salamander migration

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axeman2729
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salamander migration

Post by axeman2729 »

any ideas when the great salamander migration is gonna happen this year? also my JROTC class wants me to make a few of them a shirt that says "I survived the Great Salamander Migration of 2014" figured I would open it up to my fellow northeast chapter members!
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cbernz
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

You mean next year? 2015? Or are you talking about Tigers?
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axeman2729
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Re: salamander migration

Post by axeman2729 »

either
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cbernz
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

I bet the south Jersey tigers are already in the pools, or at least some of them anyway. As for the big push, I'm going to say March 18.

Is there a pool? A "vernal" pool? :lol:
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kyle loucks
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Re: salamander migration

Post by kyle loucks »

I'm saying a week earlier, March 11th.
NACairns
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Re: salamander migration

Post by NACairns »

I'm going to say April 9th here in Kingston Ontario.
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brick911
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Re: salamander migration

Post by brick911 »

Early year... February 30th.
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cbernz
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

brick911 wrote:Early year... February 30th.
:lol:
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axeman2729
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Re: salamander migration

Post by axeman2729 »

Not if this weather keeps up Bob...
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: salamander migration

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

Bumping this up.

From the way it looks now, our local salamander migration will be in May. I'm going to be hopeful and say March 31.
MCHerper
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Re: salamander migration

Post by MCHerper »

I keep flip-flopping between March 18th and March 23rd. I'll go with the 23rd.
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incuhead2000
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Re: salamander migration

Post by incuhead2000 »

Last year in Southern MD it was the beginning of march and in western MD is was the beginning of April....that freeze line was rough. This year I will say the majority will be March 14th.
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cbernz
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

Hoo boy! What was my guess - March 18? I'm not sure the Blue-spot habitat will even be thawed out by then, let alone the northern part of NJ. This could be a record late year for us, not to mention New England.
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axeman2729
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Re: salamander migration

Post by axeman2729 »

yup at this point im calling july
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Re: salamander migration

Post by MCHerper »

58 degree rain event predicted for our area on Wednesday. Lows in the mid-30's at night. I'm not suggesting that anything will move in our area yet, but conditions seem to be improving quickly.
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: salamander migration

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

Well, we know that the vernals will be overflowing with water...
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intermedius
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Re: salamander migration

Post by intermedius »

Most of the vernals here are still frozen. I think a couple salamanders will move here in NJ this week during the rains, but I anticipate a big movement on March 14th

- Justin
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cbernz
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

I think the critical factor will be how much of the ground has thawed. It was so cold for so long here this winter that I imagine it will take a couple warm rain events to really thaw things out enough for any kind of significant movement.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

cbernz wrote:I think the critical factor will be how much of the ground has thawed. It was so cold for so long here this winter that I imagine it will take a couple warm rain events to really thaw things out enough for any kind of significant movement.
I'm okay with waiting a while. It's going to be a MESS when the snow melts, and I'd rather it melt slowly than have to wade to the vernals.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by MCHerper »

intermedius wrote:Most of the vernals here are still frozen. I think a couple salamanders will move here in NJ this week during the rains, but I anticipate a big movement on March 14th

- Justin
That would be nice, but I'm still thinking that near the 23rd of March will be the big push where we are. Time will tell-at least it's not far away. :thumb:
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Re: salamander migration

Post by MCHerper »

Alright now I am following Justin's prediction with interest.

Tonight (Tuesday March 10th): anticipated rain event, possibly 1/4 inch rain, highs 52 degrees, low 41. Drizzle in morning tomorrow then clearing, high 61 low 29.

Sunny with temps over next few days in mid-50's.

Saturday (the 14th): anticipated rain event, near 1/2 inch expected. High 51, low 39. This daytime temp prediction is several degrees higher than the prediction showed yesterday.

I think the last two years the major movements here were on nights where the temps didn't go below 40 at night and the daytime highs were closer to 60.

Hmmm....
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axeman2729
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Re: salamander migration

Post by axeman2729 »

I am so excited!!!!!!!
herper1
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Re: salamander migration

Post by herper1 »

I went for a little while Tues night in south jersey. High 40s and light, steady rain but snow and ice still on a lot of the ponds and swamps. Saw a few frogs though. This guy was sitting on the ice as pictured, I did not pose him....

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Re: salamander migration

Post by sstaedtler »

March 10th produced 10 species in Delmarva. There was still some snow and some pockets of ice, but enough melting to spur some action. No real frog calling though yet. Wood frogs were by far the most abundant, everything else was hit or miss.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by Jeffreyrichard »

As of Sunday my yard had over 2 feet of snow ...
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Re: salamander migration

Post by MCHerper »

Now the predicted temps for Saturday are highs of 55 degrees F and rain, with 50-degree or higher temps on Thursday and Friday.

Looking better by the day...
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axeman2729
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Re: salamander migration

Post by axeman2729 »

we gotta post our pics of the migration on here
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: salamander migration

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

axeman2729 wrote:we gotta post our pics of the migration on here
Don't worry, Garrett; we will!
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cbernz
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

There is definitely a big push tonight in Ambystoma laterale habitat in Morris County, NJ. We had close to 90 laterale and about 20 Peepers in 2 hours of road walking. Most water is still iced over, but the ground was thawed enough here to allow migration. Not sure what it's like in Spotty and Jeff habitat, though. It's likely many areas are still too frozen.

