I live in Rensselaer County, New York and the only salamaders I can seem to find are Red-back Salamanders which are very common here. I have found other salamanders such as two-lined salamanders and possibly a spotted or tiger salamader larva. I see websites that tell me there are multiple other salamanders residing here, but I have no luck finding them. For example, at http://nyfalls.com/wildlife/Wildlife-reptiles-salamanders.html it shows that Jefferson, Four-toed, and Red salamanders and red spotted newts live in my county. I have no problem finding these salamanders and others in the Adirondacks at my camp, but it also shows their distribution in my county so why can’t I find them here?

Also, I know that one reason I might not be able to find some of the mole salamanders that live here is because they burrow 2 feet in the ground, but how could I spot these holes or burrows?

I was most amazed when I saw that Red-spotted newts apparently reside where I live. These are very common at my camp in the Adirondacks, but I have never foiund one here. Where should I look and when? I looked in the same places as at my camp with no luck.

By the way, the road I live on is on a hill, my house is just on the edge of this hill, to get to where I search, I walk down this 30-40 foot hill at the end of my yard and there are red-backs about under logs right at the bottom. If I walk another 100 feet, I get to a creek that is up to 4 feet deep in places.There is also a few marshes and ponds within 100 feet. I find red-backs down here under logs, two-lined salamanders under rocks on the shore of the creek and either spotted or tiger salamander larvae in a pond that formed from when the creek flooded. There is tree coverage down here and not much light. Where should I look and when to find the salamanders and newts that are supposed to live here?