On The Trail With Mark

 Spermataphores  attached to leaves at the bottom of this pool left behind by the male spotted salamander. Both male and female salamanders perform a courtship ritual where the male tries to tempt the female to obtain his spermataphore  in the hopes of fertilizing her eggs.

Close up of the spermataphore

Egg Mass 

This wetland borders the the edge between the woodlands and open meadow.  It doesn’t qulify as a vernal pool given it appears to have some current. However evidence of the types of animlas that utilize vernal pools for their life cycles are present.

Margo and I went out today to check on some vernal pools in the flood plain.  This pool had several large masses of wood frog tadpoles and eggs which  is an indication of healthy habitat.