SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

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gretzkyrh4
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Location: Baton Rouge, LA

SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by gretzkyrh4 »

Happy New Years Eve folks! Time to get ready for our New Years day herp challenge. The weather won't be ideal, but hopefully everyone will be able to get out and find some herps. Go ahead and use this thread to post your results as you make it back in tomorrow.

Here's the 2013 score card for those who want to keep track as people begin submitting records.
http://www.naherp.com/reports/national- ... 2013-01-01

As a reminder, here's a copy of the scoring format Chrish was kind enough to layout for us.


Three ways to win:
(a) Overall Points Winner (see scoring system below)
(b) Most Taxa (total species observed)
(c) Most Records (total records submitted to NAHERP)


Overall Points Scoring System:
(a) 10 points/taxon/county (species level)
(b) 1 point/vouchered record (limit 10/species/county)

Here's an example of how scoring will work (provided by chrish)

So if contestant A stays in their home county and enters 4 taxa:

25 Acris crepitans = 10 points + 10 (maxed out the number of points for Acris in one county)
5 Ambystoma texanum = 10 points + 5
20 Trachemys = 10 points + 10 (again maxed out)
5 Alligators = 10 points + 5
10 Incilius nebulifer = 10 points + 10

They get 40 points for the records (only the first 10 Acris and Trachemys count), 50 points for five taxa for a total of 90 points.

If contestant B enters 7 taxa from one one county:

2 Acris = 10 points + 2
3 Hyla versicolor = 10 points + 3
3 Incilius nebulifer = 10 points + 3
2 Lithobates clamitans = 10 points + 2
3 Eurycea quadrigittata = 10 points + 3
5 Pseudacris fouquettei = 10 points + 5
2 Nerodia fasciata = 10 points + 2

They get 20 points for the records but another 70 points for the for the 7 taxa for a total of 90 points.

Contestant C find four taxa in two counties and enters:

1 Hyla chrysoscelis (county 1) = 10 points + 1
2 Hyla chrysoscelis (county 2) = 10 points + 2
1 Acris crepitans (county 1) = 10 points + 1
1 Acris crepitans (county 2) = 10 points + 1
2 Alligator (county 1) = 10 points + 2
1 Alligator (county 2) = 10 points + 1
1 Incilius nebulifer (county 1) = 10 points + 1
1 Incilius nebulifer (county 2) = 10 points + 1

Person C gets 10 points for their records plus 80 points for having 8 different "county-taxa", so they end up with 90 points.
Good luck everyone and be safe out there.
Chris
Shane_TX
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Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by Shane_TX »

I flipped about a half-a-dozen boards and turned up two cottonmouths. Also heard numerous Pseudacris triseriata calling. I had hoped for some atrox and gartersnakes under the boards but oh well. No herping other than that.

Hope some of you had good finds and surprises.

Shane
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beanie
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Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by beanie »

Well I got a good start before the rain started but it didn't last long. I was hoping to finish the night with some Amphiuma but I guess the cold weather got the best of them. Anyway here's our totals from today.

1 - Anaxyrus fowleri
1 - Lithobates clamitans
5 - Gastrophryne carolinensis
5 - Incilius nebulifer

1 - Scincella lateralis
1 - Anolis carolinensis carolinensis
gretzkyrh4
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 12:17 pm
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by gretzkyrh4 »

In lieu of chasing salamanders, I decided to ride ahead of the front today flipping roadside A/C before cruising my way back through the storm at dusk. Species lists are broken down by parish beginning with the first visited.

Iberville Parish, LA:
Snakes:
1 Agkistrodon contortrix (Southern Copperhead)
1 Diadophis punctatus (Mississippi Ringneck)
1 Storeria Dekay (Dekay's Snake)
Amphibians:
1 Gastrophryne carolinensis (Eastern Narrowmouth Toad)

St. Martin Parish, LA:
Lizards:
1 Scincella lateralis (Ground Skink) - NOT VOUCHERED
Amphibians:
1 Acris crepitans (Northern Cricket Frog) - NOT VOUCHERED
Pseudacris crucifer (Spring Peeper) CALLING ONLY - NOT VOUCHERED
2 Pseudacris fouquettei (Cajun Chorus Frog)

Tangipahoa Parish, LA:
Snakes:
2 Pantherophis spiloides (Gray Rat Snake)
Amphibians:
Pseudacris fouquettei (Cajun Chorus Frog) CALLING ONLY - NOT VOUCHERED

St. Tammany Parish, LA:
Lizards:
2 Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole)
2 Scincella lateralis (Ground Skink) - NOT VOUCHERED
Turtles:
10+ Trachemys scripta (Red Eared Slider)
Amphibians:
1 Acris gryllus (Southern Cricket Frog)
1 Lithobates catesbeianus (Bullfrog) - NOT VOUCHERED
3 Lithobates clamitans (Bronze Frog)
Pseudacris crucifer (Spring Peeper) CALLING ONLY - NOT VOUCHERED
Pseudacris fouquettei (Cajun Chorus Frog) CALLING ONLY - NOT VOUCHERED

Ascension Parish, LA:
Amphibians:
1 Lithobates sphenocephalus (Southern Leopard Frog)
2 Pseudacris fouquettei (Cajun Chorus Frog)

That's 15 species total with 12 Vouchered for the contest.

