Herp Update

Herpers,

there was lots of amphibian movement last night during the rains. Where I was along Route 100 in Granville, the rains did not come through until after 11 PM making for a late night. Still, the team I was with (Cindy Sprague & Lauren Barnes) got photo documentation of Spring Peepers for the first time in both towns. We also found many Wood Frogs and Green Frogs and a few Spotted Salamanders. One of the Spotteds was an adult and the other two were young of the year moving uphill to overwinter for the first time. Kate Kelly and her daughters Molly and Abby found and photographed the first Pickerel Frog from St. George and Kiley Briggs was the first to photo-document a Spring Peeper from Plainfield. Other reports that have come in from West Fairlee to Plainfield included a wider variety of species including Gray Treefrogs, American Toads, and American Bullfrogs.

Some of the observers noted that the Wood Frogs were carrying eggs. This makes sense when you consider that they will be in suspended animation soon and will need to be heading to breeding ponds in the spring as soon as they thaw out. They won’t be able to develop their eggs over the winter, so they need to be ready now.

Our snakes continue to be on the move, with many reports and photos of DeKay’s Brownsnakes from the Lake Champlain Basin. I suspect many will be on the move again tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon.

I have attached two great photos taken by Lauren Barnes.

Don’t miss all the herptile action, get out soon before they all hide for the winter.

Jim

We met our fundraising goal for 2020. Thanks!