Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

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Josh Young
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Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by Josh Young »

While the herping season isn't over for me, as I can still find snakes through winter, salamanders and chorus frogs will most likely be my larger focus through the winter. I figured I'd take the time to post most of the snakes, as well as a few lizards and crocodilians, I've seen over the year.

In March I joined a group of herpers for a trip around in centralish and south Florida.

An eastern diamondback from an island in central Florida. Our first stop.

ImageEastern diamondback rattlesnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

The next day we went further inland and chased endemic lizards in the morning, then cruised for snakes once it warmed up a bit, and then went back for more lizards later in the day. We weren't disappointed at all.

While we didn't have much luck with cruising anything, we managed well with the lizards.

Sand skink flipped under a board.

ImageSand skink. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Six-lined racerunner flipped under a board.

ImageSix-lined racerunner. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Blue-tailed mole skink flipped as well.

ImageBlue-tailed mole skink. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Things got really interesting later in the day, as a member of the group raked up 2 Florida worm lizards, and a second member raked up a third.

ImageFlorida worm lizards. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

A blue-tailed mole skink that actually had a blue tail.

ImageBlue-tailed mole skink. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Also turned up a Peninsula crowned snake.

ImagePeninsula crowned snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

After that we headed to ENP for the night.

I spent a bit of time in ENP last year before moving from SoFla back to Georgia, and I wasn't a stranger to crocs, but I had never cruised one before that night.

ImageAOR American crocodile. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

I split from the group for a couple days to go visit friends and then reunited with them north of the Lake.

The day didn't look too promising, but that night I scored big time.

After an hour or so after dark, I passed what I assumed was a glass lizard crossing the road and after passing it up by 100 feet or so I decided to make sure it was a glass lizard.

Backed up to it, lit it up with my flashlight and extremely pleasantly surprised that it was in fact a South Florida mole kingsnake.

ImageSouth Florida Mole Kingsnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageSouth Florida Mole Kingsnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

After a few more hours of cruising, we all had a photoshoot with the snake, and then I had to take a friend I had brought with me home. I then met back up with the group the next day, and said my goodbyes to a few and set out with a few others, where a couple of crowned snakes were turned up. After that I headed home.

Then a week before the end of March, I went over to Seminole State Park with my family, I went as a chance to herp a new area, and didn't do too bad, while snakes were relatively scarce, I turned up several salamanders, lizards and frogs while flipping logs in a WMA not far from the park, as well as in the park while shining around the lake at night

I did however, on the last day after my family had left, since I had taken a separate vehicle, stuck around and managed to turn up a young eastern diamondback rattlesnake just as I was about to call it a day.

ImageEastern diamondback rattlesnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageEastern diamondback rattlesnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

At the very end of March-1st week of April, I accompanied a friend from north Georgia, as somewhat of a guide to south Florida, since he had never been before.

Snakes were not as abundant as either of hoped, but we did see a good number of crocs, which I wasn't upset about. I have a soft spot for American crocs.

ImageAmerican crocodile. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageAmerican crocodile. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageAmerican crocodile. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

On our last day, we stopped north of the Lake to cruise that afternoon, night, and next morning.

What I think was our first snake of the afternoon, was a snake I had been searching for in vain having been tempted by DORs. 12 years and I finally got a live pine snake.

ImageFlorida pine snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageFlorida pine snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Shortly after that, we got this large and chunky dusky pygmy rattlesnake.

ImageDusky pygmy rattlesnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

We also cruised up this juvenile yellow rat snake.

ImageYearling yellow rat snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

During a break from cruising that night, we stopped to stretch our legs and I called a friend to inquire about the night, and while on the phone, my buddy found a scarlet king in the middle of road as he was walking across the road to shine a canal.

ImageScarlet kingsnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

The next morning, we managed one last snake before leaving and heading home. A large yellow rat snake. One of the best examples of one too.

ImageYellow rat snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageYellow rat snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

A few different snakes encountered cruising around my house in April.

ImageWater moccasin. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageCorn snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageWater moccasin. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageWater moccasin. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageWater moccasin. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Two years ago I found a central Florida crowned snake AOR while cruising one night in April. Not far from that I had a friend that lived down the road, and while flipping in her yard this April I turned up the 5th documented central Florida crowned snake for the state of Georgia, and the 3rd for my county.

ImageCentral Florida crowned snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

At the end of the month, I visited the ANF the Thursday evening and Friday of the SE chapter meeting there, but I wasn't able to really meet up with anyone, as I had to head home that Friday night to welcome company I had coming to my house for the Orianne Society meeting I was attending the next day.

Thursday night I managed to turn up 2 juvenile mud snakes and a juvenile glossy crayfish snake.

ImageJuvenile eastern mud snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageJuvenile eastern mud snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageGlossy crayfish snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Friday I didn't do too bad before leaving.

At around 10:30 am I came across this large, nearly 5 foot, corn snake just starting to make his way onto the road in Tates Hell.

ImageCorn snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

After several hours of the occasional racer and rough green snake, at around 3:30 pm I managed to see this 3 1/2ish foot eastern diamondback crossing the road.

ImageEastern diamondback rattlesnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

I did manage to bump into 2 guys who were there for the meeting, Jordan Schmitt and Noah Mueller, and after they went ahead of me, I caught a glimpse of a snake shoot across the road behind their vehicle. Hopped out and chased it into the palmetto where it stopped. Roughly a 6 foot eastern coachwhip.

