Pennsylvania

I spent all of last week in southeastern Pennsylvania on business.  Normally when I travel for business, it's long and dedicated work, but this particular trip offered me a bit of autonomy toward the end of each day, for a couple of hours before nightfall.  My only perspective of the area prior to my departure was through Google maps and a few websites.  I left on short notice and my familiarity of the area was limited to what I had learned from those maps and websites over a day and a half.

Anyway, here's a quick tour of a few of the interesting places I visited in PA.  I only had my iPhone, so excuse the poor quality.

This is a view of a 19th-century building across Little Lehigh Creek at Pool Wildlife Sanctuary in Emmaus.  This stream has undergone restoration in recent years.  Part of that restoration included the removal of a dam.

 Common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) - I think.  Native to Europe, and considered naturalized in PA. This was one of the few early emerging plants I saw in the woodlands.

 The path that I took at Pool Wildlife Sanctuary was an interpretive trail that showcased many trees common to the state.

 Visitors are encouraged to use this wooden boardwalk while passing through the stream floodplain.

 A blooming Crocus sp., one of the more showy flowers this time of year.

 I witnessed a murder in downtown Bethlehem, but nobody died.  Just hundreds and hundreds of noisy crows.

 A sign at a wooded area near Jacobsburg State Park in Northampton County.  I unfortunately witnessed no bears.

 Still quite a bit of snow.

 Bushkill Stream at Jacobsburg State Park.  This state park is located on the northern edge of Lehigh Valley, on the foothills of the Pocono Plateau.

 A partially frozen waterfall.

 I was hoping I might get lucky and witness some early amphibian breeding behavior, but virtually all of the vernal ponds were frozen.

 While driving back to my hotel one night late in the week, I noticed what appeared to be an abandoned house immediately of the expressway.  I pulled off the road at the first available exit, about two miles away.  Then, I managed to find the house via a motel parking lot - a dilapidated, OLD house that seems to have been partially buried, possibly during the construction of the expressway.  I would have gotten better photos, but as it was I was parked illegally and had to get back ASAP.

 Due to an onslaught of wind and snow, my flight was cancelled and rescheduled for the following morning.  Frustrated, I took this last shot from the airport terminal.  When I returned to Chicago, the snow followed me - less than two days later, we had over six inches of snow.  

Silent Spring

This spring has started off on a dry note.  What I mean by that, is that despite temperatures mild enough to ensure that all precipitation will be rain and not snow, there hasn't been any.  It's sort of like last year, when, as it finally warmed up in April, there wasn't any real "explosive" breeding behavior from any of the area's "explosive" breeders.  There was no big breeding event.  Until it does rain, movement from any woodland amphibian will be slow and inconsistent.  Rain is the real driver when it comes to much of the region's breeding activity.  While the temperatures may reach unseasonably mild levels (such as when we experienced a number of 60-something and even a couple 70-something days), the fact that there hasn't been any rain means there is a delay in the mass migration of salamanders and chorus frogs.  Even all the snowmelt permeating into the ground isn't enough - warmer rainwater is the ticket.  Though several of my comrades have been able to flush out a salamander or two or catch the distinctive "comb bristle" call of a few impatient Western chorus frogs, I think it's safe to say that there are a whole lot more standing just behind the curtain, ready for their big appearance, as soon as the music starts.

In the meantime, there is another early spring breeder that relies not on precipitation but only a warm sunny afternoon to get in the mood.  The Eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis "semifasciatus"), or common garter as they are known, is bold enough to rise from its winter dens in order to mate during late winter or early spring, even if that window of warmth lasts but a few hours.  They are often observed on the crawl even as snow surrounds them.  Mating seems to be the stronger of two motivations after snoozing for a few months - the other is eating.  One might assume that the males would require some sustenance before their hunt for females, and certainly, a male garter likely wouldn't turn down a worm or frog if he happened across one in his search.  But I have repeatedly witnessed the Eastern garter snake in copulation while still covered in mud, a sign that leads me to believe that nothing more than warmth is needed in order to trigger reproductive behavior.  In my experience, I've found that males become active earlier, followed by the larger females, who release pheromones that entice the males.

The females' pheromones are released as they crawl about after "waking up".  They leave a pheromone trail that can attract more than one male.  In some regions of North America, the amount of males pursuing a female can be so great that the result is an aggregate of males on one female in what is termed a "breeding ball".  It is quite a sight to see.

On Sunday, March 15th, following a bi-annual reptile and amphibian conference (NARBC), my nephew Jeffrey Peffers and I met up with a fellow field herper from LaSalle County, Matt Bordeaux, and his wife and young daughter.  We wanted to try our hands at finding some amphibians at a nearby preserve in Cook County.  The conditions were ideal, with temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s and partly sunny skies.  The only thing against us was the fact that it had not yet rained.  So, we searched high and low (well, mostly low) for salamanders, but did not find one.  Shortly after splitting up, I caught a breeding pair of sirtalis in a sunny spot on the woodland floor.  They represent the first herps of 2015 for me, the first since December 23rd, and the first snakes since I believe October 19th.

The scene as I approached.

A closer look.

