Who's planning it this year?

We are currently discussing it. Feel free to offer any ideas... anyone. There's been a few spots mentioned, but nothing has been conclusive at all.

As far as who's going to run the show, that's not decided yet either. I have to travel in May, so if it's gonna be me, May is out.

So far we have brainstormed the following places:
-Poconos, PA
-Pine Barrens, NJ
-Virginia/West Virginia

I am leaning away from another trip to Delmarva. We've herped it pretty well the past few years and it's time we leave the nest.

Everyone, voice your opinions! Where do you want to go? These trips have been great in the past and we need to keep it going!

The crew from the first ever NAFHA MidAtlantic Chapter Trip, as it known then with founding members of the chapter. May 2007.

Myself, Ryan, Sarah, John Doe, Rex Everett and Jeff "Notread" Slawson.



I believe we logged over 300 animals in the database from that weekend. We have had at least 2 trips per year since then that produced plenty of stories.


good times....


Mike's SJ spotted sal. Aug. 2007


Hot dogs on a snake hook... at Garterguy's with Andrew and Nate. 2009



2010 DMVA- Mike's king- click it.



Kari Post, Roy and Charles with a narrowmouthed toad, 2010 DMVA.


The best story ever...


Andrew, Benisalive and Brick... 2011 in Va.


The gang hitching a ride with LE... click it...


Good times...

Poconos have not had a trip aside from the survey in 2010. Probably best to stay away from National Recreation area land unless we get permission, but other than that, the area has a lot to offer. I would engage Notread in any trip there.

South Jersey I would avoid... its been done.

West Virginia or the mountains of VA were talked about last year and is still intriguing.

Western Maryland still has holes in that part of the state for the herp atlas project. We could go where that need is and help there a lot. This would be my top vote as we are already on their list as a partner.

Western MD, I'll bring my climbing gear, we can look for A aneides!

That would be sweet.

I've researched a number of sites I wanted to hit in western MD but never had the time to get out to. There's also the possibility to see quite a few amphibians most of us have never seen.

weird dyslexic brain-fart on the latin there. we could look for them in many parts of WV and some VA too right? Also, I was going to shave my head, but if a trip is coming up in a few months I should grow the mullet back out for consistency's sake.

I know a great wood turtle site in the N.E. West Virginia area. Also I know of a State Park in the area that has Timbers but I have never been there to search for them. Most on this forum don't know me but I talk to Brick alot and I am sure he could back me up as a good guy. lol

Paturtlelover is a very good guy. I have no problem vouching for him.

Here's my thoughts.

1. May - I am highly unlikely to make it as I have a busy travel schedule for work. That said, if you guys still want to do it in May I'm more than glad to help with the planning/scouting/etc.

2. Pine Barrens - I would advise against any Pine Barren trips. We could cite very tough law enforcement, or argue about sensitive species/habitats all day long. But let's just nip it in the bud and agree that even on the best days, the Pines can be way too stingy with its herps.

3. Pocono's - I think the Pocono's would be great. I would even give up my greensnake spot for the trip (if I made it). The only negative I see here is that the counties are pretty well represented in the database, but whatever. It's an option.

4. Virginia - I'm gonna say this a little too far at the edge of our range and we simply do not have enough VA representation. The VA Herp Society has many trips. (Kyle is actually going on one.) I've contacted their President to see if any links can be built between us. He has welcomed me on a trip in the past. I'm sure they wouldn't mind anyone from our group going on any of their trips. So that said, for now - maybe we can just try to partner up with them if you anyone has the itch for VA herping. That said, if everyone decides they want to go to VA (as it is enticing), then by all means - I'm on board.

5. Delmarva - Maybe in a year or two.

6. WV - Not opposed. Technically speaking, if we are going to focus on gathering data for NAHERP, this is probably where we should be.

7. Western MD - I don't know enough about it, but Garrett County sounds nice, and we could hop down into WV as well.

For now, I think we should decide where we want to go. We can even see what is brainstormed here and put it to a vote, then start planning. Once we have a location, we can work out dates. Lower elevations - May. Higher - June, for example.

