Spring has certainly sprung in Ontario! - Turtles, frogs, etc. *pics*

[Removed_2815]

Here are some of the highlights from today's activities.

Let's start off easy with a Leopard frog (Rana pipiens):
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Leopard.jpg

Here's a muddy, stinky, and definitely angry Snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina):
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Snapper.jpg

Here I am with a female Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata):
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Spotted.jpg

Here's an interesting symbiotic relationship; a yearling Snapper hitching a ride on a Spotted turtle:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Snapper%20and%20Spotted.jpg

A very satisfying find - a yearling Spotted turtle (the population is reproducing):
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Young%20Spotted.jpg

This has to be one of the most gorgeous Spotted turtles ever:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Spotted%20in%20Hand.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Spotted%201.jpg

There were plenty of amphibian egg-masses to be seen as well:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Eggs.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Eggs1.jpg

Some Wood frog (Rana sylvatica) eggs:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Eggs2.jpg

And some Wood frog photos:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Wood.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Wood1.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Wood2.jpg

I hope you all enjoyed the weather today too!
Cheers,
Ryan

[CamHanna]

Looks like a good day! How many spotted turtles did you find?

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25-30 Spotties...

[crackedcorn]

Good stuff. The small lake i live on just opened up this weekend. Too bad we are getting snow tonight........ The loons were howling last night so we are getting there anyway...... nice pics

[icex19]

Nice catches, very impressive!! I've been searching for spotties around durham for years now, havent seen one.

What area was this?

[Rimshot]

where did u go to find all those? i can't even find a frog in the creek, literally, beside my house

[snakehunter]

I was about to freak, I thought that spotty was a bog turt. haha you are my idol man, Id love to spend a day with you jsut to get a feel for the kind of stuff you do, I wat to do field research etc. for a career.

[Removed_2815]

Some more 2005 finds:

Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris):
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Pickerel%20Frog.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Pickerel%20Frog%201.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Pickerel%20Frog%202.jpg

Ambystoma laterale x jeffersonianum:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Ambystoma1.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Ambystoma.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Blue-spotted%20Juvenile.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Blue-spotted%20Juveniles.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Blue-spotted%20Moss.jpg

Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata):
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Wood%20Frog.jpg

Wood frogs (Rana sylvatica):
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Wood%20Frog%20A.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Wood%20Litter.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Wood%20Amplexus.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Wood%20Amplexus%20Hand.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Wood%20Amplexus%20Grip.jpg

Midland Painted turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata):
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Midland%20Painted.jpg
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rbolton1/Folder/Midland%20Painted%20A.jpg

Cheers,
Ryan

[K1LOS]

thats a good looking painted. Vibrant red on the neck.

Geoff