Our German winter is not fully over but it was harmless this period. Two

days in witch we broom snow and only a few night frosts in our area.

Now the temperatures increase and the toads here begin to come out and

migrate.

Yesterday we had first time evening temperatures at 43 F and some hour’s

rain.

Good conditions to start one of my rare herping tours. I started in

northern Herne at my successful wood track of last year.

Those weather conditions were the starting signs for our common toads

(Bufu bufo bufo) to come out. The first males were active and crawled/

jumped around.

Some of them pause at an elevated point to look for a lift to the pond –

but not one toad female we (and they) saw.

This evening we discovered about

40 toads. A good season start! The grass frogs, Rana temporia are already

at the pond, the other amphibians rest still under the surface.

This little success made me ambitious and I tried to find again fire

salamanders (Salamandra salamandra terrestris) like last year. 15 Miles

southward I know a good place for some finds.

And I had luck – the first little guys were active outside.

Here some impressions:

For those “surface level photos” I am lucky that I still have my Canon G3

with a flexible monitor.

With a modern digital mirror reflex camera you’d lay in the mud up to the

nose ;-).

Hope you liked those some photos from abroad.

Best wishes from Germany

Bernd