Lake Martin 7 Jan 09

Ellen and I spent a few hours out at Lake Martin yesterday afternoon. We set out two minnow traps in hopes of capturing an amphiuma or siren, but struck out on both. While we were letting the traps sit, we did some log flipping. The first find was two central newts, Notopthalmus viridescens louisianensis Ellen found under a rotten log; an adult and an eft!

There were lots of Northern cricket frogs, Acris crepitans and bronze frogs, Lithobates clamitans out as well, with fewer numbers of Southern leopard frogs, L. spenocephalus. Bronze frog pictured below.

After some work, Ellen finally got her hands on a bronze frog.....

After more flipping, we ended up with about eight newts in total, including two more efts. At some point, I said out loud "I'm feeling mudsnake...". After a few more logs, Ellen produced a young mudsnake, Farancia abacura from inside a rotten log!!!!!!! HUGE score! By FAR, the best find of the day.......