April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

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Tamara D. McConnell
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April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Here’s what has been turning up in mine & Ray’s part of the world this month. First, the turtles.
Boxy:
Image
boxy by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Musk:
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musk turtle by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Gopher:
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gopher tort by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Next, a couple of lizards. Green anolis:
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sun seeker by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Skink:
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skink by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Next, sallies. Here’s a two-lined salamander:
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Eurycea cirrigera profile by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
A three-lined:
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Eurycea guttolineata by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
A bit closer:
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Eurycea guttolineata by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Now, frogs. Bullfrog:
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bullfrog by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Bronze:
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bronze frog by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Bird-voiced treefrog:
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Hyla avivoca by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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Hyla avivoca eye by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
SNAKES! Mambas made frequent appearances.
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juv Coluber constrictor priapus by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr


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medium mamba by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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Alabama mambas mating by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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tongue by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Rough green:
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withflower by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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veryclose by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Water snakes:
N. fasciata
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fat N. fasciata by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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N. fasciata by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
N. cyclopion
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Nerodia cyclopion2 by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
N. rhombifer
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juv Nerodia rhombifer by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
N. erythrogaster
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Nerodia erythrogaster by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Mud:
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Farancia abacura by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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mud ventral by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
A coachwhip which we never would have been able to photograph without Chris M.:
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coachwhip by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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coach up close by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Gray rat:


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ratsnake by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Juvenile moc:
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Moc-a-bye-baby by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Ringneck:
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iridescence by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Smooth earth:
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Virginia valeriae by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Redbelly:
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Storeria occipitomaculata by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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juv redbelly by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Pine woods:
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pine woods2 by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Crowned:
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Tantilla coronata by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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T. coronata in flower pot by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
I’ve saved our coolest April find for last. We delivered an amphiuma to a buddy upstate. On the way home, we stopped in Monroe County to herp. Raymond found this king snake:
Image
hypo king by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
You know a chicken picture is coming, don’t you? This is Ray and one of the Stellas. We think falconry is really cool, but we don’t have the permits to get a raptor. So we’re doing the best we can with what we’ve got.
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001 by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Thanks for looking, and happy herping!
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Tim Borski
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Tim Borski »

That Mud snake's nuts...same goes for that pretty little Tantilla but my favorite of all is falconer, Ray!! I would probably pee myself silly if you got the bird a hood and Ray a glove and took a pic of one of the chooks on his hand!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Great post as always.

Tim
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Ribbit
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Ribbit »

A gorgeous series of photos!

John
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Thank you both for the nice words.
Tim, the hood and glove are great ideas. That might even knock my current idea for the family xmas card out of contention (Ray with eyepatch and chook on shoulder, as an Alabama Pirate).
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Mike VanValen
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Mike VanValen »

Great close-ups, especially the mud and rough green. Looks like spring has been treating you right.
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Greg Theos
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Greg Theos »

That kingsnake is amazing. Most of us will never find anything so unusual. It makes the ANF / Meansi kingsnake I found today seem unexceptional.
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

I'd be thrilled to find an ANF/meansi king.
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Greg Theos
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Greg Theos »

I actually found two more today...one trying to eat the other! The dominant one was the most beautiful snake I have ever found and one of the largest Kingsnake I have ever seen.
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

I would love to see a picture of the most beautiful snake...I know you find a lot of snakes, so it's bound to be pretty fabulous.
BLB1029
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For Greg Theos.

Post by BLB1029 »

Greg,
I would like to see the photos of the two Apalachicola kings that you found that were trying to eat each other as well. I've seen your photography previously and know that you take great photos. Seeing a pair of Apalachicola kings together is one thing, but two two together with the one trying to eat the other is something that many of us would never see.
Were both of the kings still alive when you found them or had the one already killed the other?
Looking forward to seeing photos. I'm sure that others are anxious to see these two kings as well. Please post as soon as you can.
Brad Bauserman
Sean
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Sean »

:mrgreen:
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Greg Theos
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Greg Theos »

I am not posting pics here but will post them on my website (which is down at the moment) if and when I have time. I don't have any pics of the cannibalism, which I am assuming was about to take place since one of the snakes was dead and they were right next to eachother. I do have pics of those snakes individually and all of the other ANF / Meansi Kingsnakes I have found.
Sean
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Sean »

:mrgreen:
BLB1029
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by BLB1029 »

"If and when I have time............"????? That in itself seems like a strange thing to say.
There's an old saying that states, "if it sounds too good to be true, then it most likely isn't ". I would like to add one of my own that goes like this, "if it smells like a "poser", then most likely it is a "poser".
So, the bottom line is, you are being "called out". If you are a juvenile and play games like a juvenile, then the photos that you say you DID take will NOT be posted here. If, in fact you are a MAN of your word, then the photos WILL BE posted here on FHF for all to see. Your follow-up, or lack thereof, will be proof enough to me which one you are...............................
Sean
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Sean »

:mrgreen:
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justinm
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by justinm »

Tamara,

Excellent and entertaining post. I liked all your close up head shots.


Greg,

I'm not sure why you don't want to post here? I'm sure you have your own reasons. I'm a big fan of AK's and have bred them the last few years. I would really love to see what snakes you're seeing. If you want to talk to me just privately I still want to see the pics.
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Gracias, Justinm. Hope summer is treating you well.
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walk-about
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by walk-about »

Really nice shots Tamara. That Three-lined Salamander has lots of black pigment encroaching upon its dorsal-lat. Really pretty specimen. Very interesting pupil of the Farancia, I have never seen one quite like that. Are you in their intergradation zone?

RocK ON!

Dave
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Are you in their intergradation zone?
Possibly? I looked at a couple of range maps. It appears that we are very close to the intergradation zone.
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sep11ie
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by sep11ie »

That Mud snake and King are amazing. Well done!
Brian Eagar
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Brian Eagar »

Nice shots. That mud is awesome! Loved the water snakes also.
You should train your Mock-raptor to catch corn in the air or off the stalk.

I have chickens also but there wings get clipped for their protection when young so other than flying to their roost they can't do much arial swooping.
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lateralis
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by lateralis »

Great pictures all, especially liked the storeria. Looks like one I found a million years ago on Dauphin Island.
Cheers
Lat
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Thanks, y'all. Brian, what sort of chickens do you keep?
Celinder72
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Celinder72 »

Sean wrote::mrgreen:
To all of the people doubting Gregs finds I have seen the pictures and the short video,and the ANF Kingsnake cannibalising the other King is the most beautiful I have seen and this includes all of Seans Kings and Sean has found some beautiful snakes! And unlike Sean ,Greg releases all of the Kings found and he has found many. I would have been tempted to keep this Kingsnake and I have not kept any wildcaught snake since 1997 .To those who dont know Greg is a hospital pharmacist working 80 hours a week, so that is the "if and when" he updates his site. Unlike some people whos life is only herping, Greg is also an accomplished musician ,and he is also a helluva cook! Greg has only posted a fraction of the herps he has found so 'if and when" he updates his site trust me guys it will be worth it!
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Mike Pingleton
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Re: April in lower Alabama (same as SE Chapter post)

Post by Mike Pingleton »

Great stuff, Tamara! I like that Virginia closeup best of all.

This post was all that and a bag of chips, with a glimpse at the noble art of chickenry for dessert :)

-Mike
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