Chris
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Soopaman
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Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by Soopaman »

Okay, I didn't find a whole lot, but had a great time anyhow and picked up a lifer for the new year. Forgot to voucher a few things as I got excited and didn't remember it was a competition today...

Anyhow,

Jasper County

Ambystoma maculatum - 1 vouchered
Ambystoma opacum - 1 vouchered
Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis - 1 vouchered
Rana catesbiana - 1 vouchered
Hyla ssp 1 - vouchered
Gastrophryne carolinensis - 1 vouchered

Forgot to voucher:
Dwarf salamander, Leopard Frog

Angelina County

Ambystoma opacum - 1 vouchered

Polk County

Scaphiopus hurteri - 1 vouchered

I think some are county records in the DB. That's double extra super points, right?
ritt
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Joined: June 8th, 2010, 7:05 am

Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by ritt »

Not bad, folks!

I decided to change things up and head towards some areas in northeastern Louisiana that I've long intended to herp, but hadn't yet made it out to yet. Ended up with 2 lifers, and another species that I had yet to find in Louisiana.

Catahoula Parish:
8 Plethodon serratus (lifer)
1 Plethodon kisatchie (lifer, new species for the database)
2 Ambystoma maculatum (my first in Louisiana)
1 Hyla cinerea
1 Plestiodon laticeps
4 Plestiodon fasciatus
2 Scincella lateralis

Caldwell Parish:
3 Ambystoma opacum
2 Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis
2 Scincella lateralis

Not a bad day, particularly for an area I've never before herped. 9 species vouchered, 26 total vouchered records, and, by my count, 126 points.

So, Kyle, if your county records count as "double extra super points," my new species for the database counts as triple extra uber points, right? :lol: :beer:

Also, just to point out, as of right now, the SCC is responsible for 91% of the DB entries found in 2013! Rock on!

-Eric
dbh
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Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by dbh »

Wow, Eric, I wish I would have been with you!
Some cool stuff and pretty fantastic for going to a new area.

I had to work and then some cruising for me.

Orleans Parish "city/work herping"
1-Gastrophryne carolinensis
2-Scincella lateralis
6- Anolis c. carolinensis
11- Anolis sagrei

Went out cruising and decided to head east.
St. Tammany Parish
3- Pseudacris crucifer
2- Scaphiophis holbrookii
2- Hyla cinerea
2- Eurycea quadridigitata
1 Anaxyrus terrestris

Left that area and headed south to look for Ambystoma sp. and struck out.
Headed towards the house and finished up.
Jefferson Parish
2- Pseudacris crucifer

Lots of cool stuff vouchered by everyone.
David
gretzkyrh4
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Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by gretzkyrh4 »

Wow guys! Looks like the contest did really well. At this point everyone has either reported in here or on the database (except for ratsnake who informed me his Dallas group was skunked). Thus far we've entered 84 records in the database comprising 29 species including a new species for the DB, Eric's Plethodon Kisatchie.

Thanks to all who participated and I think we should plan a similar event for the 1st weekend of spring (March 23-24). Scoring results are below (let me know if you think I tallied anything wrong).

Chris
------

Most Taxa (Vouchered):

(1) Gretzkyrh4 - 12
(2) DBH - 9
(2) ritt - 9
(4) soopaman - 7
(5) Beanie - 6
(6) jeffro - 5
(7) Shane - 2

Most Records:
(1) DBH - 32
(2) ritt - 26
(3) gretzkyrh4 - 15
(4) soopaman - 8 (cough cough...Kyle enter your records...cough cough)
(5) Beanie - 6
(6) jeffro - 5

Overall Points: (see scoring system in original post)
(1) gretzkyrh4 - 134
(2) dbh - 130
(3) ritt - 126
(4) soopaman - 88
(5) beanie - 66
(6) jeffro - 55
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Soopaman
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Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by Soopaman »

Chris, I'll have mine in the database this morning. I was up late editing pictures and didn't want to stay up any later to put them in the DB.

On another note, I still have no idea what this frog is. Anybody have a guess?

Image
Frog by Kyle L.E., on Flickr
ritt
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Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by ritt »

Chris, I was going to suggest the same thing - an Equinox Herp Challenge. With some more herp-friendly weather, I think we could collect quite a bit of data on a spring challenge.

Kyle, your frog looks like Hyla squirella
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Soopaman
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Location: Houston, Texas

Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by Soopaman »

ritt wrote:Chris, I was going to suggest the same thing - an Equinox Herp Challenge. With some more herp-friendly weather, I think we could collect quite a bit of data on a spring challenge.

Kyle, your frog looks like Hyla squirella
Thanks ritt. That's the second vote for that species. I put it in the database as such.

I may have one more record for Ambystoma opacum eggs (I guess I could have two, but I lumped a female in with her clutch for one record). There wasn't a salamander around, but they looked like opacum eggs, though very freshly laid.

Image
Salamander eggs by Kyle L.E., on Flickr
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chrish
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Re: SC Chapter New Years Day Herp Challenge

Post by chrish »

Excellent work!

I only saw one herp on New Year's Day and since it isn't in the database (Lampropholis delicata) I can't enter. ;)
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