As fall advances in the Upper Delaware River region, signs of animal activity remind us that winter is on its way. For now, the colorful foliage claims our attention, and it’s easy to spot the …
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Fall afoot
TRR photos by Sandy Long
True to its nocturnal nature, this Eastern red-backed salamander was on the move past midnight, making its way through the rain-dampened leaf litter. Though the stripe along the back in this species is usually more reddish, this specimen sported a pale orange coloration.
One of the most common turtles in the Upper Delaware River region is the painted turtle, which can often be spotted basking with others of its kind on sun-warmed rocks and submerged logs in ponds, lakes and rivers. I spotted this tiny turtle crossing the road in front of my home recently when I went to get the mail. A little more than an inch in length, this juvenile was making its way toward a boggy section of my yard near a small stream. I moved it to safety, snapped some photos and watched it disappear into the moist vegetation there. Painted turtles deposit their clutches of elliptically shaped eggs from May to June in excavated land nests about four inches deep. If they survive predators, the eggs will incubate for 10 to 11 weeks before the hatchlings, like this one, emerge.
I discovered a colony of pickerel frogs that had found a pint-sized pond under the ledge of a large boulder in upstate New York last week. At least eight of these attractive amphibians were submerged up to their eyeballs in the water, while this one stood sentinel at the cave-like entrance. Pickerel frogs hibernate from October to March, but remain active until hard frosts hit the region.
Posted
SANDY LONG
As fall advances in the Upper Delaware River region, signs of animal activity remind us that winter is on its way. For now, the colorful foliage claims our attention, and it’s easy to spot the heightened movement of squirrels and chipmunks as they prepare for the leaner months. Canada geese draw our gaze upward as they stitch the sky with jagged lines and fill our ears with the sounds of their honking calls as migration gets underway.
With all this distraction, it’s easy to forget that amphibians and reptiles are also on the move, down in the zone where our sightless feet forge along. Take some time this fall to devote attention to the activities of these species who share our forest floors and waterways.
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