Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
kaptainkory
Posts: 187
Joined: June 28th, 2010, 11:33 pm
Location: Bella Vista, Arkansas

Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by kaptainkory »

Two questions. Answer A, B, or both.

A) What is the herping find you beat yourself up about the most because you somehow didn't have your camera on hand to photograph it?

B) What is the herping find no one would believe without the photographs you were able to capture to prove it?
User avatar
BChambers
Posts: 213
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:48 am
Location: Boerne, TX

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by BChambers »

A) In September of 2007 I was cruising a favorite road in Kendall County when I came upon a BIG crossing Blacktail Rattlesnake. This was a fantastic county record, but it will forever remain a sight record only, as that was the only night that season on which I totally forgot to bring my camera :?
Coluber Constrictor
Posts: 1165
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:25 am
Location: Mobile, AL

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

.
Paul White
Posts: 2288
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:52 pm
Location: Amarillo, Texas

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Paul White »

Night snake up here in the panhandle. Rarely seen around here...had a camera but it was vanished before the camera was on.
User avatar
kansascrote
Posts: 64
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 3:29 pm

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by kansascrote »

Two years ago my wife and I visited her homeland of Vietnam. I did photo several wild cobras both Chinese and spitters and even photoed a banded Krait!!!! I had my camera for the python I found in a local farmers chicken house!!! BUT, BIG BUT! In the south when I ran into a 14 foot wild KING COBRA, I had no camera. I spent some time with this animal and even tried to use my cell phone camera, however I was kinda busy at the time and fooling with my cell phone only gave me a few very bad pics! The size of this animal was something I will never forget! At the time I ran into it I never knew they were in Vietnam. LESSON, even if you just think your going to piss, TAKE YOUR CAMERA!
User avatar
ThamnElegans24
Posts: 406
Joined: November 23rd, 2010, 6:44 pm
Location: Mesa, Arizona

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by ThamnElegans24 »

B.

All seen in the same night.

Image

Image

Image
Mitch Mimier
Posts: 50
Joined: June 11th, 2010, 1:32 am
Location: Salisbury, NC

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Mitch Mimier »

Snake Road, IL 2004. I was at the bottom of a hill when I heard some leaves rustling up above me. I looked up and saw a mouse coming full speed down the hill with a black racer is hot pursuit. The mouse was headed in my direction so I stayed put to see what would happen. Turns out the mouse was actually making a beeline towards me, and when it got to me it jumped up onto my pants leg right above my knee and held on for dear life. The racer, apparently oblivious to what I was, did not waste a second lunging up and grabbing the mouse off of me, took it to the ground, and started swallowing it right at my feet.

Talk about a "what the...." moment.
User avatar
FunkyRes
Posts: 1994
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:19 am
Location: Redding, CA
Contact:

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by FunkyRes »

A) What is the herping find you beat yourself up about the most because you somehow didn't have your camera on hand to photograph it?

I don't really beat myself up over this (especially since I was young for most of them) but:

a) A possible Rana draytonii in Tilden Regional Park. At the time I thought it was a Leopard Frog. I knew Stebbins at the time, and he told me it probably was Rana draytonii because they were known to him to be in that particular pond. They definitely aren't there anymore, I've been back several times recently. It is an area where pets are often released, so it is possible it was a leopard frog. I don't know from Stebbins when the last time he knew for sure they were still there. This was mid 80s.

b) Rana sierra in the mountains behind Truckee. Also in the 80s. My understanding is that population is now gone.

c) An aberrant Cal King on Mt. Tamarancho - also in the 80s. It was mostly banded on the dorsal, but the bands fused together as they reached the belly.

d) Recent: Shasta Alligator Lizard here in Shasta County - I still haven't documented one in NAFHA, and it bugs me because they are a common species here, I don't get to herp often where they are found though. This was a beautiful male (based on head geometry) - lifted log and he was gone into chaparal. Alligator Lizards aren't difficult to catch but I've had bud luck with this species in this county, having seen 3 now that were gone when flipped.

