Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

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Phil Peak
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Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

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It has been an interesting and productive season for Will and myself here in

Kentucky. We have been to some beautiful places, met some interesting people, and

more importantly, found some really nice snakes along the way.

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I'll start this post with some habitat photo's. Due to drought in the western

portion of the state we decided to concentrate our recent efforts in the east. We

are pleased with the results and many snakes have been found at these locations.

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We have tin sites across the state most of which no one aside from ourselves will

ever see. After losing close to 1,000 sheets of roofing tin through the recession we

now place our materials in very remote locations. At this site we find copperheads,

racers, black kingsnakes, prairie kingsnakes and eastern hognose.

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Tin stack. A very productive way to locate snakes even in the hot summer months. A

recent visit to this site produced a timber rattlesnake and a pair of eastern milk

snakes.

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This small rise recently produced three copperheads and a timber rattlesnake. What

you can't see from here is the roofing tin thats placed in the tall brush along this

small rocky hill that abuts a tree line that runs to an adjacent hill. In the spring

we commonly find kingsnakes and racers beneath the same metal.

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Metal placed in the woodline between an upland meadow and a forested hill side. Here

we have found ringneck snakes, red belly snakes, smooth earth snakes, eastern milks,

black kingsnakes, copperheads, racers and timber rattlesnakes.

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Flood plain meadow in the Jackson Purchase near the Mississippi River. Many species

of snakes are abundant in this habitat.

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Western KY swamp where cottonmouth are especially abundant.

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Rock cut in the Bluegrass Region. This habitat yields eastern garter snakes, eastern

milk snakes and the occasional rat snake.

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Another view of this habitat type.

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Swampy area in the Western Coal Field Region. Thamnophis and Nerodia of many species

abound here as well as kingsnakes and rat snakes.

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Grassy dyke bisecting two swampy areas in the WCF.

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Well, on with the snakes! This is a nicer than normal eastern milk from the Bluegrass region.

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A very large female milk that looks like she's been through a few wars.

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Intergrade (eastern x red) milk snake from the Knobs region.

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County record eastern milk duplicated from a specimen we found last year.

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And triplicated. We actually found a fourth specimen that day as well.

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Western KY milk snake found in July.

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Jackson Purchase prairie kingsnake.

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Mammoth Cave region prairie kingsnake.

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A rather drab old prairie kingsnake, but from an interesting locale, Louisville.

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Eastern KY kingsnake.

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Western KY kingsnake.

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Mammoth Cave kingsnake.

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Western Coal Field kingsnake.

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West KY kingsnake found AOR at night.

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Intergrade (black x speckled kingsnake) from the Jackson Purchase.

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From the other end of the spectrum, a queen snake.

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I may well be in the minority, but I really like water snakes. This is a midland

water from west KY.

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A rather nondescipt northern water snake from eastern KY.

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Ballard county plain bellied water snake.

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Carlisle county plain bellied water snake.

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Hickman county plain bellied water snake.

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Copper bellied water snake from the WCF.

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Broad-banded water snake.

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Diamondback water snake from the WCF.

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Eastern garter snake from Louisville.

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Eastern Garter from the JP.

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Eastern ribbon from the WCF.

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We have found many eastern hognose this year, and by luck, all those that we have

found that were not preparing to shed were dark and unpatterned. All the same, we

enjoy seeing them.

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These from southcentral KY.

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These from western KY.

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we also appreciate the smaller woodland snakes. A smooth earth snake from Trigg

county KY.

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Northern Red belly snake.

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Northern ringneck snake - Meade county.

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DeKay's snake - Louisville.

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DeKay's snake - Hardin county.

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Western mud snake.

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Rat snake from Mammoth Cave area.

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Rat snake from Louisville.

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West KY rat snake.

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Some Cave Region corn snakes.

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Southern racers have been as common as ever.

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One of my favorites - western cottonmouth.

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Another example.

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Gravid east KY copperhead.

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An uncommon occurence - AOR copperhead at mid day.

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Local copperhead.

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Early season copperhead found under metal in western KY.

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As usual, the most commonly observed snake species AOR this summer has been the

copperhead. This was an unusually large specimen.

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You see enough of them and you are likely to see an odd ball once in a while.