Behind the scenes, we are executing an action plan to build a few relationships in different regions of the NE, regarding surveys. We hope to have a few opportunities available to us in the next few months. These surveying partnerships could possibly provide more chances for group trips and will hopefully be spread more evenly throughout our states. Stay tuned...

Hey guys Im new here but have exchanged email with Mike quite a few times. Just throwing out some ideas: 1 - Hudson Valley, NY? I have not been there yet but the region is good for many species, includings blandinds, wood, spotted, box, and bog turtles ( although Im confident all or almost all of the bog turtle sites are off limits. Also many types of salamanders and snakes. 2- Long Island, Ive just been curious about the herps you can find on LI. I hear they are quite a few rare herps.

As an organization, we should (will) steer clear of any sensitive and/or protected species as a target during a group trip unless solicited to survey a specific area. The Hudson valley is a viable option however and offers many other species.

Maryland Herp Atlas needs help. Since our chapter has partnered with them, and our president (Bob) is being trained on data collection and submission, a trip focused on collecting data might be a good idea.

I figured as much. With the bog turtle being a federal candidate, any disturbance of it or its environment is being heavily monitored.

As is discussion of the species on a public forum.

Not sure if I will make it but I'd vote for the Poconos...I really haven't herped there much and it's not far...

Nobody wants to find redbacks in all your missing quadrants Nate!

Seriously though, let me know what area's need the most help and sell us on the cool species we could possibly find along with the common stuff.

If we wanted to work on the MD Herp Atlas, Western MD, had a number of potential species that some of us have never seen (I'm stuck in a hotel for work so this is off the top of my head, may miss some or include dumb things lol):
- Wood Turtle (okay maybe I'm the only one that hasn't seen one but I have a great spot in Alleghany Co. for one)
- Valley and Ridge Salamander
- Seal Salamander
- Spring Salamander
- Wherles Salamander
- Smooth Green Snake
- Green Salamander
- Softshell Turtle

We can also make an effort to find Coal Skinks, I've heard that one hasn't been found in many years but I know where they could be found.

Matt I know of a great wood turtle site in Western MD. I find hatchlings and adults in great numbers. 10-15 Animals per trip. The only other herps I have found at that site are painteds, snappers and Box turtles. Never really looked for anything else.

That is my first choice... like it or not, a NAFHA sponsored trip should be purposeful.

Its not the cool species that should be our trigger... NAFHA was touted as a partner at the last coordinator's meeting. Lets not disappoint. We have county coordinators who can get us on private property and direct us to the best habitat. Our support will go a long way towards a new partnership with other state atlas projects.

charles, st marys , calvert , and maybe toy around across the potamac ? rainbow snakes? coastal plains milks ? mole kings ? mud sals?

lets find stuff that isnt found that often .......i know black rats , racers and painters are everywhere . we can confirm that ....other stuff? lets do it .
the laws arent too tight down there for bringing a group of people . it seems it could be more productive than delmarva as far as keeping us busy . and the species diversity is a little different .and with a smaller landlocked areas , maybe we can properly cover and bio blitz a area better


ill map dirt roads , powerlines,fields ,RR tracks ,junk spots , night crusing roads , habitat for certain species ,vernals/waterholes , elevation maps, parking/carpooling spots, a camping area somewhere close . etc.


if not

my other choice is the great dismal swamp . ...once again ....we got a different species diversity and some interesting targets in that area .

my choices stand for the reason being .....i dont agree with some spots for a group trip(pine barrens or looking for timber dens up in PA,Wv etc.) or im in these other areas more than often and i would rather spend time and hard work elsewhere in a different realm .

But realistically we are and we will have a harder time selling it to members that are gonna drive hours away and spend money by telling them they are gonna find the same things they can find in their back yards. I understand the theory but what's the harm in touting cool species to build excitement. Do you want three people or 13?

There are a few that I need to add to my list...and I imagine that a trip out there would not need to be restricted to that county/state, as long as we at least spend some time in an area with no coverage.
For the record... I may not be able to make it anyway. My spring/summer calendar is getting booked up in a hurry.

