Eft up

Okay. My apologies. I just couldn't help it -- let me explain the title. This little guy is an eastern newt, which is a type of salamander. He began life as an egg laid in water sometime last spring and remained aquatic until late summer, when he lost his gills and turned into the red land-dwelling creature you see above. At this point in his life he is known as a red eft. After one to three years in this form, he will turn into a brown, drab-looking adult and return to the water to mate -- never again to return to land.