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Godd thread, gbh. I also love mother nature in it's simplest, most natural form.
I like sitting outside at night and telling myself to close my eyes and identify every sound I hear. One night I heard four distinct packs of coyotes, deer sounding the alarm call, countless frogs, etc. Once I had a cottontail come up and sit and watch me for what seemed like an eternity at around 2 AM. My dog was sound asleep and never caught his scent.
A few weeks ago, late at night, I pointed my flashlight skyward, and by coincidence a large owl flew right through the flashlight beam! Awesome.
Or as we NDN's say, Good Medicine.
Me too. I love sitting outside at night. I love the moon and stars and the sound of the wind in the treetops. The last few nights I've been falling asleep in the hammock. It has been blistering hot during the day (100+), but the nights have been wonderful, warm and windy, sky full of stars, half moon.
I saw a forest fire up close once in northern Idaho. The trees themselves were 40 feet tall and when they went up, they went up in a roar and a flash. Like a couple of hundred huge dried up christmas trees. It was a sight to behold.
The recent news stories and pics don't do justice to this phenomena of mother nature.
I believe it. Years ago I worked with a guy who said one of the worst experiences of his life was fighting a forest fire.
I wonder though: is it nature or arson?
If nature, why now and in places where this hasn't happened much before?
Uggabugga's pics were from WVirginia...so I looked up WV salamanders and he surely looked identical to me to the NRS....
Originally Posted by rainroosty [/color]
Gee, I don't know, GBH....it's a bit hard to tell in that photo but I'm guessing it's the Red Eft stage of a Red Spotted Newt. Tough to tell, size, spots, etc.. [/i]
Anyway......GBHeron....now go look up the Red Eft stage of the Red Spotted Newt in your book.
They occur in West Virginia as well.
The Red Eft is a very bold and brave wanderer that willingly roams the forest, even more so than the
salamander that you found in the book, the Northern Red salamander.
Due to the red coloration from that digital camera, it is difficult to tell just exactly which of the two it is, but from experience I can tell you that the brilliance of the salamander in Ugga's photo would likely indicate the Red Eft.
Both love the moss, both have dots, both are a form of red, both like similar habitat, etc..
I'm bringing this up again because I feel I've offended you by posting a contrary opinion to yours, since you have not responded to my reps to you nor my friendship request.
Reptiles and amphibians of the eastern United States has been my life long study and it always will be.
I told you about my favorite book in hope that I'd hear about yours, that's all. Just wanted to share common interest(s).
One of my nature observations in the last couple of days is a concern. I drive through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore every weekday, on my way to and from work. The wetland area that I drive through had all but dried up from several weeks of drought this year. Last weekend, thankfully, we had torrential rains on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It seemed everything was coming back to life - farm fields, yards, gardens. I expected the wetlands to look . . . . well . . . . wetter. When I drove through twice yesterday and then this morning, I could see that there was very little standing water in the wetland area. Normally it appears to be at least a foot deep there (judging by herons and egrets when they're standing in the water). It appears we need lots more rain before the area will have standing water. I'm so afraid that the birds, fishes and other critters will perish - or at the very least, move on, because of the lack of water. I'm a little encouraged by the fact that the pair of egrets I often see were still there yesterday.
Everyone, send some good vibes or prayers - whatever works for ya! - to northwest Indiana, that we'll get enough rain soon to save the wetlands!
.
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One of my nature observations in the last couple of days is a concern. I drive through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore every weekday, on my way to and from work. The wetland area that I drive through had all but dried up from several weeks of drought this year. Last weekend, thankfully, we had torrential rains on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It seemed everything was coming back to life - farm fields, yards, gardens. I expected the wetlands to look . . . . well . . . . wetter. When I drove through twice yesterday and then this morning, I could see that there was very little standing water in the wetland area. Normally it appears to be at least a foot deep there (judging by herons and egrets when they're standing in the water). It appears we need lots more rain before the area will have standing water. I'm so afraid that the birds, fishes and other critters will perish - or at the very least, move on, because of the lack of water. I'm a little encouraged by the fact that the pair of egrets I often see were still there yesterday.
Everyone, send some good vibes or prayers - whatever works for ya! - to northwest Indiana, that we'll get enough rain soon to save the wetlands!
.
I'm sending them, but it's a long distance!
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