Hi,
I recently came back from a daytrip to Pelee Island with a few friends. The main point of this trip was to take photos of herps so he's a few (I took over 170 pics).
The first subject of the morning, this young bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). This particular frog has ridges running down its back which is charictoristic of a green frog (Rana clamitans melanota) but this is a bullfrog....pretty cool I thought.
Here's a large green frog (Rana clamitans melanota) that was sitting within a couple feet of the bullfrog. These were common as well.
This is the only newt we could find(Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens). All of the efts I'v ever seen on Pelee Island are verydark. I wonder if its geographical or coincidental....or neither, are dark ones pretty normal??
This next one is pretty neat. I'v been told its a blue-spotted x smallmouth salamander hybrid (Ambystoma laterale x texanum)
and I tend to agree because it really doesn't have the clear blue spots of a blue-spotted but it does have a smaller head and more mottled pattern.
I'v been told that the entire salamander population on Pelee Island is made up of hybrids of the two species. I don't believe I saw any pure forms of either species. Most were young but we found 5 or six adults and none looked typical of either species.
This is a lake erie watersnake(Nerodia sipedon insularum). This little snake was found in the woods where the salamanders were found, quite a ways from any water. These snakes are very variable, some look like typical northern watersnakes and some lack any pattern at all and others can be anywhere between. They are all considered to be lake-erie's and are all protected.
Here's another young one. We saw dozens of these.
Melanistic eastern gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)are are found on Pelee Island as well as at Point Pelee. This one was particularly obliging...and particularly beautiful. We probably saw 6 or 7 of these black garters as well as many typically patterned ones.
This last pic is not from Pelee Island but from mainland Essex County (Amherstburg area). Does anyone know when the last blue-spotted was found in Essex Co.? I believe this find is the first for this area in several years (20 ish). If anyone knows more about it please reply, I'm interested in knowing the status of this species here and the significance of this find.
All the best.
Russ
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