Today was a great day to do a herp survey of Hemlock Overlook’s Doak Farm.  Within the first half hour we found several ring neck snakes and pair of northern browns and seven box turtles before we headed off into the woods. Salamanders were a little challenging but we were able to capture (and release) several two lined salamanders.  At the pond, the final stop in our short tour we hit the jackpot. Almost everyone was successful in capturing a red spotted newt.  What a day.  Later on that day I developed body aches, shrtness of breath and headache. By the end of the week I was experiencing the worse headache pain and fever ever. I was admitted to hospital for the third time in a week. The doctors didn’t know what exactly was wrong with me.  Spinal taps, x-rays, Catscans ultra sounds volumes of blood test and a 4 dat stretch in the hospital with a near 104 degree temperature later they discovered I had erlichiosis-another form of bacteria transmitted by ticks.  Took me months to regain my energy -needless to say that was the sickest I had been in my life-in fact almost died according to my wife.

Pair of Northern Brown Snakes discovered by Michael Gregory (photo by Michael Gregory)