Tuesday, April 01, 2008

The Life in a Vernal Pool

Don't worry everyone, I'm going to keep this blogging thing going for a long, long time. I just love nature and natural history too much to give it up! Megan and I finally got to a vernal pool on Monday evening, and we were about two weeks late for the main migration here in central Ohio. Egg masses abounded in the darkness, the peepers were calling like mad, and a few beautiful spotted salamanders still roamed the pools. Peeper videos to come tomorrow! Stay tuned......



Tom

17 comments:

  1. Tom, love your photos and it is so much fun going out to find these guys! I am heading out here in a few to check for tonight but we have snow in the air!!! I think it's not going to happen tonight for me! Maybe next Friday is our next chance for the big night!

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  2. Is that a fairy shrimp??

    I keep looking for some, but none seem to be here. I am finding some other really cool invertebrates, though.

    So glad you found the spotteds--there's nothing sweeter than a salamander!

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  3. Wow. Those are amazing! I wouldn't even know where to look for a salamander. :-)

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  4. Thanks for stopping by. I love your site, the photos are great,and the information is wonderful too. I really like what you have here.

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  5. Great pictures, I have a vernal pool on my list of things to do when things thaw a little more up here in Maine.

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  6. I love vernal pools but there is still so much snow on the ground right now it'll be a while before we hear any peepers. I have some shots of a male peeper calling with his throat inflated, I'll have to dig it up so I can post it. I remember my ears were ringing the night I photographed them, their shrill calls can be ear splitting when you're exposed to it for a couple of hours.

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  7. Oh Tom! These are really excellent photos. (And I'm thinking Thursday could be our Big Night, Monarch, but you can wait till Friday if you want....)

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  8. Wow, cool stuff! The salamander is pretty. When I was out last weekend, I could hear peepers. First of the year.

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  9. Tom,

    I like your blog a lot. Excellent photographs and information! It was really nice here yesterday except for the wind, but today it is cold again.
    Your photos give one hope that spring will actually arrive sometime soon!

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  10. So much life! I love the little frog, in particular. :)

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  11. Tom: Really cool post, you really understand the outdoors.

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  12. So neat! And what's the longish wormy looking thing?

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  13. Fantastic shots, Tom!!! You're very artistic. I especially love the photo that looks like designer eyes. :D

    Hugs, JJ

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  14. Ok- This makes the 14 comment...Than k Goodness. There are just too many posts on the blog right now with 13 comments! Not a good number at all!

    Tom-I can't wait to see what you find.

    Nina- You bet. They are really cool and remind me of sea monkeys (or brine shrimp)

    2sweet- Thanks. Pools during spring, under logs, wet and damp places, caves, etc. Those are all good places to look for sallies.

    Travis- You are welcome, thank you.

    Beth- I love Maine. Can't wait for my visit in May. I know you guys were hammered with snow this year.

    John- Yep! Thats exactly what we experienced last night. I'm anxious to see your peeper shot-I'm still new to this photography in complete darkness stuff, and I'm using my on board camera flash, which is a bit harsh, I need to get one of those lumiquest pocket diffusers---kleenex is a bit hard to use in a wet muddy pool.

    Jennifer- You are quite funny, that would be great if you could scoop Monarch! :)

    Linda--Ah, it won't be long until you have salamanders!

    Willard- Yes, it will, I'm getting so excited about spring. The ramps and trout lily leaves are up today.

    Lana- not sure if the spring peepers make it down your way or not. I'm sure you have plenty of other cool frogs if they don't! The whole poisonous snake thing might really put a damper on that though!

    Fishing Guy- Thank you. I'm glad I found your blog.

    Cathy- It is just that, an aquatic worm. Of what species, I have no idea, but it is a segmented worm, in the same group as earthworms I would speculate.

    JJ- Thank you very much!

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  15. AWESOME! I'm finally getting out on saturday. The cricket frogs and carpenter frogs are doing their thing down here! I'm going in search of tigers...we still have them here...sometimes...

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  16. Tom - I enjoy your blog a ton and have been lurking for a long time now. I have visited many of the same places and recognize some of your settings. I am a herper by trade and love to see the ambystoma migration is in full swing in Columbus. I was up that way for the amphibian meeting midmarch and got a tiger, but the others were elusive.

    Thanks for sharing,

    Jason Folt, Cincinnati

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  17. Thing and Jason- Best of luck on the salamander watching.

    Tom

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