Envirothon Madness

Well, after a long hiatus from salamandering due to a lack of success and trying to market my new book, I was back at it this week as I traveled with my fellow High School Envirothon teammates up to the scenic Traverse City area of Michigan. After staying the first night in cabins, I had bagged a Green Frog from a little pool in the mixed woodland hills, but more fun was to come. A steady thunderstorm rolled through the area that night and in the morning, making conditions ideal for finding my first salamander of the year--an Eastern Red-Backed, with my best friend Allen that morning under a beech log. Later in the day, skies cleared, but the herping only got better. After taking the grassland test, Allen and I found a Blue Racer under a piece of old tin in a small valley, and yelled as we shunted tire and tin about the hill in an effort to capture it, thus showing my teammates just how crazy this normally even-keeled politico and guitarist can get given some herps. One member of our team hilariously remarked, "I had never seen Nathan kick into gear like that; it was like he was ahead of his own feet." Indeed I was. All in all, with 3rd in the state under our belts and some refreshing herping under mine, not a bad little adventure. Pics available on the miherpatlas.org by putting my name (Richendollar, Nathan) into the "recorded by" box, and all comments welcome.

Jefferson, I moved your post to this section of the forum. Please note the guidelines for posting in the Field Herping section: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...erping-accounts/48635-guidelines-posting.html

Fair enough, I just wanted to attach the pictures this morning. Here they are.

Cool finds!

Wow! I wish the Washington herp atlas was like that, where you can record what you find, but its not. Sounds like a blast of fun though. -Seth

To be honest, I'm kind of disappointed that a state like Washington famed for its environmental protection would not be able to best Michigan in a herp atlas, but thanks for the compliments, and, yes, it was a blast. Glad you enjoyed the pics!