On Sunday night, 28 kids and adults met to enjoy finally the songs of spring, a spring which has been very slow in arriving. We searched a pond on Stonecrest Road which was still pretty quiet, although the kids were quite taken with the many leeches and dragonfly larvae which they found.

Moving on to Steve Duffield’s mother’s property, things really livened up.  Spring Peepers, Chorus Frogs and Wood Frogs were making their wonderful spring racket.  Once we reached the pond, it wasn’t long before adults and kids were getting wet and muddy while netting salamanders for a quick look up close.  We found and observed lovely specimens of both Blue-spotted Salamanders and Spotted Salamanders (with yellow spots) along with the frogs.

Added treats were hearing an Eastern Screech-Owl and a Barred Owl while Jupiter sat beside the Moon in a dark cloudless sky.

Many thanks to Steve for hosting us!  We couldn’t have had a better night.

Photos by Maureen Carrier and Norah Hillary