Redback Salamanders Galore...It must be Spring !!

       I was bringing in wood today, to make a fire tomorrow,  wet wood unfortunately ...bad planning. But anyway , I'm used to watching out for the Redbacks and Leadbacks under wood , rock and brick but not three feet off the ground between the wood ! Don't worry though he's okay , I carefully covered him back up with no squishing and then went looking for more , as is my way. Here's the 8th one and the largest.

      I was looking for a Leadback to photograph too, although in my experience they're smaller so they wouldn't show up very well.  And if you're wondering how related are they ?  Well, as my then 5 year old nephew Lock said when I asked him about it " Aunt Sparky , Leadbacks and Redbacks are really just two different phases of the same Salamander" to which I replied " yeah, well everybody knows that ". No, no , I didn't say that, because it would be a lie and I didn't doubt him , at all because he knows that sort of thing and more. He has a very enquiring mind and a non-judgmental way of sharing information. Not coincidentally, salamanders are one of his favorite things, so this post is for him because it's his 7th Birthday today! 

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOCK !!!