herping | Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas

Category: herping

Herp Update: Turtle activity, documentation needed —May 16, 2022

Posted on May 16, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in frogs, herping, salamander, turtles, updates

Recent Turtle Activity and Needed Photo-documentation Herpers, I am now receiving reports of Snapping Turtle and Painted Turtle females on land looking for suitable open and sunny egg-laying locations. Nest sites are often in yards, gardens, compost piles, and sometimes…

Herp Update: presentation, frog math, creative names — April 25, 2022

Posted on April 25, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in event, frogs, herping, salamander, updates

Upcoming Presentation I am giving a presentation on Significant Reptiles and Amphibians of Monkton (and the Monkton Underpasses) for the Monkton Conservation Commission this Wednesday, April 27th. It is a hybrid presentation, so you can attend in person or through…

Herp Update: data gaps, Hinesburg first, PARC Amphibian week — April 19, 2022

Posted on April 19, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in education, frogs, herping, salamander, updates

Help us fill in some data gaps for very common species Herpers, we have some embarrassing gaps in our database and maps. There is still one town in Vermont where no one has ever reported a Wood Frog. They are…

Tagged with: data gaps, herping, road search, salamanders, wood frog

Herp Update: amphibian reports, road search education, salamander ID — April 9, 2022

Posted on April 9, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in amphibians, education, event, herping

Recent Activity Herpers, many amphibian reports and photos have come in over the past week. At the moment I have about 40 reports in my inbox and it will be a few days before I catch up with them and…

Basic rules for night-time road searches

Posted on April 7, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in herping, road search

Herpers, one of your fellow wildlife enthusiasts has raised some concerns about behaviors he has seen at some of our major amphibian road crossings. So, I want to remind everyone that we are trying to save individual amphibians and protect…

Tagged with: road crossing, road search, safety

Herp Update: migration expected, reports, hormones — April 6, 2022

Posted on April 6, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in amphibians, herping

Wood frog (L. sylvaticus) amplexing a Spotted Salamander (A. maculatum). Photo by Ashley Bray and used with permission.

Amphibian Migration Expected Tomorrow Night (Thursday) Herpers, the forecast for tomorrow night (Thursday) looks excellent for amphibian migration. Please take a look at our list of common amphibians that still need to be documented from your town. Just type in…

Tagged with: amplexus, data gaps, migration, spring, wood frog

Herp Update: Education event, migration reports, call-in show — April 1, 2022

Posted on April 1, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in education, event, herping, news

Morgan Road Herpers, it was a big night at Morgan Road in Salisbury last night at our public educational event. This annual event is organized by the Otter Creek Audubon Society and the Salisbury Conservation Commission. Last night we had…

Tagged with: american toad, education, frogs, migration, news, road search, salamanders, snakes

Herp Update: migration starts, vacation – March 20, 2022

Posted on March 20, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in amphibians, frogs, herping, road search, salamander, turtles, updates

Amphibian migrations have started Herpers, I just returned from a warm southerly vacation to find that temperatures in Vermont were just as warm, at least temporarily. So, I have been scrambling to get caught up. The warm weather at the…

Herp Update: Cellarmanders, new reports, fundraising – February 18, 2022

Posted on February 18, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in herping, salamander, updates

Recent Reports Herpers, we were surprised to receive a report of a male Blue-spotted Salamander (see photo below) that was crossing a road in Ferrisburgh on February 12. This is the first February report we have had of this species.…

Tagged with: blue-spotted, overwintering, salamander, spotted

Groundwater, Ice, and Herp Survival – January 28, 2022

Posted on January 28, 2022 by

Jim Andrews Posted in amphibians, herping, updates

Great Blue Heron preying on Green Frog tadpole at an icy pond. Photo © copyright Rich Armitage and used with permission.

Groundwater helps keep herps alive in the winter Herpers, I could not wait until next week to show you this great photo sent to me by wildlife photographer Rick Armitage. Rick lives in Whitehall, NY, but has sent quite a…

Tagged with: heron, overwintering, predation, tadpole, winter