Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, etc.

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Carl Koch
Posts: 435
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:45 pm
Location: West Milwaukee, WI

Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, etc.

Post by Carl Koch »

After doing 2012 spring break salamander egg surveys in the north woods (http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =5&t=11297), I was more than ready to start finding herps (and by-catch) closer to home.

APRIL

Northern redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus).

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P4180007 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris L.).

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P4210022 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Crayfish with colorful eggs.

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P4210052 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Watchful male Canada goose (Branta Canadensis) patrolling near nesting female.

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P4210070 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

A common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) eyes me from under the mud.

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P4210105 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P4210104 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P4210106 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Water bug with eggs on board.

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P4210111 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Tamarack trees (Larix laricina) in Beulah Bog State Natural Area.

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P4220007 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Tussock Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum) is found at this bog...

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P4220015 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P4220016 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

...as well as purple pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea).

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P4220018 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P4220023 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Plank walkway through part of Beulah Bog.

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P4220044 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

A May apple (Podophyllum peltatum) prior to unfolding.

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P4220050 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

May apple patch.

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P4220064 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

MAY

A young female Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) from 5/2.

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P5020002 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5020004 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5020017 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Growing up I spent every summer at our family cottage on Sugar Island in the middle of Lower Nemahbin Lake in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Mudpuppies (Necturus maculosus) are common in the lake, but I’ve never gotten decent photos of one prior to now. On the night of 5/4 my brothers and I got together at the cottage to hang out, planning to fish the next day. After jawing around the fire pit until the wee hours, my 3 brothers headed off to bed, and I headed to the rocky shoreline to try and net a mudpuppy. I quickly spied this one emerging from a jumble of rocks and bricks.

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P5050242 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Though I found 4 that night I was unable to net any, but the next day I caught one while the brothers fished.

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P5060424 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Male bullfrog.

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P5060452 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

The next weekend I joined Don Becker (psyon) and his son and brother in Illinois to look for western hognose snakes (Heterodon nasicus). Snappers were nesting early this year (5/12)...normally I find them nesting in early June.

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P5120469 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Don found a ground nest.

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P5120476 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5120475 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Don’s bro found a pair of fox snakes (Pantherophis vulpinus), one of which promptly took off.

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P5120480 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

This was a good-sized snake (Don is a good-sized guy :).

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P5120487 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Owl pellet.

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P5120502 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Male ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata).

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P5120507 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5120508 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Another ornate, tucked in to a form in the hot part of the afternoon.

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P5120510 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5120513 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Male six-lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus) in breeding livery.

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P5120533 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Another tucked-in ornate...these were sometimes challenging to find.

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P5120540 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

After Don & crew left I headed back to see if I could find our target for the day which had eluded us. I was lucky enough to happen upon this western hog out on the crawl.

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P5120552 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5120008 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5120014 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Shortly after that another large fox snake made an appearance.

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P5120085 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Some type of foxglove.

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P5120096 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Female six-lined racerunner, bulging with eggs.

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P5120105 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Back on home turf the next evening, I thought these looked cool in the dusk light.

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P5130002 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5130006 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

On May 19th our church held a men’s retreat at Harrington Beach State Park. I found a few nicely colored common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis)...

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P5190019 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

...one of which basked on the deck of the building we were renting as it digested a large meal, most likely a frog or toad.

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P5190082 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

The view of Lake Michigan was splendid.

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P5190035 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Dame’s rocket -- introduced, but pretty (distinguished from Phlox which has 5 petals).

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P5190040 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Beautiful eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis).

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P5190068 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

A white cedar swamp next to the area we were in...

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P5190091 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

...yielded a few blue-spotted salamanders (Ambystoma laterale)...

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P5190094 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

... jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)...

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P5190109 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

...and lovely views of lush, fern-filled forest.

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P5190136 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

At a pond in the park, painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) basked in thick vegetation.

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P5190165 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5190168 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

One of the rarer snakes in Wisconsin is the northern ribbon snake (Thamnophis sauritus septentrionalis) and I was thrilled to find one this season.

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P5190186 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5190192 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

At the end of May, my friend Phil Fritsch and his son Avery and I headed out to a spot in central Wisconsin and were met there by my friend Dave Connell. While looking for timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus), I found this Question Mark butterfly
(Polygonia interrogationis) -- thanks for the I.D. Justin Michels and Tim Spuckler!

