waiting for the migration.
We chat a bit, then head for the pond.
We pick our way around the edge, shining flashlights into the water.
All our old friends are here, all anticipating spring, as are we.
Wood Frog
Leopard Frog
Spotted Salamanders
Snapping Turtle
There is also evidence that the reason for coming the pond has already started, if you know what I mean…
Wood Frog and Jefferson/Blue Spotted Salamander Eggs
Jefferson/Blue-spotted Eggs
Spotted Salamander w/ Spermatophores
The amphibians were not as plentiful as I have sometimes seen them, bit it was relatively early when we headed home. We did not hear Wood Frogs singing on the way to the pond, but on the way back to the car, we did. So perhaps it got “busier” at the pool after we left.
I love to visit the vernal pools in spring. It has become a tradition.
Still Waiting April 9, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, insects, spring.14 comments
It had been so warm for so many days. Finally, rain. But when the rain came, the temperatures dropped… into the 40s… too cold, according to the experts, for the Spotted Salamanders to migrate to the pools. I knew there was little hope of finding them, but I ventured out anyway with camera, flashlights, cell phone, and the list of people who are as anxious as me to see them.
The sound of the peepers ws deafening as I passed the ponds along the old farm road.
When I got to the pond, I heard plenty of Wood Frogs… but they stopped singing when I shone my flashlight into the water. I searched and searched for salamanders, but saw nothing. Just the eggs that the Jefferson’s had left a week or more ago… and a few Wood Frog eggs. The frogs stopped singing when I turned on my flashlight.
After searching, I decided to turn off the flashlight and get quiet so the Wood Frogs would sing some more. I planned to get out my camera and capture their songs, as I had the Spring Peepers. But they wouldn’t sing.
Then I heard a rustling in the leaves near the path. I thought there was an animal visitor… perhaps a deer, or a raccoon. A strange noise came from that direction – like the noise people make when they are “talking to” red squirrels… I decided to get my cameral out so I could try to capture this strange sound…
Then it turned into giggling and a flashlight went on. Pat and Denny! Together we searched the pond and finally saw a few Spotted Salamanders… probably males that made it to the pond a while back… Denny captured one so I could photograph it.
Not much activity in the pond on this cold night. On the way back, though, we saw plenty of Glowworms:
Hard to believe this critter will turn into a Firefly, isn’t it?
We Haven’t Missed It!… March 29, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, reptiles, spring.2 comments
Sarah and I walked out to the Vernal Pool today to see if anything has happened yet. The short story is: we have not missed the migration of the Spotted Salamanders!
We heard our first Spring Peepers as we walked out. And when we got to the pool, we did see a couple of of Wood Frogs who jumped in as we approached,the snapping turtle who overwinters in this pool, and quite a few eggs from the Jefferson-Blue-Spotted Salamanders.
Spring Peeper by Sarah Hatfield
Wood Frog by Tom LeBlanc
Snapping Turtle in the Vernal Pool
Jefferson-Blue-Spotted Salamander
We have had warm weather. And we have had wet weather. But we have not yet had warm wet weather. The Spotted Salamander females are said to run when the temperature is 55 and it’s raining… Maybe this week?
Spotted Salamanders
Trying to time the migration of spotted salamanders each spring has become an obsession for me. It just isn’t spring, unless I can (at least try to) go see the salamanders in the vernal pool. Spontaneous Naturalists: be on the ready… It could be this week.
Happy May Day May 1, 2009
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, spring, wildflowers.7 comments
Enjoy a Flowery Friday… some images from a damp evening walk:
Skunk Cabbage
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Dwarf Ginseng, Goldthread
Painted Trillium
Violets (I’m guessing: Common Blue and Northern White?? Violets are too plentiful and hard to identify…)
Oops! That’s not a Flower! Red Eft
Wild Oats, Swamp Buttercup
(Happy Birthday, Durenka!)