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Perhaps our favorite species, timber rattlesnake found AOR in west KY.

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Another timber from the KY hill country.

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A yellow phase timber.

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Big darkish timber with a nice string.

I have plenty more to post when the season is over and I have more time. I

appreciate all the fine posts that you guys put up and I look forward to each and

every one!

Phil
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sitarshaman
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by sitarshaman »

VERY NICE !!!! Love the hot ones !!!
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Dr. Dark
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Dr. Dark »

EXCELLENT post, as always! I am with you...I love that first watersnake...BEAUTIFUL!
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mikem
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by mikem »

Wow, great finds! That oddball copperhead is amazing looking and love the watersnakes :thumb:
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Mark Brown
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Mark Brown »

Fantastic series, Phil. I loved the aberrant contortrix.....couldn't tell you how many hours I spent looking for one like that in southern Ohio and never did find one.
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jayder85
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by jayder85 »

You never disappoint Phil!
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Mike VanValen
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Mike VanValen »

Nice assortment. As usual, I love the cornsnakes but the broad-banded watersnake is also a good looking snake. No scarlet kings?
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Jason B
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Jason B »

Nice photos Phil! Good to see you guys were able to beat the heat and drought and still find your quarry. I really like the look of that Redbelly snake.

-Jb
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Cole Grover
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Cole Grover »

Wow! Stellar, Phil! I can't tell you how badly I need to make it down there to herp with you guys...

Love the timbers, the hogs, and that western KY syspila is mind-blowing. The pattern on that beast is unreal.

-Cole
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chrish
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by chrish »

I know they are dirt common where you are, but I never get tired of seeing Black King photos.

That subspecies has long been high on my wish list. I need to get the Blackking State,......I mean the Bluegrass State someday.
Barry R
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Barry R »

Great stuff Phil!
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Phil Peak
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

Thanks guys!


sitarshaman,

Me too! In all, they may well be my favorite group of snakes. To us, finding a really nice pit viper quickly turns a mediocre day into a good one.


Dr. Dark,

Its so nice to hear from others that appreciate water snakes! They seem to be underappreciated by many snake guys.


mikem,

I'm really glad that we took the time to photograph that snake. It appeared right at the witching hour when snakes were all over the roads.


Mark Brown,

We've seen a few but I believe that one to be the most extreme example we have seen. They really are such neat snakes!


jayder85,

You are most kind Jayd!


Mike VanValen,

Not yet Mike, but we believe we are still in the game. We have recorded them here in KY as late as Sept 30th, so we have plenty of time. We could really use some rain here to help us along!


Jason,

We have actually been spending a lot of time in eastern KY this summer since western KY has been in extreme drought. This decision has done well for us and we have found many snakes as a result. I really liked that particular red belly snake too. I find the two toned specimens to be especially attractive.


Cole,

The milk snake was a welcomed find on an otherwise slow night. Very beautiful snake but I would consider that animal to be an eastern x syspila intergrade.


chrish,

We do have it very good here in the kingsnake department. They are indeed a common and widespread snake here in KY.


Barry,

Much appreciated Barry!

Thanks again folks!


Phil
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ahockenberry
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by ahockenberry »

Phil
Dang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You put on a clinic in herping, photography, pretty much everything - Outstanding.

I should have spent a lot more time herping than I did fishing when I lived in KY !!!
Awesome post
Keep em coming
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Great post! Love those hogs.
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Phil Peak
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

Thank you kindly friends,


Ashley,

We are truly blessed here. And the fishing isn't too shabby either!


Tamara,

Glad you enjoyed the hogs. Everyone we find seems to be an adventure to photograph. Thankfully a few always seem to come together each year.

Thanks again,

Phil
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Brandon D
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Brandon D »

Awesome post Phill Loved especially the syspila, it still amazes me that nice syspila can be found in that area, I need to travel there some day. I also really enjoyed those habitat shots, as well as your unique calligasters and your platy's and of course the horridus and triangulum
:beer:
Brandon DeCavele
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Andrew G
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Andrew G »

I always enjoy your posts, and this was no exception! You really do a great job on your habitat shots, I always mean to take habitat pictures but invariably forget. The hots are nice as always. I am guilty of not being too big a fan of water snakes, but man that midland is quite a looker!

