Big Night

It was big night in the vernal pool closest to our house. 

A rainy evening, warm air temperature, and natal waters to come home to created just the right conditions for wood frogs and yellow-spotted salamanders to hold their annual congress. 

By midnight the rain stopped and the starlit sky made conditions pretty sweet for us humans, too.

Headlamps in place, we tromped out to the woods.

Each yellow-spotted salamander has a unique placement of spots. In theory, we can tell them apart from one another by the size and location of the school-bus yellow markings.

These large head markings seem easy enough to recognize in the future. 

I wonder if I'll see this salamander again next year.

Vernal pools are productive components of a forested ecosystem.
Our home pool is one of four situated in the woods on our property.

There are others on neighboring parcels, and we've walked out to some of them in the pitch dark - usually during a rainstorm.

The quacking of wood frogs and the squeaking of spring peepers halt as we approach. If we stand still enough for long enough, the chorus resumes.

Over the years, we've come to realize that our home pool is one of the most productive in terms of adults and egg masses. 

The noise level is pretty competitive, too.

The tromp through matted leaf litter is a peaceful adventure.

We make the rounds through the woods, return to our home pool, and stand in the quiet cool air.

Listening to the trees shed droplets from the evening's rain.

Scanning for spermataphores, little white packets of sperm.

Watching salamanders slither while frogs kick their way through the water.

Nourishing our inner wild.