We recently returned from documenting the most remote location of 7 northeastern states as part of Project Remote. We encountered many animals during our expeditions. Here are a select few – the most remote animals in the Northeast.
Fowler’s Toad – Bufo fowleri. These toads are very similar to the American Toad. One way to distinguish the two is that Fowler’s has 2-3 tubericles (warts) per dark pigmented spot while the American only has 1.
Toad tadpoles. Crossing a pond in NY we waded through frog eggs and large masses of toad tadpoles. Toad tadpoles are distinctive because of their large, round, black bodies and relatively short tails.
Green Frog – Rana clamitans. In the south we call this same species the Bronze Frog (and it is typically a more bronze color) but in the north the frog is called the Green Frog.
Eastern Newt – Notophthalmus viridescens. This is a very common newt species in the eastern United States. This picture shows the red eft stage, which is the terrestrial stage of this species.
White admiral – Limenitis arthemis. This was one of the most common butterfly species we saw in the northeastern woods.
Least tern – Sternula antillarum antillarum. We zoomed in on this nesting bird while documenting the MA Remote Spot. Unlike the other two subspecies (interior and California), this Atlantic coast subspecies is not considered endangered.
Great Black-backed gull – Larus marinus. The island on which the RI Remote Spot is located appears to be a major breeding site for this common gull species. Our walk to the Spot involved hopping across scat-covered rocks, like the one in this picture.
These 3 great black-backed gull chicks showed no fear of humans and spent a lot of time checking out us and our boat.
Snowshoe hare – Lepus americanus. Summer plumage – but notice the large white feet. This rabbit visited us at our campsite overlooking Russell Pond in Baxter State Park (ME).
Beaver (Castor canadensis) dam. While hiking into the NY Remote Spot, we watched a beaver swimming around its lodge, as well as building this dam.
Gray seals – Halichoerus grypus. The MA Remote Spot is located within Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, an important haul-out site for the gray seal. This particular pod followed us as we walked down the beach after documenting the Spot.
Moose – Alces alces. Probably our most rewarding wildlife encounter was watching this bull moose eating lake vegetation near our campsite in Maine. We watched him all evening and went to sleep to the sound of water streaming off his antlers as he lifted his head up to breathe and finish his mouthful.