Sallie Alley, a citizen naturalist’s wildlife sanctuary

SallieAlley_RedBackedSalamander_FB

“Hi James and John, I wanted to share with you a photo of the sign you made me — in place. Though the trail isn’t complete and we still lack tree leaves (they’re almost out) here in southern Maine, this is the sign’s home. Thank you for a nice-looking quality product. I am very pleased.

This is a personal project I’ve created to clean up the back end of my property abutting a gully. My grandson and I like catching red-backed salamanders here under logs (see photo attached). The critters may stay in a terrarium for a time, then are released back into the woods. This baby red-back is probably 1.5″, but they can grow to about 3.5″. Maine also has yellow-spotted salamanders which are larger – maybe 6″, and wider. I haven’t seen one in a while.

I have dedicated the salamander project in memory of my mother Mary-Agnes Wine who taught college biology here in Maine and was a volunteer AMC naturalist on the trail in the White Mountains for many years.  She passed away in Feb. 2013 at the age of 90.”

Nancy C., Cumberland, Maine