Herping

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

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fins72
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Joined: June 12th, 2010, 9:02 pm
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Herping

Post by fins72 »

So here is some stuff in no particular order that I have found from Fall-Present.
I was surprised to see this guy out squirming around midday but excited nonetheless as this was my first Amphiuma. As you can see it had a huge chunk of its head missing. Any ideas as to what could have made a wound like that? I’m ruling out mud snake.
Amphiuma tridactylum
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Anery phase pygmy
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These two were found together. I was flipping rocks with my hands but I was luckily warned by a feint buzzzzz that kept me from injury. I think this is the first time I have ever heard a rattle before seeing the snake.
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On the same day about a half hour later I spotted this guy hanging out.
In situ
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Then he decided to get a better view of the sunset
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This guy was in someone’s pool filter and thankfully they called to have it removed rather than killing it.
Micrurus fulvius
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A cool in-situ find
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SK lifer
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One of my favorite 2011 finds. I was visiting family in GA and wanted to try and do a little herping so I got up early one morning and went to look behind the hotel where I saw this black fencing and figured it would be good to check like a drift fence. Part of the fence had fallen over and was on the ground so I look under it and BAM, my first horridus!
Crotalus horridus
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So this was my favorite 2011 find. Along with what I am sure is the biggest snake I will ever find. My first Python, 16ft.
First pic is as found
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I am definitely a snake guy but, I love seeing gopher tortoises around. This was a fun day because I saw 20+ individual gopher tortoises in about 30 minutes. For some reason they just all seemed to be out and about at the same time. I assume it was for breeding because I saw these two guys “fighting.” It was about as violent as you can imagine two gopher tortoises can be. There was hard, loud knocking of the shells but the fight was clearly dominated by one gopher tortoise who then chased the loser away at a remarkably fast pace which was entertaining.
The chase:
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I decided I needed to find a snake on the first day of the year so where better to go than the Everglades.
This was not the first snake but definitely the most exciting and an interesting start to 2012.
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Even more exciting was my first hognose:
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Here I tried to take the picture so that the tracks were visible
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So I know not a herp but does anyone have any idea what is going on with this squirrel? I am almost certain it is not a fox squirrel. It is the size of a gray squirrel and behaves like a gray squirrel. Is this just some strange individual? I have seen him more than once now and I know the area where he hangs around.
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Here is a fox squirrel. There is an obvious difference.
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Here is another cool non herp I stumbled upon while herping and scared the crap out of me.
Young Barn Owl
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And here are some amphibians if anyone would like to ID them.
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walk-about
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Re: Herping

Post by walk-about »

Really nice pics Fins. That 'canebrake' is a screamer! I would probably guess a very hungry snapper turtle could be the culprit?

I have a question - don't know if you can answer this, but when you encounter a huge python such as that, is it legal for you to kill it? Does anyone know the FL law here regarding such an invasive specie as this - one that is potentially lethal. I mean we ain't talking wall geckos in Ohio here. I watch these shows (Animal Cops Miami) where every effort is made to capture these snakes alive. And I guess I just don't get that. Would it not be easier to just kill them on the spot? Just wondering.

RocK ON!

Dave
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jayder85
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Re: Herping

Post by jayder85 »

walk-about wrote:Really nice pics Fins. That 'canebrake' is a screamer! I would probably guess a very hungry snapper turtle could be the culprit?

I have a question - don't know if you can answer this, but when you encounter a huge python such as that, is it leagal for you to kill it? Does anyone know the FL law here regarding such an invasive specie as this - one that is potentially lethal. I mean we ain't talking wall geckos in Ohio here. I watch these shows (Animal Cops Miami) where every effort is made to capture these snakes alive. And I guess I just don't get that. Would it not be easier to just kill them on the spot. Just wondering.

RocK ON!

Dave
Catching them alive looks much more death defying for TV than just lobbing its head off with a garden hoe! lol
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DaveR
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Re: Herping

Post by DaveR »

Nice! That's a nice horridus.
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Phil Peak
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Re: Herping

Post by Phil Peak »

I agree! What a beautiful horridus! I really liked the rat snake photo's too.