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P5260023 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Two gravid female timbers.

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P5260031 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5260036 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

I spooked a bird off this nest and it gave an amazing “broken wing” performance.

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P5260041 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5260042 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5260043 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Later the bird returned, revealing itself to be a lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus).

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P5260047 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Climbing another bluff, Dave spied a large bull snake (Pituophis catenifer sayi) which appeared to be a gravid female. Here’s Avery Fritsch with the big girl.

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P5260055 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

And Dave.

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P5260062 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

While others held and admired the snake, Dave noticed a hole in the rock face that had a snake track in the sand in the bottom of it. When we released the snake a ways away from the hole, it crawled directly over to it and up the face of the rock into it.

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P5260071 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5260073 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Dave dwarfed by an expansive bluff prairie.

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P5260076 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

At the end of the day, just as we were walking to the vehicles, I spied this baby bull snake in a bunch of prickly pear cactus...a great way to end a successful day!

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P5260085 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5260099 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Back in SE Wisconsin, found this baby fox snake on 5/28...

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P5280005 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

...and these eastern hognose snakes (Heterodon platirhinos) on 5/30.

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P5300014 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5300015 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5300017 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5300018 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5300020 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

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P5300023 by Carl Koch, on Flickr

Next up...June.

Thanks for checkin’ out my post! Hope you’ll check out part 2, “The Boys from California & Hogs Nesting Early”

Carl
User avatar
Chris Smith
Posts: 2291
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:13 pm
Location: Minnesota

Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by Chris Smith »

Great stuff Carl! Nice to see the WI ribbon!

-Chris
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muskiemagnet
Posts: 1253
Joined: June 11th, 2010, 8:43 am
Location: kaukauna, wi

Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by muskiemagnet »

nice ribbon. i'll have to work that one off my list this summer. see ya next week.

-ben
Rob_Carmichael
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Joined: February 17th, 2012, 4:25 pm

Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by Rob_Carmichael »

Outstanding "story" that you told through your lens; if that doesn't get folks excited about being out in nature, nothing will. I particularly loved the ribbon snake pics, pitcher plants, timber and the mudpuppy...an amphibian that I have yet to see in the wild. Can't wait to get out into the field with you Carlos!
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Salzy
Posts: 34
Joined: February 22nd, 2011, 5:46 pm
Location: Stevens Point, WI
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Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by Salzy »

Awesome finds and superb photos Carl! Thanks so much for sharing this compilation. You have been onto some pretty great stuff. We need to hook up sometime soon....I advanced at work and have a new job that allows me some weekends off finally. :)
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tspuckler
Posts: 355
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:40 pm

Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by tspuckler »

Great stuff Carl!

I especially like the Bull Snake series, the Blanding's Turtle and the Ribbon.

You butterfly is a Question Mark, named for the symbol seen on its hind wing when folded.

Image

Tim
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pinesnake
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Location: The Ruhr Area of Germany
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Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by pinesnake »

Hello Carl,

so many pretty pictures. As I friend of Pituophis I like the bull snakes most. But you made so many species well!
The Thamnophis are nic too.
Thanks for sharing!

Bernd
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Carl Koch
Posts: 435
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:45 pm
Location: West Milwaukee, WI

Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by Carl Koch »

Thanks everyone!

Carl
joeysgreen
Posts: 523
Joined: June 11th, 2010, 9:09 pm
Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by joeysgreen »

Excellent post Carl!

Ian
Coluber Constrictor
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Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

.
User avatar
Carl Koch
Posts: 435
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:45 pm
Location: West Milwaukee, WI

Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by Carl Koch »

Thanks Ian.

Coluber -- right look to them but way too small, I think, and I don't think RWBBs nest on the ground, but I could be wrong.
Verhoodled
Posts: 306
Joined: August 7th, 2010, 3:48 pm
Location: Tucson, AZ

Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by Verhoodled »

Awesome photos, Carl. Yet again. You've perfected the trifecta of top notch herping, superb photos and bringing the viewer along for the ride.

I'm sorry the one hog died on you. Hope it gets better soon. ;)
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Zach Cava
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Re: Wisconsin Herpotpourri, pt.1: mudpuppy, rare ribbon, et

Post by Zach Cava »

very cool shots, I wonder what the deal is w/ the bicolor crayfish eggs? I really like the plastron on that box turtle too
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