Every year when the first rains of the springs fall and the temperatures hit around 40 degrees, several amphibian species migrate to their ancestral breeding grounds. Most miss this magical experience because it only happens in the dark evening hours.
On March 15th, an excited group donned headlamps and took to the woods hoping to experience the magic firsthand. We were unsure if the evening would be a success because the rain that had been forecasted to arrive that evening was delayed. The forest floor was dry and leaves crunched under our feet. We were betting that the early morning rain of the day would have triggered their return and that we would find salamanders in the vernal pools. Luckily, those expectations were met and we witnessed the beginning of the annual salamander migration.
Scanning the murky waters with our flashlights only revealed aquatic insects at first. Then, some movement gave way to a lone Wood Frog scooped up into a net for the group to behold. This was exciting, but the crowd was here for a different amphibian. A sinuous movement in the water yielded some bright yellow spots- our target species, the Spotted Salamander. The salamander was scooped up into the net and temporarily placed in a bin with a bit of water from the vernal pool. Examination revealed we had caught a male. Males tend to be smaller than females and exhibit a very swollen cloaca during the breeding season which makes for an easy ID. This was not surprising, as the males arrive at the breeding pool first. Before long we had collected more, all ten proving to be males. Many more swam amongst the leaf litter. While looking into the pool, we also saw spermatophores attached to the leaf litter. The males deposit these and after a courtship ritual in the water, an accepting female will pick the packet up in her cloaca, fertilizing her eggs.
After we were satisfied with what we had witnessed at this vernal pool and had released the males back to commence their ritual, we headed to another vernal pool known to be very productive. We arrived at a similar scene. Immediately, we saw salamanders swimming all around the pool. Eight males were caught and temporarily placed in a bin so the group could marvel at this new group of salamanders. Everyone was able to see firsthand how the yellow spots serve as a “fingerprint” for each salamander, each one has a unique pattern.
The final treat of the evening was an impromptu log flip as we hiked back to the trailhead. A rotting log was the perfect spot for not one, but three different species of salamander- a Spotted Salamander, an Eastern Red-backed Salamander, and a Four-toed Salamander. Giddy, we snapped some quick photos and returned the salamanders safely to their hiding spot. We couldn’t have asked for a better evening!
The final tally for the evening was:
19 Spotted Salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum
5 Eastern Red-backed Salamanders, Plethodon cinereus (1 lead phase morph)
1 Four-toed Salamander, Hemidactylium scutatum
1 Wood Frog, Lithobates sylvaticus
1 Northern Spring Peeper, Pseudacris crucifer
Did you know you can support our local Spotted Salamander population at Hall’s Lake Natural Area through our new Adopt A Salamander program? This new fully digital fundraiser runs annually from March through May. With just a $10 donation, you can symbolically adopt a salamander and contribute to conservation efforts. This program helps us protect and maintain salamander habitats on CWC preserves, monitor and safeguard vernal pools, and support educational programs like the migration watch! Follow this link to learn more: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/adoptasalamander/
