As of 2012, we have had three sightings of Small-mouthed Salamanders at Chert Hollow Farm. All observations have been in the spring in moist permanent beds. We generally find them when hoeing beds in preparation for planting. Fortunately, all of the ones we’ve found have escaped a direct encounter with the hoe. The one in the photograph sat still for a while in the sun, semi-encrusted in soil, before warming up enough to scurry off through the weeds.

Gray treefrogs are relatively common amphibians at Chert Hollow Farm. We often hear their trill in the spring. They are hard to spot in the woods due to their excellent camouflage, but we often see them clinging to walls of farm buildings during the warm months of the year. We’re happy to have them around eating insects & other invertebrates.