John Himmelman - Discovering Amphibians: Frogs and Salamanders of the Northeast

Other books by John Himmelman

Discovering Moths: Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard

Mouse in a Meadow

Frog in a Bog

Pipaluk and the Whales

The Animal Rescue Club

From the Nature Up Close series

A Wood Frogs Life

A Salamanders Life

A Mouses Life

A Hummingbirds Life

A Monarch Butterflys Life

A Ladybugs Life

A Luna Moths Life

A Slugs Life

For Betsy, who finds things

Copyright 2006 by John Himmelman. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 0-89272-703-9 13-digit 978-089272-703-2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in Publication:
Himmelman, John.

Discovering amphibians : frogs and salamanders of the Northeast / John Himmelman ; photographs and drawings by the author.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-89272-703-9 (trade pbk. : alk. paper)

1. FrogsNortheastern States. 2. SalamandersNortheastern States.

I. Title.

QL668.E2H56 2006
597.80974dc22
2005032712

Design by Faith Hague
Printed at Versa Press, E. Peoria, Ill.

1

Down East Books
A division of Down East Enterprise, Inc.
Publisher of Down East, the Magazine of Maine
Book orders: 1-800-685-7962
www.downeastbooks.com

WHEN I WAS about seven years old, I found a pool of tadpoles in the sand at Jones Beach in Long Island, New York. I put them in my beach bucket and brought them home to a larger jar to see what they would turn into. I can still recall what they looked likejet-black, almost all head, with skinny, pointy tails. Because I knew absolutely nothing about tadpoles, they starved to death in just a couple of days. Who would have thought they would actually need to eat?

This was my introduction to the world of amphibians. Im afraid I didnt make a very good first impression. In the years that followed, I came across the occasional toad in the lawn or frog in the pond, but I really didnt think all that much about them.

In the mid-eighties, something happened that would set me on a course that continues to this day. My wife, Betsy, began painting water-colors of frogs. A high school art teacher, she is the most prolific artist I know, and I have come across quite a few. She will latch on to a new art form, master it, and create until her work spills out into every room in the house. Then she moves on to the next medium. Betsy always liked frogs, and when she began painting with watercolors, she chose them as her main focus. She would come home with stacks of books on the subject to use as reference. Shed go out in the yard and photograph what she could find, and then paint from the photos. Our children were often called into service to pose for her, frog in hand. In short time, her paintings of these amphibians, both local and exotic, amassed in ever-growing stacks in the family room. Some she sold at local art shows while many were given away as gifts for special occasions. They adorned the walls of our home and the homes of friends and family. She didnt really care where they ended up; she just loved painting them, and I loved looking at them. Of all her incarnations as an artist, this was my personal favorite. Looking at her paintings, I grew to admire their subjects as art forms. Up until then, I had never thought of frogs that way.

Then, one afternoon, a wood frog appeared on our back deck. Betsy had recently completed a painting of one of these, and I looked at it as something I was already familiar with. But, instead of seeing it as represented in delicate washes of watercolor, I saw the frog itself. It sat on the deck plank like a squatting bulldog. The dark mask gave it the appearance that it was up to something, yet the pupils within those round eyes squinted in apparent aloofness. Its only movement was the steady pulsing of its throat. It truly was a work of art in and of itself. This time, I took some photos to try and capture what I was seeing. The photos werent that great, so the next time I found a wood frog, I took some more. Though these photos were better, they still werent as good as they could be. I soon found myself out looking for wood frogs. In doing so, I came across other frogs. They were interesting to look at, too, so I took more photos, telling myself that my wife could always use them. In reality, though, I was enjoying the hunt. The more frogs I found, the more I wanted to find, and I began to wonder just how many I could find in my area.

That hunt continues to this day, as does my quest to learn more about them. It was not a huge leap to acquire an appreciation for their cousins, the salamanders, as well. Salamanders have their own mystique and, to me, have always exuded a sense of being anchored in our primordial past. There is a simplicity in their form that I have since learned is anything but simple.

I have a driving urge to learn more about anything that interests me. While I make my living as an author and artist, I am also an interpretive naturalist. To put it simply, this is a person who finds some denizen of the natural world, researches and digests the scientific information about it, and then shares the more intriguing aspects with the general public. We naturalists all do this for the same reason: The lives and struggles taking place in our own backyards every minute of every day and night are as entertaining as the best movies out there. And for the same reason that people tend to like company when they go to the movies, we invite others to share in the appreciation of our outdoor discoveries. The enjoyment of a story, a song, a good meal, or an exciting find is enhanced when it can be shared. Betsy has long since moved on from painting frogs, but I continue to head out three seasons a year to find them. It is most fun when I am with friends who know how lucky we are to appreciate the free show running day and night in our ponds, forests, and fields.

This book is my way of inviting you to join us.

Now, lets roll some logs

John Himmelman

I OWE THANKS to many people who have joined me in the field, shared some of their favorite amphibian spots, and provided me with photos to fill in some of the blanks in this book.

Among them are: Karro Frost (Mudpuppies! Finally!! Yeeha!!!); Hank Gruner for sending me to a great Jefferson salamander site; Noble Proctor (thanks for the springs and blue spots); and Bill Yule for sharing a great two-line and dusky salamander stream.

As my deadline loomed, I pestered these people to get some of the photos I needed: John Acorn (erythristic redback salamander); Billiam Kobak (his wife, Cindi, and their terrarium); Cindi Kobak (photo of their pond and of Frank Gallo); Frank Gallo (one of the Jefferson salamander shots); and Tom Tyning (Amherst tunnel, mink frog, and spadefoot toads).

Thank you also to John Ogren and Old Saybrook Troop 51 for letting me tag along on their salamander rescue event.

What Makes an Amphibian an Amphibian?

am- phib- i- an [amphibi-+bios life] n animal or plant living both on land and in water; airplane designed to take off from or land on water or land