Feathers and Scales: May 2015

An Unexpected Great Day Herping

On May 2nd, 2015, I went over to Tyler State Park to meet up with my friend to go rock climbing, as the ground was very muddy beneath the boulder, we started to bring over some rocks to put down. One of the first rocks I flipped to bring over uncovered a dead Northern Brown Snake. This would have been a lifer for my friend, and only my second ever, so we kept flipping over every rock in sight. We soon uncovered a juvenile Eastern Garter Snake along with many Eastern Red-backed Salamanders. Just as we were about to give up and go back to rock climbing, I flipped a Northern Ring-necked Snake. This was only the third one I had ever seen, so I was very excited. After getting many pictures of him, I put him back under his log and watched him disappear.

Northern Ring-necked Snake

Birding La Salle Pond and Baldpate Mountain

On April 26th, 2015, my mom and I went over to La Salle Pond where two Virginia Rails had been reported. When we got there, we quickly heard them, but we knew that it would be very hard to see them. We circled the pond to try to pin down their location by their call and hopefully see one run through the reeds. After a while of listening to one very close, we finally saw movement. Then, after watching it quickly move through the reeds, it finally stopped for a second. I tried my best to manage a picture through the reeds hoping to get a decent shot.

Virginia Rail

A few days after on May 1st, 2015, I went over to Baldpate Mountain for a quick look for migrants. After seeing many Black-and-White Warblers and Common Yellowthroats, I saw one very cooperative Rose-breasted Grosbeak. He was sitting on one very close branch singing away.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Singing

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Birding Heislerville

On April 25th, 2015, my bird club had a trip scheduled to go to Heislerville, NJ to look for shore birds. The week before, some of us also went to scout out the area. That day we got many early warblers including Ovenbird, Black-and-White Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Prairie Warbler.

Worm-eating Warbler

Prairie Warbler

On the second week, it was more weighted towards shore birds. That day we got many Dunlin switching over into breeding plumage, both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Clapper Rail, many Willets, a Yellow Warbler, Boat-tailed Grackles, a Killdeer on her nest, and Black Skimmers.

Black Skimmer

Dunlin

Boat-tailed Grackle

Killdeer on Nest

Male Yellow Warbler

Amphibian Migration

Throughout March 29th to April 2nd, I was constantly out searching for frogs and salamanders in or around nearby vernal pools. In the first location, Wood Frog breeding was at its peak. In one vernal pool only, there were about 75-100 Wood Frogs calling and chasing each other around the vernal. There were also many egg masses visible in the vernal pools.

Wood Frog Egg Mass

Wood Frog

Wood Frog Calling

At the second location, the one major vernal pool was exploding with Wood Frogs, Northern Spring Peepers, and Spotted Salamanders, there were also many Eastern Red-backed Salamanders and Northern Two-lined Salamanders around the vernal pools. I had been to this location before and caught many small Spotted Salamanders, but never any large adults. I was very eager to catch one, and with luck, I flipped three back-to-back-to-back.

Adult Spotted Salamander

Northern Spring Peeper

Wood Duck Photography

On March 30th, 2015, my mom and I went to the Wissahickon Creek to photograph Wood Ducks. They had been previously reported there and were said to be very cooperative. Wood Ducks are generally very hard to get close to and I had never had a good chance to photograph them before. When we arrived at the park, we immediately saw many Wood Ducks, and they were being very cooperative. Many males and females swam right up along next to me allowing for very good views and photographs.

Female Wood Duck

Male Wood Duck