American toad (Bofu americanus)

Some people say that up here in the North Country we don’t have enough to do .  . . or maybe the long winter makes us a bit addled. From some perspectives, both may be true. All I can say is that when the first warm, rainy nights of spring get here, there are some of us who go out after dark armed with flashlights looking on the roads for one of the most wonderful signs of spring: the salamanders, and the frogs. (You can do the same thing driving around in your car but the amphibian mortality rate can get pretty high.)

One night this week a large female toad crouched in our driveway, looking like she’d just dug her way out of the ground. Her eyes were still covered with the protective lids and she barely moved, as it was chilly. I moved her off the driveway and a little while later when I got back from walking the dogs noted that her eyes were open.

The toad was really early (look for them later in May and June). Spotted salamanders are typically the first amphibians to emerge from their winter torpor. They live in holes, often made by other animals like chipmunks, under the leaf litter and well out of sight. On the first rainy night over 42 degrees F, the salamanders start creeping toward their home vernal pools. Vernal pools are the pockets of water, some the size of small ponds, some no bigger than puddles, which fill in the spring and dry up by summer – hence no fish to feed on eggs and tadpoles – and are the breeding place for a variety of amphibians. The salamanders gather together in orgiastic balls – at least this is what I’m told. I’ve found individual salamanders on the roads, but never seen the real action in the pools.

These are not your average under-the-rock salamanders, either.  They are long: – 6 – 8 inches – and hefty. Jet black with yellow spots. You can’t miss them – if you can find them. Despite their size and apparent proclivity to gather in writhing groups on one “big night,” they are not easily found.

The frogs are a lot easier. The wood frogs (“croakers”) come out first – they were out on the roads the last couple of rainy nights, also on their way to their vernal pools. They wear a black mask, and are up to a couple of inches long. Their hoarse, not-so-melodic croaks, or quacks, are heard on warm afternoons and then all night. In fact, they are croaking outside our office at The Rocks in Bethlehem right now. You can see them floating on ponds and vernal pools for the next couple of weeks.

As early as tomorrow – and maybe some places tonight –  the spring peepers will show up. Within a few warm days their  unmistakeable piercing calls will fill the air. Walk close to their pond and they’ll all fall silent, for as long as they can stand it – which is not long – and then one and the next and then whole male community starts calling again. These frogs are tiny – about the length of your thumb nail. Compared to the salamander they are really hard to spot – but at least you know they are there. Happy spring!