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Re: salamander migration

Post by NewYorkHerper16 »

I havent seen any movement on Long Island yet, but the temperatures are starting to get to a good point. Last night it was pouring rain and almost 50 degrees, but roadcruising was fruitless. This whole week it's back in the 40's in the day and 20'slow 30's at night.

Cbernz, that second laterale you posted is absolutely beautiful!!! Oh man, i really want to find one of those now but the only decent habitat for them close by is over 45 minutes east of me.
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cbernz
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

NewYorkHerper16 wrote:I havent seen any movement on Long Island yet, but the temperatures are starting to get to a good point. Last night it was pouring rain and almost 50 degrees, but roadcruising was fruitless. This whole week it's back in the 40's in the day and 20'slow 30's at night.

Cbernz, that second laterale you posted is absolutely beautiful!!! Oh man, i really want to find one of those now but the only decent habitat for them close by is over 45 minutes east of me.
If you can get out to that habitat, I would go. I'm willing to bet they moved last night. Laterale are generally the first mole salamanders to move in north Jersey, sometimes by a couple weeks.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by NewYorkHerper16 »

Can they still be found at the same time that other mole salamanders are moving? Since the spots are 45 minutes away i was planning on waiting about 2 weeks or so to head out to have the best chance for maculatum, opacum, and maybe even tigrinum.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

Never looked in Long Island, but here you can usually find them pretty easily for a month or so after the initial migration by flipping pool-side.
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NewYorkHerper16
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Re: salamander migration

Post by NewYorkHerper16 »

Good to know! Thanks so much for that information!
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: salamander migration

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

It snowed here yesterday. Our snow total for this winter is 108.6" so far, breaking all historic records. It's supposed to be 49 tomorrow, then drop to 29 on Wednesday. I have a feeling this winter will never end.
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axeman2729
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Re: salamander migration

Post by axeman2729 »

its 70 here in cranberry! heheheh
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Re: salamander migration

Post by MCHerper »

Currently watching, with interest, the forecast for Thursday, March 26th in our area.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by incuhead2000 »

I was off by a couple of hours but I'm sure a lot of animals moved on the 14th in the AM. Here are a few from March 13th in the PM. Jefferson salamanders had their first big move with several spotted salamanders and wood frogs headed to the pool!

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cbernz
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

MCHerper wrote:Currently watching, with interest, the forecast for Thursday, March 26th in our area.
Same here. That would be an ideal day for me, so let's hope it pans out.

Mike, nice shots. Is that Jeff a female? Do you notice the males and females coming out at different times where you are, or does it tend to be all at once? Up here the male Blue-spots typically migrate first - the other night I was finding all males.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by incuhead2000 »

Yes the Jeff I posted is a female and she was really plump! The mass majority were all males moving to the vernal. It is the same here with mainly males moving first then females.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by MCHerper »

Between what I have read and what I've observed, it seems to be the same with the spotteds, the males move first to the pool to drop spermatophores and then the females come. Does anyone know (in general) how long their time together in the pool tends to overlap? I have read about the courtship play that they demonstrate so there must be at least some time together in the pool?

Also, are there any other ID points for male vs. female spotteds beside the difference in the appearance of the vent? I don't want to pick them up out of the pools so I'm hoping that others may have another field mark to look for. I've found no other methods so far.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

We have a tiny bit of hope for maybe some movement next Thursday, March 26, as well, but I don't think it will be the "big push".
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NewYorkHerper16
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Re: salamander migration

Post by NewYorkHerper16 »

Well, it's snowing here on Long Island again. We are supposed to get up to 4 inches where i am and possibly up to 7 inches a half hour east in my spotted salamander area. Im actually glad they havent started breeding yet because the vernal pools will almost certainly freeze a good amount in the next few days with temperatures getting down in the 20's at night.
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Kyle from Carolina
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Re: salamander migration

Post by Kyle from Carolina »

Wetlands still frozen in western Mass. I'm not expecting too much anytime soon. Still a lot of snow on the ground, especially in the woods.
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Re: salamander migration

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

Kyle from Carolina wrote:Wetlands still frozen in western Mass. I'm not expecting too much anytime soon. Still a lot of snow on the ground, especially in the woods.
Eastern MA still has a good deal of snow on the ground as well. The blue spotted/spotted vernal near us is still frozen, and the surrounding woods are still have a snow cover a couple of feet deep. It's 18 degrees right now, with a high of 31 today...then 57 and rain by Thursday. It's not enough time to really thaw the ground.
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axeman2729
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Re: salamander migration

Post by axeman2729 »

I spoke to April Claus over the weekend (she monitors a local vernal that has breeding jeffersons) she said they've had about 40 so far and already has seen eggs
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Re: salamander migration

Post by MCHerper »

Temps still predicted to be in the mid-60's here tomorrow with patchy rain and potential for some thunderstorms. I'm still thinking that movement will be patchy because of the severity of the winter, and the fact that the daytime highs over the past week haven't gone much above the mid-40's.

Thoughts?
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Re: salamander migration

Post by incuhead2000 »

I think if you find a good crossing you will see some movement tonight as long at it rains!
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Re: salamander migration

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

This year, I'm going to report migration to the Orianne Society: http://www.oriannesociety.org/snapshots ... r-breeding
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cbernz
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Re: salamander migration

Post by cbernz »

I went out briefly tonight. I didn't take any photos because it was cold and rainy, but the Jeffs and Spotties were starting to move in Morris County, NJ in some numbers by 8:30, and the rain continues to fall.
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