Although the calendar said the next to last day in December the scene at Hemlock Lake on this day was not winter like. By now in most years there is usually some ice on the lake by now.
Spotted Salamanders are well-known for their annual Spring migration to vernal pools but some wait until the Fall to begin their trek back to their winter burrows. Most Spotteds migrate back to their burrows just a few days after mating, this one waited until late October to make its journey.