bigger " Salameandering"

On a cold, dark country road three people stand in the rain shining headlamp at a salamander slowly crossing the road. A car comes. The people slow the car down with their flashlights and stay around the salamander as the car goes around them, its occupants looking confused.

Thanks to its human escorts, this salamander will win a real-life Frogger game. This is the time of year that spring fuels up on water from the winter thaw. The time when plants furiously suck up rain and melted ice water, and the time of year that Salamanders meander to chilly leaf lined puddles in the woods called vernal pools. Like an ocean tide pool, Vernal Pools form in depressions in the forest that fill and hold water. And like a tide pool, they are teaming with life. Salamanders make their journey to these pools for only a month in the early spring. And it must be nighttime, raining lightly, and not too cold for them to come out. And for those unlucky enough to have staked a claim on the wrong side of the road from their vernal pool of love, danger awaits.

Go Directly To Picture Gallery
(or see the ones who didn't make it)

Fortunately for these salamanders Antioch Graduate School happens to be in the area. Graduate students, mostly from the environmental educational program, come out on rainy nights to escort the salamanders across the streets. It is a supremely environmental activity that I can only think to call "Salameandering" because when we arrived at a well known salamander crossing on a black and rainy night, I was instructed by my guides, Kelly and Andrew, to meander around slowly in the middle of road, flashlight pointing at my feet (This also keeps one from stepping on them). And off we three went, all salameandering in different directions.

My first find was a Salamander called a Jefferson Complex that didn't make it. The complex is not a fear of large circular rubber objects, but because scientists aren't all that sure just how this species of salamander really procreates. Is it Male? Female? or Both? Very complex indeed.

Marching to Mate!

Then Kelly yelled from way up the road and we all rushed up, as much as one can hurry if you've got check the pavement before each step. Sadly, she'd found one (or is that two?) Spotted salamanders that didn't make it.

We split up again and when Kelly called again, she'd found a Jefferson who made it to the right side of the road and was marching with determination. While were cheering it (him?, her?) on a woman arrived and joined us. Then another person joined, and someone cruised by to ask us what our count was because they counted 16 the night before.

A Spotted

Now we're on the hunt for a spotted salamander and continue our wanderings. Alone on the street I remembered that it was Friday night and I had this thought that the next car would be a truck filled with mean, drunk lonely townies who chuck an empty beer out the window (to the horror of the crowd) and ask, "What ya' doin' out hea?" "We're making sure salamanders make it across the street," I'd say with as straight a face as I could muster.

Later I was taken down a path to see a vernal pool. The thawed ground, covered with leaves and sticks, crunched under our feet and felt like I was stepping on a live salamander with each step. It was a slow walk.

Wood Frog in Vernal Pool

The vernal pool was a low spot in the woods, with bare bushes growing up though what was left of the winter ice.

A lone Wood Frog rested on the ice as big rain drops fell from the trees.

Wet now we headed back for to the car. On the way home we took a road that was known for being a place frogs cross to mate and we soon found a wood frog that did not make it.

Spring Peeper in a Helping Hand

Now this may all sound rather obscure and local, but it turns out there's a band that named themselves "Salamander Crossing" after a place down in Amerest Massachusetts where the city actually built salamander crossing tunnels for spotted salamanders, complete with a "Slow Salamander Crossing" sign. Seems 75% of the salamanders who hit the retaining fence find the tunnel. And here's a beer that seems inspired by this heroic spring ritual called Amerest Salamander Crossing Steam Lager.

Perhaps next time we'll make it salamanders party and play the CD while we sip and search.