Book Review - Discovering Amphibians: Frogs and Salamanders of the Northeast by John Himmelman
Channel: SCLSNJ
Date: 2020-03-26

Himmelman is a HUGE fan of amphibians and in this book he shares his love of these neat creatures. You’ll learn all about them. How wood frogs freeze solid into frogsicles in the winter; the joys of a Salamander Rain; how to make your yard more inviting to amphibians; how to identify these creatures and (most importantly) where to find them.
IMPORTANT: Do NOT use hand sanitizer before you handle a frog or salamander. These animals breathe through their skin and the chemicals in hand sanitizer are toxic to them. If you must handle one, thoroughly wash your hands using soap and water before going out to find them. Even better, don’t touch them at all. Also, if you have a vernal pool nearby wait a couple more weeks before going to see who is there. You may squish a few of the creatures you’re trying to see who are hiding out under the leaf litter!
It’s the writing that is such a joy in this book. Yes, you learn a lot. But you’re learning it from a man who truly loves these animals, wants to share his knowledge and has a great sense of humor. I’ll share some of my favorite quotes from him.
On having bullfrogs chomp on blades of grass waved in front of their faces: “Incidentally, I really don’t pick on frogs in this manner often, because I feel guilty afterward. If someone did that to me with a rubber pizza, I’d be pretty ticked off.”
On frogs: “Frogs look cool. By cool, I mean unassuming “Let it happen. I can’t be bothered, man” cool. If spotted salamanders are pleiocene relics, wood frogs are 1950s beatniks.”
More on frogs: “Frogs don’t wear anything. They don’t need no stinkin’ fur, armor, feathers, or clothes. They venture out in their altogether. The world is their nudist camp, and the lakes and ponds are their swimming pools.”
Bullfrogs and their voracious appetites: “There is a report that a bullfrog in southern Connecticut actually ate a small dachshund, though the story is suspect, because I’m the one who made it up. However, if a bullfrog could fit a small dog down its throat, I have no doubt it would try.”
Why you should never put your hands in your mouth after handling amphibians: “After I helped spotted salamanders cross the street a few years ago, I slid into my car to write down the name of the street I was on and then put the pen in my mouth. I can tell you that a spotted salamander tastes like chicken — chicken that’s been sitting in the sun for three days.”
The book is a little dated, there has been more research into amphibian decline and malformation since this publication, but the general information is solid. There are a few frogs we don’t have in NJ profiled in the book (like the mink frog) but for the most part the northeast and NJ have a lot in common.
If you are fortunate enough to have a vernal pool, wetland or running water by your house you may be hearing frog songs right now. They start calling about a half an hour after sundown. If you’re an early bird you may hear them calling right around sunrise if the temperature is above 50°F. 
It takes practice, I can’t lie, but you can learn to distinguish between different frog vocalizations. I can identify the sixteen species of frogs found in NJ by their calls after a bit of practice. I was participating in a Citizen Science project that has been put on hold and was tested on them; so it can be done! After listening to the songs for a long while they do start to sound different but at first a few of them do sound exactly the same. Finally, if you need more reason to get excited about frogs — I’ll tell you a little about call identification in this video.