Photo shoot with a black racer. Delmarva 2010.



Kyle in a sticky situation. Delmarva 2010.

You can't be serious ... I assume you would be referring to discussion about specific locations ...

let me know if you cant make it kyle .....ill arrange things and be the leader if so .
begining of may seems legit for just about anything .

Man, it sounds like Eyez is staging a coup, overthrowing Brick from his presidential duties.
Hahaha, jk

good way for me to crawl out the woodwork ay ?

okay,
most likely I will not make it because of weekend stuff. but I like to chime in anyway.

1. place needs to link in with not often made data entries for nafha
2. not they are not important, but hard to find species are not good for nafha trips. these trips should be fun, add excitement to our chapter, hiking for hours with no herps does not make a fun trip. (so forget hudson valley anyway)
3. if I were to go. I like the sound of West maryland.
it has some species on there not many of us have seen. the numbers will be there, and should make for a fun trip.

now if you could make this a sunday,monday and tuesday trip, well, then I am there. at least sunday night,monday and tuesday.

hey,you asked for input

Yeah, the Hudson Valley would be a skunk-fest unless pickerel frogs excite you.

Western MD looks like the best bet with the possibility of some VA action.

Not that my vote counts, but Western MD or VA sound good. I can probably make this trip and would be more than willing to drive as many as my truck will fit. No smoking in my V hickle. Pending on where the trip is decided, I may have a place for some people to crash, as well.

Stay away from the Hudson Valley. I've been there a bunch of times and have never seen anything.

Western Maryland has a few good spots around Swallow Falls, etc. that are nice to camp, but over all Deep Creek Lake is a big tourist spot and a lot of the species you'd expect to find are pretty spotty. There are a good amount of V. v pulchra out there tho and I'm sure that'd be a good tick for the atlas. Green Ridge is tough to herp but great for cheap camping- that area can be good for P. hoffmani (especially if you don't know the difference between them and cinereus haha).

If you go a little further to West Virginia your opportunities for good camping and less crowds go up exponentially- especially around the Monongahela region. As you head a little further south in to the George Washington area on the VA side it's equally remote w/ free camping spots all over the place and poorly sampled on top of that. Plenty of salamanders out there in the small streams- some of which are pretty bad ass and a few are probably new species yet to be described. Just some food for thought...

-Will

Good points. There are still largely unsampled areas of VA and WV.

The trip will take place the weekend of June 9-10th. Actual times will be determined, as will maybe the Friday before.

We will concentrate our efforts on Garrett and Allegheny Counties in Western MD. That's not to say we won't venture in any other directions. But as I start gathering survey spots, that will be determined.

Thanks for everyone's input!

Those dates sound good for me, Bob. I'd like to get down there early Friday morning myself, but we can work out the logistics further down the line.

I can't make any commitments at the moment, but I'll start working on it. If this goes how I want it to, I'll be there all week including the trip dates.

Chalk me up as tentative.

....as usual.

what, another weekend trip, I did not vote for this. I suggest you all go get weekend jobs so we can all take a monday and tuesday trip with me.
thank you in advance.
sincerely
disgruntled doug

disclaimer- there are a couple guys on here that actually do adjust schedules just for me, and it is beyond appreciated

so you weekend guys better take good pics at the outing!!!

Doug... You should set up your own trip on your own schedule and invite us. You might get a few people to change their schedules for you. It could still be an NAFHA trip and data could be collected. Why not?

I got Doug taken care of.

yes thank you kyle, and bob, I tried that once already it was a " huge" success.

As long as my wife is off that weekend count me in for at least a day. Im familiar with some areas on the WV side. Monongalia and Preston Counties. Not a bad drive for me either, only around 2ish hours.

Count me in if its in MD!

id love to come meet you guys. I'm not far off but I dont know my schedual at this point. I will however be in western md for a week in late June. I can hopfully get some records then. if there are any left

ill pass

but if anyone wants to go south for a weekend let me know