Andrew
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Phil Peak
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

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Thanks guys,


Brandon,

Kentucky has some of the nicest reds around. I would consider the snake in my original post to be an intergrade. This is a good example of a KY syspila.


Andrew,

I still have a hard time remembering habitat shots and I tend to take them only when the weather is cooperative. I'm always glad that I took them though and years later they really bring back the memories just as much as the snake photos do.


Thanks again, Phil
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Cole Grover
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Cole Grover »

Phil Peak wrote:Kentucky has some of the nicest reds around. I would consider the snake in my original post to be an intergrade. This is a good example of a KY syspila.
Uh, wow. That thing is amazing!

I'm with you, Phil - the first animal is an intergrade, though it shows a lot of syspila phenotypically. Any other milk photos from the area of that smokin' beast in the original post?

-Cole
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Phil Peak
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

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Here you go Cole, these are photo's of milks from the same locale as the intergrade in the original post.

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A couple more non-intergrading KY reds.

Phil
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Jason B
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Jason B »

Wow Phil, that second-to-last red is gorgeous. I love the head pattern and extra wide saddles.
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Phil Peak
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

Thanks Jason,

Thats what I think of when I picture a red milk snake. Reduced or absent lateral blotching, low blotch count which resmbles saddles along the back, collar configuration at the base of the head and very red in coloration. I believe the intergrade zone in KY is fairly large based on my observations and some of the intergrades themselves are very beautiful snakes. They tend to be quite a bit different than those in the far reaches of the JP though.

Phil
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Joshua Jones
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Joshua Jones »

Copperheads are, by far, one of my favorite species. That aberrant specimen you found is a real screamer. The last timber you posted was a real looker, as well. Thanks for posting. :thumb:
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Phil Peak
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

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Thanks Joshua,

Copperheads are one of our favorite species as well. We especially appreciate the diversity of coloration and pattern that occurs between one population and the next. This is a nice reddish specimen that I photographed this morning. This is probably my favorite coloration within this species.

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Another animal photographed at the same locale this morning. This one a gravid girl. Less colorful but with a nice contrast of pattern.


Phil
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Robyn@TRR
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Robyn@TRR »

That's a wide variety of great looking snakes!
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by FunkyRes »

Not to be me too, but that's a lot of really nice snakes!
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Phil Peak
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

Thanks! We have been very fortunate to see so many beautiful and interesting snakes this year. I do hope that our good fortune continues and we see many more before this year is through.

Phil
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

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Phil Peak
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

Thanks much, Coluber! Glad you enjoyed the post.

Phil
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Nigel Smith
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Nigel Smith »

Phil, awesome post as usual! You have to tell me how you manage to make posing snakes look so easy. :mrgreen: Thanks for sharing.
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todd battey
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by todd battey »

What an amazing variety of snakes you encounter. Love the red milks, the puffed up hog-nosed snakes, the variety of kings and copperheads, etc. Fantastic post.
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walk-about
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by walk-about »

Phil,

Very nice post. I especially enjoyed the copperheads and milks. The coppers with the wider glasses are my favorites. They are beautiful to behold. The drought was pretty dang rough on us Kentucky boys this year, and especially down here. And I for one am enjoying some cooler weather today here in Murray. September should be interesting.

RocK ON!

Dave
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Phil Peak
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Re: Kentucky snakes 2012 to date

Post by Phil Peak »

Thanks guys,

Nigel,

I believe the key to posing a snake for photographs is patience and gentle treatment of the snake itself. Sometimes it comes together in short order and on other occasions it may take some time to get what you want. We pass on most snakes that we find, but on those we choose to photograph we settle in and take our time.


Todd,

We are indeed blessed with a rich diversity of snakes here in KY.


Dave,

It sure has been a strange year for us here in regards to weather. The mild winter and early spring got us off to a great start and I sure was glad that we took advantage of it. With the drought this summer through much of KY we decided to spend a lot more time in the eastern portion of the state which was not hit nearly as hard. This worked out very well for us and we were able to locate some really neat snakes in places we don't frequent often. I'm glad we're finally getting some rains! Lets hope the fall is good to us all here.


Thanks again, Phil
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