Phil
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jayder85
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Re: Herping

Post by jayder85 »

You cant go wrong with a SK. I dont think that i have ever seen an ugly one! And I love the Corn photos as well. I dont care where you go, there isnt a morph out there that can hold a candle to a wild snake. Every natural locality snake is beautiful for its own reason.

As far as the squirrel is concerned, it just looks like a piebald grey squirrel to me. I have seen piebald deer but never a squirrel, but i have heard of several.
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Nigel Smith
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Re: Herping

Post by Nigel Smith »

Man let me mirror what others have said an say that your first horridus ever was stunning! :thumb: I also enjoyed that in situ grey rat snake shot. In fact all of your in situ shots were cool. I fantasize sometimes about road cruising a huge burm strecthed out across the road like that. Cool stuff. Thanks for sharing.
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monklet
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Re: Herping

Post by monklet »

That first gray rat is the cleanest I've ever seen a pic of! What a beauty, WOW! :shock:
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Mulebrother
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Re: Herping

Post by Mulebrother »

Great series of pics...really nice on this cold dreary day!

I'm with Dave...what is the 'law' so to speak of? What if you just ran over it? If you didnt swerve off the road (like you would have to in the first pic) - and just hit it, could you be ticketed? Intereting subject for us out of staters.
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Tim Borski
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Re: Herping

Post by Tim Borski »

Great post of an excellent year, Fins! That python must've been quite the sight strolling around during the day like that.
Jet black Hog = absolutely stunning!

I'm with whomever said "pied gray squirrel." It's not unusual in some locales to have goodly numbers of all white, tan, black, etc Grays.

Thanks,

Tim
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fins72
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Re: Herping

Post by fins72 »

Thanks for all the comments. I don't think I realized what a jewel that horridus was at the time. As far as the burm situation goes I don't think that I am the best person to answer those questions. There are a few people on the forum that are much more involved and knowledgeable than I am about burms in the Everglades. I would try try asking them. Maybe look on the Southeast Forum. Thanks for the help with the squirrel. The python was definitely a surprise to have seen so early, around dusk though. By the time we were done taking pictures it was dark the mosquitoes on us bad.
narrowfellow
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Joined: December 9th, 2010, 9:21 am

Re: Herping

Post by narrowfellow »

Not many large pythons are encountered crossing the road during the day. This looks like Main Park Rd in Everglades NP - what time of year was the photo taken?
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fins72
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Re: Herping

Post by fins72 »

Found in July. Not the Main Park Road though.
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Josh Holbrook
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Re: Herping

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Good stuff man. Give me a call if you're down here again and we can see if we can scare up a HEALTHY siren, amphiuma and other aquatic caudates.
narrowfellow wrote:Not many large pythons are encountered crossing the road during the day. This looks like Main Park Rd in Everglades NP - what time of year was the photo taken?
I dunno, looks like a good place to do Research though :thumb:
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fins72
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Re: Herping

Post by fins72 »

Haha clever Josh ;) . I'll definitely give you a call. I had been wanting to do some dip netting in South Florida but just never got around to it.
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Mike Rochford
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Re: Herping

Post by Mike Rochford »

Missile research?
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fins72
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Re: Herping

Post by fins72 »

:thumb:
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Gyri
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Re: Herping

Post by Gyri »

You weren't supposed to take a bite out of the amphiuma's head bro ;)
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Alex Pepper
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Re: Herping

Post by Alex Pepper »

Whoever found that in-situ pigmy must have some damn good eyes!

And I like your "research" reference Josh lol
ohioherpercountryboy
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Joined: December 8th, 2011, 3:27 pm

Re: Herping

Post by ohioherpercountryboy »

]
I like those photos though ,here in ohio those snakes and salamanders arnt around. i do still love catching ravine salamanders and northern watersnakes. ill keep you updated on what i find its not even spring yet here in ohio but its starting to warm up. i did catch a small northern cricket frog by darby creek on febuary 17th 2012 though. ohioherpercountryboy.
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