Oftentimes, snakes don't seem to be distracted by stimuli while breeding.  It's like they enter a trance, during which they are vulnerable to predation.  This pair let me get up very close.  I even brushed against them in order to move a few leaves out of the way for a photo, and they hardly moved a muscle.

Matt shooting the breeding pair.

Matt showing his daughter the snakes.  Matt hardly ever (if ever) goes herping on his own.  He is typically expected to be in the presence of his wife and daughter.  I have a ton of respect for that.  There are far too few people out there who share their love for nature with kids.  

 This is the third garter snake we saw.  This one is in a periscoping position.  It is believed that this position essentially helps the animal get a better view of what's around.  It's a common behavior seen mostly with diurnal (day-active) snakes, but it isn't always easy to document, since a snake in this position is extra alert and easily startled.  This male, however, was on a mission.  Matt and I speculated that maybe it sensed the pheromones from the female we had just observed minutes before - in "adjusting" the set for a better shot, it is possible some of the pheromones transferred to my hands.  This one was curious and followed me briefly before slithering alongside a log in the opposite direction.

Eastern garter snake habitat.

Hopefully, it's just a matter of time before this dry, silent spring is interrupted by a good rain, and then, by the sounds of chorus frogs at every vernal pool that can support them. 

Canada

Better late than never - a quick glance at our 2400-mile road trip tour of eastern Canada.  This took place the first full week of February.  There are simply way too many photos to post, even just the highlights would have taken a full day to post, and ain't nobody got time for that.

We drove from sweet home Chicago straight to Toronto.  We stopped at an enormous discount imported junk store called Honest Ed's.  I guess it's a local landmark.  Anywho, you can buy pretty much anything your heart desires for less than most lunches.  Here are some jackets being sold for a buck.  Something tells me these jackets aren't made to last.

Aimee and I love greenhouses and conservatories.  They are especially worth visiting when the temperature outside is downright bitter cold.  We checked out Allan Gardens, located downtown and built in 1910.  It is free, and a really nice place.  Here's one of two resident red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans).

 There were two melanistic squirrels living inside the greenhouse.  One was asleep on top of some equipment near the ceiling as we first walked in, and another on the prowl.  This one nearly attacked this poor lady as she tore open some food packaging.  Gluttons.

Ripley's Aquarium was an amazing place.  Built in 2013, it is the newest aquarium I've ever been to and is very modern and well-designed.  We visited on an evening when they were open late, and there was a snowstorm, so we had the whole place pretty much to ourselves and a few brave souls.

I'm a sucker for these underwater tunnels.  This tunnel allowed for spectacular views of sharks, rays, and other fish, plus a green sea turtle.

Then we drove from Toronto to Quebec City.  Long drive.

It was very very cold in Quebec City.  So cold, that I stopped taking pictures because my hands would hurt from the cold.  Probably the most cold day was our first full day there.  We woke up and headed out to town for some frigid sightseeing, and it was just insane.

Aimee wanted to stay in the Hotel de Glace, aka the Ice Hotel.  Basically, it's what it sounds like, a hotel made completely out of ice and snow.  Everything - the walls, floors, chandeliers, bar, beds, and even the shot glasses are all made out of ice.  Very fun, very surreal, very...cold.

Maple whiskey shot

After our time in the QB, we drove to Montreal.  We had previously driven through on our way to Quebec City from Toronto, and the traffic had been oppressive.  This time, it wasn't as bad.  One highlight was our trip to the Insectarium.  By far one of my favorite parts of the trip.  If you love bugs, you'll love this place.  This is just one place we visited that is deserving of its own post.  Maybe one day I will, since there are just so many great exhibits.

Caligo eurilochis - a moth with what appear to be crazed eyes on the ventral side of the wings.

Cool blue flowers from a conservatory adjacent to the Insectarium.

 I chose not to stick to the rivers and the lakes that I used to.  Sorry, TLC.

Okay - on the campus of McGill University in Montreal, there exists a natural history museum called the Redpath Museum.  One of the best museums I have ever gone to.  It is free; donations are suggested, and we gladly donated to this amazing facility.  I was overwhelmed, to be honest.  Another topic deserving of a cold winter's day post someday.

A Labrador duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius), one of only 55 known specimens in existence.  This species went extinct in the late 19th century.

Behind me, an impressive Gorgosaurus skeleton.

Documenting each day's activities for purposes of sentimentality.

We drove south from Montreal through upstate New York, south and west toward Niagara Falls.  Would you believe that on the way, we drove through Mexico in a tempestuous snowstorm?

Mexico, New York, that is.

I don't recall being as tired as I was when we arrived in Niagara Falls, Ontario.  Physically, mentally, I was beat.  But our view from the hotel room was worth the look.  Here are the American and Bridal Veil Falls at night, nearly frozen over completely.  Did I mention that it was cold?

Oh these silly Ukrainians.  This guy with the flag tried to get up and stand on the slick, iced-over railing separating man from the churning surge of water and ice that is the Horseshoe Falls.  His friends quickly urged him to get down immediately and insisted he stand on solid ground to wave his flag with pride.

NIAGARA FALLS!  Slooooooowly I turned!  

And let's cap off the trip with a photo of me wrestling a fake snake as a silly chimp watches.

As I complete this post, the weather is warming and the snow is melting.  I sense some salamandering coming up - hopefully it won't be too long.