Michigan Herp Trips

As winter finally fades away and warmth begins to return to the Wolverine state, things start to happen. Wildflowers begin to sprout from the ground. Frogs begin chorusing. Salamanders begin migrating. And snakes emerge from their winter dens and soak of the first warmth from the sun of the year. Signs of spring are everywhere, and the emergence of reptiles and amphibians serve as a indicator that spring has officially begun. Springtime is probably my favorite time of the year to herp just because of how many different species you can go out and see if you know where to look.

Vernal Pond in Washtenaw County, Michigan

As I've said before, I was fortunate enough to partake in a salamander surveying project this spring. On one particular night in early April, the weather was warm and rainy and perfect for salamanders to move. Unfortunately I had to work, so I set out a few of my salamander traps. The next morning my dad and I decided to head over and check the traps to see if we had got any sallies.

Checking the Salamander Traps

I was shocked when we checked the traps. They were literally full of several species of salamander. I had never seen so many salamanders in one spot, it was an awesome experience for my dad who hadn't seen many salamanders before.

There were three different species in the traps, with the vast majority being Spotted Salamanders. But we also had severl hybrid salamanders and a few Blue-spotted Salamanders.

Spotted Salamander - Ambystoma maculatum

Hybrid Salamander (LJJ) - Ambystoma platineum

Blue-spotted Salamander - Ambystoma laterale

One night, I was able to head down to Hillsdale County to meet up with Curtis; an FHF member, to go out for my first Eastern Tiger Salamander. He said we would definitely get some and he was right, we got three absolute beauties near his house.

Eastern Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum

Over the next few weeks, the weather continued to warm and before long it was time for the snakes to begin emerging. On the first warm weekend in April, I headed out to a local spot to look for some serpents. The area consists of upland prairie and wet meadow and is an ideal spot for Eastern & Butler's Garter Snakes. Because Garters are very cold tolerant snakes, they are usually the first snakes out of their winter dens and I knew they would be out on a warm day like it was.

Upland Prairie

It didn't take long to find my first snake of the year. This Eastern Garter Snake was out on the move for its first meal of the spring. I was also able to come across several more Eastern Garters, and quite a few Butler's Garter Snakes.

Eastern Garter Snake - Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Butler's Garter Snake - Thamnophis butleri

On a way to my friend's house one night, I found my first Ranid of the year. This Green Frog was crossing the road heading towards a large pond.

Northern Green Frog - Rana clamitans melanota

A few weeks later, we finally got a few solid says in 60s, which meant it was about time for Michigan's venomous snake to emerge for the first time. On one day the weather was in 60s and the sun was high in the sky. So I went out to my rattlesnake spot to go for a walk. The fen was open and I was looking for rattlesnakes to be out sunning.

Tamarack Fen- Home of the Eastern Massasauga

Within a few minutes, a few of the usual suspects were spotted out on the move. In total I saw probably ten or so Butler's and six Eastern Garters

Eastern Garter Snake - Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Butler's Garter Snakes - Thamnophis butleri

After not seeing a whole lot at thr northern end of the fen, I decided to move to the thicker southern end of the fen where I have seen a few rattlesnakes, but not as many as the north end. It's hard to traverse the southern end because the brush is much thicker and low to the ground, which also gives the snakes more places to remain hidden with their cryptic color pattern.

The Much Thicker South End of the Fen

The first thing spotted was a really wild looking Eastern Garter Snake. I don't know what genetics caused the reddish-brown color but it was the weirdest looking Garter Snake I've ever seen.

Eastern Garter Snake -  Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

I also spotted a Northern Brown Snake sunning itself not too far from where I spotted the wild looking Garter Snake.

Northern Brown Snake - Storeria dekayi wrightorum

I finally came to a clearing in the fen and decided to take a good look around. I stopped dead in my tracks when I noticed an unmistakable body laying in some brush.

There's a rattlesnake in this picture. Can you find it?

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake in situ

There is nothing like the feeling of the initial rush of adrenaline upon realization that you've spotted a rattlesnake. This was a good sized female Massasauga and she was fat as mud.

DON'T TREAD ON ME

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake - Sistrurus catenatus catenatus

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake - Sistrurus catenatus catenatus

Michigan's Venomous Snake

A few years back, I used to see a pair of Blanding's Turtles at my rattlesnake spot. But since 2006, I hadn't seen them and was beginning to lose hope that they still inhabited both. One afternoon I headed over to my spot and as soon as I got out of my car, I could hear a high pitched trill coming from the front pond. The sound was coming from American Toads which were calling and breeding in the pond. There were probably between 100-150 individuals in the pond.

American Toads in amplexus

Eastern American Toad (Calling Male) - Bufo americanus americanus

After spending a good amount of time observing the toads, I noticed a large carapace moving through the pond. I didn't think anything of it at first, but then a long yellow-chinned head poked out of the water. It was a Blanding's Turtle, I was so excited that I could barely contain myself. I waited a long time until it was near shore and than grabbed him for a few quick photos, it was the find of the spring for me.

Blanding's Turtle - Emydoidea blandingii

'Ole Yellowthroat

On Sunday April 20th, I drove down to northeast Indiana to meet up with Todd Pierson & Andrew Hoffman who were in the area for the weekend on a Massasauga trip. The day earlier they had found a large gravid female Sauga in a nearby fen that we couldn't hit until 1 in the afternoon because of the opening of Turkey Season. So, we headed out to a few spots to look for Blanding's Turtles. It didn't take long, Andrew spotted one just off of the road in the swamp and went and snagged it. It was a nicely patterned male who was less than cooperative for photos.

Blanding's Turtle - Emydoidea blandingii

We also checked a few vernal pools in the area for some egg masses, and we found this Western Chorus Frog in the pool.

Western Chorus Frog - Pseudacris triseriata triseriata

We finally made it to the fen around 1:30 in the afternoon and headed on in to look for Massasaugas. The habitat looked perfect and I understood exactly why Todd & Andrew had seen one in the spot the day earlier. The large tufts of grass were perfect basking & hiding placed for the snakes.

Fen Habitat in Northeast Indiana

We hadn't been in the fen for five minutes when I looked down and saw a stocky snake hiding in the long grass, there was no question what it was.

Rattlesnake in situ

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake - Sistrurus catenatus catenatus

"There's one!" I blurted, and Todd & Andrew both came running in disbelief. The snake was a large gravid female and ended up being the same large female they had seen the morning earlier. It was my first Sauga outside of my home state, so it was cool to see one elsewhere and share it with some good herping buddies.

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake - Sistrurus catenatus catenatus

Species Observed:

• Hybrid Salamander
• Spotted Salamander
• Blue-spotted Salamander
• Eastern Tiger Salamander
• Spring Peeper
• Western Chorus Frog
• Northern Green Frog
• Blanding's Turtle
• Butler's Garter Snake
• Eastern Garter Snake
• Northern Brown Snake
• Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

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