B) What is the herping find no one would believe without the photographs you were able to capture to prove it?

I don't think that has happened to me.
hellihooks
Posts: 8025
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:12 am
Location: Hesperia, California.
Contact:

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by hellihooks »

Saw a hypo (yellow/wht) collard lizard... no camera... and my 1st ever SB ringneck (neo) escaped while trying to get a pic. :(
No one believed me bout this guy, till I got a pic..
Image
Pretty unsettling the first time he approached me, while I was out nightwalking up in the SB mts... Camels are HUGE... :crazyeyes:
This guy was a 2 mile range extension over Stebbin's 1958 record, and the first from that area since 58. The canyon where it was found has been converted to camping only, rather than an offroad area, BECAUSE of this Groundsnake being confirmed to still exist there...
Image
This 'desert-phase' Zonata (cruised with Fundad) might be the 1st ever photographed...
Image
:beer: jim
condyle
Posts: 206
Joined: September 25th, 2010, 3:46 pm
Location: Santa Cruz ca

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by condyle »

a) In 82 I found a completely blue Ringneck Snake(cyanamorph?) in the Santa Cruz Mountains, stiill the prettiest animal I've ever seen.
b) In the central Sierra, around 2003, I found a couple Yellow-eyed Ensatina South of the San Joaquin river at 3500 feet. Fresno County.
User avatar
Antonsrkn
Posts: 971
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 2:38 pm
Contact:

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Antonsrkn »

A) I try to repress these memories but I can dredge up a couple. I have learned my lesson and while outside I nearly always have my camera on me. But there have been times when I just wasn't fast or skilled enough to get a good photo. I guess the 2 times that stand out most in my head was the time I saw a boa constrictor and didn't have my camera on me, by the time I ran and got it the snake had moved into thick impenetrable vegetation and I could only get a few voucher shots. The 2nd time that stands out to me was my very first rattlesnake, I just didn't have a working camera at the time and even though I got an awesome look at it I wasn't able to get any photos. I typically beat myself up for a little bit anytime I see a lifer snake on vacation in a foreign country and am not able to secure it for photos because I know that it may have been my only chance of seeing that species.
B) An american croc catching a big black snook in the ocean and bringing it to shore to eat not 10 feet away from me on a deserted beach was a pretty unbelievable experience. I would have been heartbroken had I not had my camera with me.
Image
Took dozens of photos of the entire event start to finish.
User avatar
Natalie McNear
Posts: 1147
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:54 pm
Location: Northern coast of California

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Natalie McNear »

A) Can't really think of anything... I usually at least have my cell phone with me to get photos.

B) Accidentally parking my car right next to a Brown Vinesnake last year.

Image
User avatar
FunkyRes
Posts: 1994
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:19 am
Location: Redding, CA
Contact:

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by FunkyRes »

Antonsrkn wrote: B) An american croc catching a big black snook in the ocean and bringing it to shore to eat not 10 feet away from me on a deserted beach was a pretty unbelievable experience. I would have been heartbroken had I not had my camera with me.
Image
Took dozens of photos of the entire event start to finish.
That's truly awesome.
millside
Posts: 586
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:22 pm

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by millside »

pretty easy to answer because I beat myself up for them all the time.

1. picture of a bog turtle that I got, but it only focused on a grass blade, and then he disappeared
2. tiger ratsnake in costa rica that was seen but not able to get close enough for the pic.
3. tropical seep snake in costa rica that was to far out to reach in the water.

I pretty much always have a camera on me at all times now, its just getting the animal to cooperate that causes the problem
Mattmo
Posts: 15
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:04 pm

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Mattmo »

not a herp but while trying to photograph an albino white tail deer i had came accross in the woods my camera also focused on the tree limbs and all i got was a limb with a white blur behind it.
User avatar
Tim Borski
Posts: 1855
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:28 am
Location: FL Keys
Contact:

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Tim Borski »

Monday Mar 15, 2010. 10:27 am: Rim Rock Crowned Snake. Botched grab.
Monday Mar 29, 2010. 9:15 am: Rim Rock Crowned Snake. No shot.

