The crisp, bright morning was perfect for a hike along the Lost Pond nature trail. This is a wonderfully laid out trail that loops around Lost Pond and treks through several different forest systems. I just missed the state stocking trout into Cranberry Lake by a half hour, but there was still plenty of fish hanging around the boat launch. A very nice and easy short hike.

During our Herpetology trip to Higley Flow, I found several wood frog egg masses in a marsh next to the beaver pond. These eggs are about 1 week from hatching, and I could see the developing tadpoles moving around. The weather was a bit chilly (about 50F) and cloudy.

Warm sunny day in Glenmeal State Forest, Pierrepont, NY. One of three spotted salamander egg masses that I found in this vernal pool.

Warm sunny day in Glenmeal State Forest, Pierrepont, NY. One of three spotted salamander egg masses that I found in this vernal pool.

Warm sunny day in Glenmeal State Forest, Pierrepont, NY. One of three spotted salamander egg masses that I found in this vernal pool.

Warm, sunny day. Another red-backed salamander found in Glenmeal State Forest on this day. Found underneath a decomposing log.

Warm sunny day in Glenmean State Forest, Pierrepont, NY. This salamander was found underneath a decomposing log.

While at Glenmeal State Forest with my Herpetology class I was surprised to encounter a floating redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus) dead in the second vernal pool we examined. This little guy was out of place as Redbacks do not reproduce using vernal pools but instead lay eggs in rotting logs or stumps which undergo direct development and hatch into mini-adults! So it is curious how this one ended up in this pool. Is it common for them to fall in and freeze in early spring?

This was not my personal encounter, but I am grateful to have permission to share. Students from the Sustainability Program located this lovely wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) near the small river at the farm, they were unsure of the identifiation but didn’t want to disturb it as they thought it may be nesting. They did get this awesome photo and you can clearly see the highly sculpted shell that is characteristic of Wood Turtles.

At Glenmeal State Forest, my herpetology class was shown a small, fast-flowing brook that was ideal habitat for Dusky Salamanders (Desmognathus fuscus). However, finding them was a challenge because not only are Dusky Salamanders well camouflaged but excellent escape artists. This was the first time I have ever held one.