In addition to those pictured, I also saw the following:
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Jewelweed – new little round leaves only
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False Hellabore – leaves
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Canada Mayflower – leaves and buds
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Horsetail – lots of leaves and some flower buds
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Marsh Marigold – full bloom and gorgeous
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a yellow Violet
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Foam Flowers – new leaves and tight little buds
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Dutchman Breeches or Squirrel Corn leaves
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Colt’s Foot – going to seed, some small leaves up
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Running Strawberry Bush – buds
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Yellow Mandarin (a.k.a. Fairy Bells) – leaves and buds
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Spring Cress (tall plants with tight buds)
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Trout Lily (most gone to seed)
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Spring Beauties (Caroliniana)
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Soloman Seal – buds
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Red Trillium
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Blue Cohosh
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Toothwort – just the leaves
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Cut-leaved Toothwort – blooming
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Myrtle
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Partridge Berry – fruit
Where? Jamestown Community College – College Park – south side of the creek. Hope to visit the north side today!
Vernal Pool April 19, 2009
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, insects, pond stuff, spring.6 comments
I’m 52 years old, and I still like to go mucking around in the ponds. I guess all those years of singing I Won’t Grow Up at Girl Scout Camp, then later in the show Peter Pan caused a self-fulfilling prophecy… Anyway, I just can’t resist going to the ponds in spring…
A bunch of us went out with Dr. Tom Erlandson to visit several ponds at the Erlandson Overlook Park (named in his honor). Seems none of us can grow up, eh?
At the first pond, we came across huge egg masses that were hatching. From the edge of the pond, the masses looked like Wood Frog eggs. We scooped some into a pan to observe.
The amphibian larvae were only about the size of a hemlock needle. (Do you also see the Caddisfly Larvae in the middle of the egg mass?) So, we went on blithely telling people that these are Wood Frog Eggs and the little guys are Wood Frog tadpoles…
But then, we looked more closely…
The gills are on the outside of the little guy’s head… But are they feathery enough to make it a salamander larva, rather than a tadpole? Still not sure… Here’s a little 30-second video in which my friend Mike encourages the little critters to swim for us:
So, what do you think? Wood Frogs? Or Salamanders?
A New Toy April 3, 2009
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, insects, photography, spring.12 comments
I decided that it would be nice to have a little point and shoot camera that would fit in my pocket or purse… for hiking, backpacking, the classroom, etc. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money. Just something for snapshots.
After a moderate amount of looking around and reading reviews, I decided on the Canon PowerShot A1000 IS. I have a lot of learning to do… But this morning (4:30 am) I got up and took it out to the vernal pool to see how it would do in low light…
The path around the backyard ponds sparkled with glowworms. I picked one up in my left hand, held the flashlight between my knees, and used my right hand to snap this photo:
Out at the pool, I got these:
And just for fun, I recorded this Spring Peeper Chorus…
Hmm… I can’t figure out how to embed it here. Guess I’ll have to figure that out! You can go to flickr to hear it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferschlick/3408562145/
OK, I figured it out. (Thanks TGAW – though I had figured it out for my Gorge-ous post.)
I’m looking forward to giving this little camera a workout this spring…
Herps… April 1, 2009
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, hiking, reptiles, spring.3 comments
Sarah and I walked yesterday afternoon 4:30ish. Warm, sunny, breezy… glorious. Bluebird pair investigating boxes on the Big Field. And herps…
Spring Peepers going crazy in the ponds. And a lone Leopard Frog calling. A big fat Bullfrog. Lots of Painted Turtles.
We walked out to the Vernal Pool to see if we had missed the salamander run. There were Jefferson eggs, some spermataphore… but no sign of Spotted Salamanders yet, nor even of Wood Frogs. Yay! We haven’t missed it.
It’s Official April 11, 2008
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians.20 comments
My gallbladder is gone.
Many thanks to all my friends and family who are being so good to me and so supportive. But special thanks to Concetta who called me at the hospital from the side of the road near a pond so that I could l hear the Awesome Spring Peepers while I was recovering!
Thanks also to Jeremy Martin who might not know that I used his picture here (again)!
Mini-Orgy April 5, 2008
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, spring.4 comments
It wasn’t the biggest night that I’ve ever observed… but there were Spotted Salamanders in our vernal pool last night… I was a little disturbed to see this big fellow:
Do Snapping Turtles eat Spotted Salamanders? I know they eat the eggs!
I’d tell you more… but I’m running late for our Volunteer Appreciation Pancake Breakfast. And I’m one of the cooks!