In almost 700 hours of flipping specifically for them, they are the only two I've ever seen.

Tim
User avatar
Curtis Hart
Posts: 595
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:07 pm
Location: Hillsdale County, Michigan

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Curtis Hart »

I missed photographing my lifer Alligator Snapping Turtle and Spotted Turtle. I was still happy to see them.



Curtis
User avatar
JakeScott
Posts: 690
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:26 pm
Location: Gainesville, FL
Contact:

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by JakeScott »

Desmognathus abditus in Tennessee. Saw it, then reached for it....not quick enough.

-Jake
Mourits
Posts: 230
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 7:41 am
Location: Denmark

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Mourits »

An albino smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris, completely white individual... It escaped too fast to be photographed :roll:
User avatar
Ted
Posts: 312
Joined: December 30th, 2010, 10:02 am
Location: SoCal and Cape Cod

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Ted »

A) My first rattler. It was outside of our car when we stopped at a stoplight, I have always beaten myself up for not getting a shot of it. :evil: It was a 5-foot Ruber. Since then I bring my camera literally everywhere, even school. 8-)
User avatar
FunkyRes
Posts: 1994
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:19 am
Location: Redding, CA
Contact:

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by FunkyRes »

Mourits wrote:An albino smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris, completely white individual... It escaped too fast to be photographed :roll:
How often do those occur?
I think I've seen photos of them before, maybe even here by you?
Wayne_MO
Posts: 18
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:50 pm

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Wayne_MO »

A. Taking a short romantic anniversary walk along a path with my wife, we didn't bother to bring a camera because we were just going for a short walk. She spots two beautiful and large osage copperheads in combat dance and we watch them for a good 25 minutes before one finally prevails. It was awesome and I'm sure with a camera I could have taken 100 pictures so even though I am not a skilled photographer, I'm sure I would have got at least a few great ones.

A couple years later I also saw copperheads in combat dance (though only for a minute or two this time). I also didn't have a camera that time.
User avatar
Terry
Posts: 44
Joined: November 17th, 2010, 6:44 pm

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Terry »

Bolivia 2009: Removed a Bushmaster from the spider monkey area of a wildlife sanctuary. Decided not to take my camera into the jungle that day. :cry:

Peru 8 months later: Last night of volunteering with a herp monitoring project in the Amazon. Walked onto a big cat in the trail around midnight. There were three of us, none of us got a photo. All I could say was, "Jaguar, jaguar, jaguar!" as it slowly and calmly strolled off. Now there's discrepancies over whether it was a jaguar or ocelot. A picture would have been proof.

I used to miss grabs a lot in the past because I was afraid of getting bitten. I quickly found out it hurts far, far less to be bitten than it does to have one get away.

Terry
Paul White
Posts: 2288
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:52 pm
Location: Amarillo, Texas

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Paul White »

that dependson how sure I am of ID :lol: Herping in an unfamiliar area with species I haven't seen I'll elect to miss the grab rather than get nailed by what may turn out to be venomous.
Mourits
Posts: 230
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 7:41 am
Location: Denmark

Re: Photographically Missed or Captured Herping Finds...?

Post by Mourits »

FunkyRes wrote:
Mourits wrote:An albino smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris, completely white individual... It escaped too fast to be photographed :roll:
How often do those occur?
I think I've seen photos of them before, maybe even here by you?
I don't think I've ever seen albino smooth newt photos posted in here before, but Kristian Munkholm once posted some pictures of another interesting individual, a hypomelanistic one. :)

I don't know how often the occur, but I do know another person who has seen one.
Post Reply