Explore the nature and history of Kejimkujik!

Searching for salamanders - August 2010

Hatching eggs tend to be associated with the spring season, but for some animals, this new life arrives a bit later in the year. Just last week, when looking under a series of artificial cover boards used to monitor the abundance of eastern red-backed salamanders in Keji’s forests, we found a most wonderful surprise. Not only was a salamander hiding in this dark, moist habitat, but there was also a curious cluster of tiny cream-coloured eggs nestled amid the leafy debris. The adult salamander promptly burrowed under a leaf, which reminded us that we were intruding on its domain. After the few moments it took for all of us to see the protruding tip of the salamander’s tail and the nearby egg mass, we gently replaced the cover board and moved on to discuss our findings.

Adult female red-backed salamanders lay between four and 17 eggs from late May to June. The female stays close to her eggs, protecting them until they hatch in August or September of the same year. Unlike some of Nova Scotia’s other salamanders, this species is entirely terrestrial and does not have an aquatic larval stage.

We can only speculate that what we saw was, in fact, a female red-back tending her eggs. That said, we were thrilled to have found a salamander at all – whether or not it was associated with the nearby egg mass.  Red-backed salamanders tend to keep a low profile, so we considered ourselves lucky to have encountered one in our travels.

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Watchers in the woods - July 2010

 “I know of no other occupation so fulfilling as that of being a watcher.”
(Louise DeKirline Lawrence, Canadian ornithologist)

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Spring at the Park - June 2010

Spring has sprung here in Keji, and the park is abuzz with activity. The ferns are unfurling, the wildflowers are blooming, and the spring chorus is in full swing.

On this still, overcast morning, we have just been treated to one of the most special sightings of this time of year. While watching a white-tailed deer nibble on the long grasses along the edge of the Grafton Woods trail, we were delighted to see that she had a sidekick. A miniature version of the doe trailed behind, a replica of its mother save for its spotted back. The fawn stopped to lay down under a red maple, but its rest was cut short when its mother returned to hasten along her offspring. Though sure on its feet, the spindly-legged fawn seemed so small and delicate at its mother's heels. The tips of its ears didn't even reach its mama's knees! It's incredible to think about how much that little fawn will grow and develop over the coming months.

We watched the pair for less than two minutes before they disappeared from our sight, but that was long enough to remind us of the beauty and magic of this time of year. It's the season of rebirth, and the perfect time for us re-energize as we celebrate the new life all around us.

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17-Jun-2010

Richard

Thanks for this, looking forward to hearing what's happening at the park...

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