Earlier today my family and I hit the Escarpment Rail Trail in Hamilton Ont. With the goal of finding some salamanders.
My 3 year old has seen them before but was so young that she was scared of them lol. Now she is very interested but for quite some time, we couldn't go on this trail. It had been taken over by the homeless and drug addicts, with several large encampments. The city finally cleared it out in the early spring (only because national and international attention was raised because it is part of a U.N. bioreserve. It is an area that is said to have more biodiversity than anywhere else in the world).
The hills are covered with rocks and overgrowth, which makes for a perfect habit for the cut little lizards. It takes no time at all to find them! lift a couple rocks and there will be some.
This was a small/young one with an adult (assuming mother and child).
My 3 year old was very interested in them as I picked them up to show her. She was more than willing to lightly touch them, but not yet ready to hold one lol. What she could not get enough of was finding them under rocks etc. and just observing them as is. It really is amazing to watch the wonder in the eyes of a child while learning about nature!
These are Eastern Red Backed Salamanders
After walking and finding them for a couple of km, we decided to turn back and call it a day.
Note: All lizards were returned peacefully to where they were found and unharmed.