Author: Jim Andrews

Stream Salamander in Norwich, and Video

Much of the field work we have done this summer has been focused on filling in distribution gaps for Vermont’s three stream or “saturated soil” salamanders.  Part of the reason for this is that these species are only rarely reported

Tagged with: , , , ,

Herp Update: August 24 – calls, spiny softshell, peeper challenge

Calls & a Challenge Herpers, the birds and amphibians have almost entirely finished calling and mating for the year and the insects have taken over the singing responsibilities until frost arrives. One amphibian call that is just starting is the

Tagged with: , , , ,

Herp Update: Aug 7 – spring salamanders, spiny softshells, and a green frog video

Spring Salamanders We have recently spent two days in Sharon trying to find Spring Salamanders in that town. Although we updated records for a variety of other species, we were unable to find any Spring Salamanders. Spring Salamanders are one

Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Herp Update: July 30 – field trips, greensnake pigmentation

Herpers, with more and more of us being fully vaccinated, Herp Atlas field trips have begun again in earnest. We have provided three in the past week. We document all the herptiles found on these trips and add them to

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

Herp update: July 2 – Swimming with snapping turtles

Herpers, I occasionally receive communications from people nervous about swimming in a pond, lake, or river that has Snapping Turtles in it. I try to reassure them that swimming with snappers is both safe and common. My standard line is

Tagged with: , , ,

Herp Update: Jun 28 – Late Calling Frogs

Late Calling Frogs Herpers, although Wood Frogs and Northern Leopard Frogs finished calling weeks ago, some relatively common species such as Gray Treefrogs, American Bullfrogs, and Green Frogs are still calling. However, in addition to the more common species, I

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

Herp Update: June 5 – Gray Treefrogs, New Finds

Gray Treefrogs on the move: Herpers, at my home here in Salisbury, I noticed that the Gray Treefrogs had moved to their breeding ponds and were calling last night. During warm humid days spring through fall, you can hear the

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

Herp Update: migration, records, oddities – April 25, 2021

Amphibian Migration I see a bunch of showers in the forecast for later this week, but the actual amount of rain forecast is minimal and the chance of showers in any one place is pretty low. If the ground and

Tagged with: , , , , ,

Herp Update: Frogs Calling, Egg Masses, Skink – April 9, 2021

Herpers, here in the Lake Champlain Basin I have been hearing lots of Northern Leopard Frogs calling from the floodplains of Otter Creek. We have received reports of calling Wood Frogs now from way up in Montgomery and Jay, and

Tagged with: , , ,

Herp Update: frozen Gartersnake – April 3, 2021

Herpers, one of the more interesting reports to come in over the last two days was this report and photo from Ken Hatch of a Common Gartersnake frozen into a thin layer of ice in Addison. Ken reported: “I found

Tagged with: , , , ,