ImageEastern coachwhip. by Joshua W. Young, on

Saturday I attended the Orianne Society meeting, where I saw a few familiar faces and met a few people for the first time. I didn't take any photos through the day. That night the guys who were staying at my house and I went to a spot not far away from the meeting to where we had gone the night before and cruised up a 4 foot mudsnake and we found a few more, as well as some north Florida swamp snakes. I didn't really take any photos of the muds, but I think we found 4 that night, as well as 3-4 swamp snakes.

Here's one of the swamp snakes.
ImageNorth Florida swamp snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Sunday we decided to skip out on the second day of the meeting and go herp ANF.

We had a good showing of snakes, we stayed until Tuesday, I believe.

Just a few of what we found.

ImageDusky pygmy rattlesnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageEastern coral snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageSouthern copperhead. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageSouthern copperhead. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

A few more random snakes from around the house in May.

ImageRed-bellied snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageWater moccasin. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

From a quick trip to the ANF towards the end of May.

ImageRough green snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageSlender glass lizard. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageMud snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageCorn snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageCorn snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageCorn snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

I have quite a hot spot for mud snakes and swamps snakes about 20 minutes from my house just across the state line in Florida. Here's a few swamp snakes and mud snakes from the area, which is a spillway from a large lake.

ImageEastern mud snake In-situ. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageEastern mud snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageNorth Florida swamp snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageEastern mud snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageEastern mud snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageNorth Florida swamp snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageEastern mud snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Also found my first scarlet kingsnake that wasn't roadcruised at the boat ramp where I parked to walk the spillway for all the muds. It was roughly around 40 feet up in a cypress tree.

ImageScarlet kingsnake by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageEastern mud snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

A few other snakes from May/June from around the house and around the spillway.

ImageWater moccasin. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageCorn snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageWater moccasin. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageGray rat snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageFlorida green water snake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

Took another trip at the end of June over to ANF. Found a majority of the usual suspects. Just a couple of photos from the trip.

ImageDusky pygmy rattlesnake. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

ImageSouthern copperhead. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr

And with this, I end part one. Hopefully you all have enjoyed this so far. Next post will include the rest of the year up until October and will also have my first herping trip to North Carolina.

ImageSunrise over St. Marks NWR. by Joshua W. Young, on Flickr
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DracoRJC
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by DracoRJC »

Hi josh
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mtratcliffe
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by mtratcliffe »

Great stuff, and congrats on all the finds!
Y.Morgan
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by Y.Morgan »

Man oh man, Florida has some great herps...and you found lots of em! That big yellow rat stretched out on the dirt road is a smoker. I also like that extra nice mole king and the scarlet king way up the tree. Nice EDBs and pigs too!
Thanks!
York
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krisbell
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by krisbell »

Great post Josh - love the mole kingsnake.
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Mike VanValen
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by Mike VanValen »

I knew there would be some sweet AOR shots in the this post. :thumb:
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pete
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by pete »

You really had some great variety of some beautiful animals!!
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axeman2729
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by axeman2729 »

beautiful shots love that first EDB beautiful snake! looks like you found all the hots but a canebrake!
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FloridaSerpent
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by FloridaSerpent »

You should have just titled this "Be jealous". So many great shots and lifers. Ughh its not even fair!! Haha.
BethH
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by BethH »

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
cherper
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by cherper »

Great post and great year, Josh!
reako45
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by reako45 »

OUTSTANDING post. Words don't do this justice! Had everything you hope to see when you think about herping Fla. Amazing shots of crocodilians. Loved seeing the mole kings, pine and the wild corns.

reako45
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Fieldnotes
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by Fieldnotes »

I'm a fan of your photography style...awesome :thumb: :thumb:
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walk-about
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by walk-about »

Epic post Josh! You've got some great shots. Sand SKink! Love that, man. Glass lizard on the crawl an awesome shot and pygmy doing the same - both well captured. I have never seen the American Croc in person....your so lucky. Still can not get over that FL Pituophis. Thanks for sharing.

Dave
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Josh Young
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Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Post by Josh Young »

Mike VanValen wrote:I knew there would be some sweet AOR shots in the this post. :thumb:
I do enjoy taking them, that's for sure. I really enjoy conveying the scene of roadcruising, as I often get ask by laypersons exactly how I find snakes crossing the road.
axeman2729 wrote:beautiful shots love that first EDB beautiful snake! looks like you found all the hots but a canebrake!
Yeah, I didn't find a live canebrake this year, I only tried for them once this year. I managed 5 of the 6 in a single weekend in ANF, and pondered for a few minutes about heading to find a canebrake, but didn't. I managed all 6 last year at least.
Fieldnotes wrote:I'm a fan of your photography style...awesome :thumb: :thumb:
I'm glad you enjoyed it! It's always nice to hear someone enjoys my photos.
walk-about wrote:Epic post Josh! You've got some great shots. Sand SKink! Love that, man. Glass lizard on the crawl an awesome shot and pygmy doing the same - both well captured. I have never seen the American Croc in person....your so lucky. Still can not get over that FL Pituophis. Thanks for sharing.

Dave
Thank you very much. I love American crocs, and I get a kick out of seeing them every time I get down there and see them. I miss living 2 hours away from them, but they're not that much further of a drive to see them, and it's worth the drive for me just for them.
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