Rain, rain, come our way!!!

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brick911
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Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by brick911 »

Well, the rain was a bust. It never made it over to the portion of the state Kyle had set out for us to cruise. The weather was balmy, in the mid to high 70's and humid. We set out anyway in hopes of intermittent showers and weather fit for at least a few snakes to be moving.

The night was definitely not a bust. While the roads weren't littered with amphibs, we managed to turn up a few. On top of that, a snake or two made an appearance. I could have been skunked and still had a blast. It was just an awesome night to be out. That said, here's what we found:

Fowler's Toad... Anaryxis fowleri - Would you believe we actually saw three spades before a fowlers?!

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Eastern Spadefoot... Scaphiopus holbrooki - Three! I've never seen an adult, so it was a lifer to me!

#1 - Lots o' pics. I had no idea if I'd ever see one again, let alone two more in a night.

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"Dude... enough with the flash."

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#2

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#3

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Other amphibians...

American Bullfrog... Lithobates catesbeianus (I don't think its a green anyway.) - The showers were hitting at about 12:30 am, and I stopped counting at about 15 for all these baby bulls on the road. If I could have called out of work, I would have cruised the wet roads til the sun came up. Poor Kyle stuck with me, and he had to get up at 4:00 am. That's just nuts.

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Southern Leopard Frog... Lithobates sphenocephalus utricularius

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Two worm snakes were flipped. Kyle saw a black rat on the road before we met up, and I saw a red-eared slider pizza a little earlier. The only snake I have decent pics of was this:

Red Cornsnake... Pantherophis guttatus

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It was definitely a quality over quantity night. And I haven't hung out with Kyle in a while, so it was all good. Thanks for looking.

Bob
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Matt J
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by Matt J »

Lifer spadefoots and a corn snake?!?! Well done
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brick911
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by brick911 »

It was all Kyle. His routes, his car, his urging me to come because of the weather opportunity... I just went for the ride.
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kyle loucks
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by kyle loucks »

Good shots Bob...

Had I been 5 minutes earlier for this....

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Had I been 5 minutes earlier for this...also. First thought it was the usual racer when first seen
I was sickened when I approached and saw its checkered belly up.

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This snake was alive when found, but died soon after being discovered.

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Underrated Leopard...
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dragoncjo
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by dragoncjo »

Kyle do you have any idea what killed the red? It looks so intact. Thanks again for passing this off to us....we'll give it an autopsy and pickle it.
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spinifer
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by spinifer »

I was going to post some of my pics but image upload keeps failing in photobucket :cry:
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kyle loucks
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by kyle loucks »

dragoncjo wrote:Kyle do you have any idea what killed the red? It looks so intact. Thanks again for passing this off to us....we'll give it an autopsy and pickle it.
There was no blood, but the eyes were screwed up like the head was clipped. Could have been hit by a bicycle but it was pretty dark so I am not sure.
bobassetto
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by bobassetto »

sometimes a the force of a car's tire passing close can result a fatal concussion/head injury.....
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kyle loucks
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by kyle loucks »

bobassetto wrote:sometimes a the force of a car's tire passing close can result a fatal concussion/head injury.....
Not sure, but you're right. There was no signs of blunt force trauma.
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MarcLinsalata
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by MarcLinsalata »

That sucks, man, I never thought that corn was dead from your other post, Kyle. It does look so intact..... :? :x
bobassetto
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by bobassetto »

its like "close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades".......just gotta be close.....ask any true combat vet.......mortars, artillery,grenades......IEDs.......don't gotta hit you to be lethal......when a volcano erupts and sends that dense curtain of compressed air out......check out some of the old st. helen's photographs.......destruction out the wazoo........EH, WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION??.... :crazyeyes: :crazyeyes: :crazyeyes: :sleep: :sleep:
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kyle loucks
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by kyle loucks »

I will await autopsy results. Would you think a car tire would generate that much of a concussion going 65 mph?
I dont know. Perhaps a bird picked it up and dropped it from 200 feet up. We need myth busters.
bobassetto
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by bobassetto »

yes.....to an animal that small with a skull that thin.......cerebral damage...the eyes all dilated.....i don't care what the post mortem results are......how often do raptors drop prey???.....unless harrassed by a larger one.......time of day????.......what species are active??......it was still alive??....and died ...um....not in your possession of course.....you left the gps data with a permitted person for pick & disposal all within the parameters of whatever state laws govern such activities...... :beer:
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spinifer
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by spinifer »

I think it could have been clipped by the edge of the tire to compress the head but not smash it. I found a garter the otherday that was clipped. Looked perfectly fine other than a very small amount of blood at the edge of its mouth.
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Andy Wolf
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by Andy Wolf »

Nevermind
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kyle loucks
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by kyle loucks »

The bird of prey comment was a joke jackwagon.

I am leaning towards being clipped of course. It was "alive" when found and responded to being touched by twitching.
All in all, it was heartbreaking.
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brick911
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by brick911 »

Wait. That thing was dead? I thought it was posing really nicely.
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MattSullivan
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by MattSullivan »

awesome finds with the spadefoots and the corns! they'd both be lifers for me
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Tim Borski
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by Tim Borski »

Is it just me or does the Corn laid out on the white road stripe look anery? (The other with all the white on it is incredibly pretty.)
Tim
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kyle loucks
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by kyle loucks »

Same snake, different lighting. Quick pic then I had to move it for my own safety.


Oh, you are looking at a baby black rat in the first pic.
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Gyri
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by Gyri »

Great post, sorry for the delayed response. I meant to give a thumbs up earlier but didn't, not sure why.

kyle loucks wrote:
bobassetto wrote:sometimes a the force of a car's tire passing close can result a fatal concussion/head injury.....
Not sure, but you're right. There was no signs of blunt force trauma.
Cool, I had not heard this. It makes sense...
dragoncjo
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by dragoncjo »

Kyle I was not able to see the snake yet its still frozen. Bob A. explaination makes sense though. For those lurking I have a permit to collect dead corns.
bobassetto
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by bobassetto »

are you qualified to deputize others under the umbrella of your permit????........so that more data can be recorded?????.......if not ....you should investigate that possibility.....
swwit
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by swwit »

bobassetto wrote:are you qualified to deputize others under the umbrella of your permit????........so that more data can be recorded?????.......if not ....you should investigate that possibility.....

It's Zaps umbrella.
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kyle loucks
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by kyle loucks »

May be OH's
bobassetto
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by bobassetto »

OH????..... :?
dragoncjo
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by dragoncjo »

It both's.....I'm not authorized to add/subtract people.....just minion.
bobassetto
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by bobassetto »

minion????......
dragoncjo
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by dragoncjo »

I meant I'm merely a grunt/peon....not the deputy.
bobassetto
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Re: Rain, rain, come our way!!!

Post by bobassetto »

OH!!!.......like satan's minions.......well...i think its time you rose up a level or two or three......get yourself some stripes or bars or stars......
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