Multiple Locations (14-Apr-2016)

Like other similar posts I am not giving out the specific locations for the sites that I visited in this post. My friend Kelly and I went out once again searching for sites that would work for her upcoming salamander study. We visited multiple streams on this trip and we really didn't have much luck finding the exact conditions her study needs. 

I have posted several photos of this species before. This is a Northern Dusky Salamander and will be one of the species included in Kelly's study. The streams we searched had Dusky Salamanders, just not in a high abundance. 

This is a Two-Lined Salamander. They too were in every stream we visited and in higher numbers. All of the sites though needed other variables to make them suitable. 

I grabbed what I could as we hiked along the streams or trails on the way to them. Everywhere seems to have trash and it wasn't hard finding items at every visited site.

At the location this trash was taken out of the main problem with the stream was there was too much human activity. The stream was disturbed, with rocks flipped/moved not long ago. In this case it looked like it was kids. There was even a fort built over the stream in one area. I like the fact that kids in that area are spending time outside, but I wish they had guidance to lessen the impact on the stream. 

In all I did not take a whole lot of trash out on this trip, but did get streams checked off Kelly's list. This also gave me an idea of areas that have a good amount of trash and I will be back to some of these areas for more thorough clean-ups.

At one location Trout Lilies were popping up all over the forest floor. Hopefully this is a sign that snow is definitely over for the spring. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this blog? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

State Gamelands (1-Apr-2016)

Today was another day of stream study site searching. I think Kelly has close to enough options to choose form for her study now. Out of several stops on this trip only one site was suitable. Above is a Two-Lined Salamander on the left and two Northern Dusky Salamanders on the right. This is how they were positioned under a rock. I would like to point out that there is a proper procedure for what to do when a salamander is found under a rock or log. The first thing to do is to wet your free hand, the other may be holding the cover object. With your now wet hand encourage the salamander to move from the area the rock covered. If the salamander does not move on its own then it can be picked up and moved. It is best to keep the in hand time as short as possible. Once all salamanders are removed from under the cover object, place the cover object back right where it was. The salamanders will find their way back under and with them moved there is no chance of crushing them. It can take a long time for suitable habitat to form underneath a rock or log. If you go through a stream or forested area flipping objects and not putting them back you are destroying the habitat for salamanders and the smaller critters they feed on. Respect the wildlife and respect their homes. 

A juvenile Spring Salamander. As I stated yesterday these are not that common of a salamander to find.

This is another type of Caddisfly Larvae case. This one is made out of pebbles and specifically flat sided pebbles. It is very unique and a very impressive home. 

The other days searching for sites we hadn't run into many frogs. On this one we found many Pickerel Frogs like the one above and one Green Frog. 

A very old bottle. It is labeled Joe Lieberman Allentown PA. After doing some searching I think it is a beer bottle and is possibly from the very end of the 18th century. I could not find any other bottles exactly like it through online searches so this may be rare. 

An American Toad that was hopping through a forested area. The frogs and this toad were not what we were looking for, but it is always nice to see any species of amphibian. 

From the first location. Not that much trash, but really there shouldn't have been any where we were. Well there should never be any trash, but there always is. 

From the second location. The flask on the left standing upright was another old one. It was labeled Warranted Flask. Not sure what it is warranted for. 

From the last location. No old bottles in this pile, but there was a glass. 

Today we also came across the first turtle I have seen on a road this year. Here Kelly is holding it proudly. It was a male Painted Turtle and we gave him a little help. If you ever find a turtle on the road the best thing to do is to move it off of the road and take it about thirty feet off of the side. Always take them in the direction they are heading. It is never good to take a turtle home as a pet and you are not saving it when you drive off with it. Several species that commonly cross roads in PA are protected species and taking them home is unlawful. It really is best just to help them across and let them go on their way. 

Tomorrow I will be back to my regular trash collecting. I may get out on the water to get to some locations that haven't been easy on foot. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this blog? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

State Gamelands (31-Mar-2016)

I helped out again looking for sites for my friends graduate project. I don't mind sharing the photos of the critters that we came across, but to protect them and the streams in which they live I can not give out the locations of where we were. This is just the very start of Kelly's project and our goal is to locate streams which contain a variety of stream salamander species. Once she has decided on what streams to use the next step is to complete and submit her permit forms to the Fish and Boat Commission and possibly the DCNR. Yes, you do need special permits to conduct a study on amphibians in our state. We checked out three sites on this trip and as we were hiking in and out of the locations I was picking up trash as well. That you can find near the end of the post. The Salamander above is a Dusky Salamander. Two species of Dusky can be found in Eastern PA. 

I have shown Stoneflies before in this blog. This particular one is a Giant Stonefly. A good water quality indicator and an awesome insect. 

Two-Lined Salamander. Very common in not only streams, rivers as well. Many of these stream species you would rarely see on a riverbank. 

Spring Salamander. Always good to find a Spring Salamander. They are not as commonly seen as the Dusky or Two-Lined.

What is this? You might be asking yourself that. It is a Cranefly Larvae. It looks nothing like the adult cranefly and it is the only thing in a stream that I still find creepy. I do know people that won't even touch them though, so at least I am not bothered by that.  

Catching salamanders by hand is a delicate and sometimes frustrating endeavor. Here Kelly is carefully picking up a dusky salamander from the bottom of this clear stream. 

This downed tree presented a photo op that just had to be taken. 

From the first location of the day. I had cleaned this location last year and since then there looked to have been several parties at this spot. I will be going back to this area soon to do a more thorough clean-up.

The second location was much more remote. This was the only item that was near the stream. Did find more on the way in and out. 

Less than the first site and some of the bottles had been there for awhile. 

This was just from a short stop on the way home. I was surprised by the old 7-Up bottle. It was the first large one I have found. 

This was from Wednesday. After the memorial service I did find some time to make it out for a short trash collecting walk. This was taken off of the Macoby Creek in Montgomery Co. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this blog? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA