Haphazard Day Results

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Josh Holbrook
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Haphazard Day Results

Post by Josh Holbrook »

I mean, you can't really call a "random" day. Random by definition means "without method or conscious decision" (Sorry Tim). So I'm going to call a "Haphazard" day for tomorrow, June 18, 2013. Definitely not random: I've been preparing for the day quite along time - I'll be starting my thesis work with 220 traps in the water for all manner of aquatic herps. So, I'll be bringing the point and shoot along (which takes horrendous pictures.) So don't expect anything stupendous (or even good) for picture quality, but do expect some aquatic herps. I'll probably get around to posing the results this weekend.

Some shots to raise some excitement:

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I'll update the post when I put the results up.




RESULTS:

Ok, so the Haphazard day didn't produce a ton (big moon and dry weather) but a couple things turned up, and I'll also post some of the finds from the couple days following that:

Several Florida Mud Turtles - I never thought of this as a common species, but evidently so in some places:

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Three Florida Watersnakes during the day:

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That trend has continued with ~3 Florida Waters every day so far. Not a ton, but trapping tends to be "feast or famine." The feast will come.

Here's another:

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These are from an area where they could possibly be hybridizing with Nerodia clarkii, and though I haven't seen any obvious hybrids yet, some individuals get me thinking:

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Another from Friday with one of my undergraduate assistants:
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Plenty of Hyla femoralis:

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Of course a few, but not a ton, of Sirens:

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Then there's gratiosa. I love this species.

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I even busted out my good camera for them (though the image will probably be grainy because I copied it off facebook):

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And I found plenty of their younger life stages
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And a couple of capito, both in the traps during the day:

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And in the eve. Riddle me this - this individual was found in a deep, permanent pond:

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Terrestrial herps:

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After a couple days of this, the first "Aha" moment came on Friday:

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It's been more than a year since I've turned up a Farancia. Beautiful species.

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Thanks for tuning in, all.

-Josh
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JakeScott
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by JakeScott »

Looking forward to your results, Josh. Hopefully you'll find a good variety of critters.

-Jake
Jimi
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by Jimi »

Another definition of random is the statistical one. I like that one, since it's very important from an information-development and -richness standpoint.

For both spontaneous and planned herp forays, I like "haphazard" a lot better. So I'm really happy to see your topic title!

Those funnel traps make me remember not living in a desert. Good times. Feels like forever ago. Looking forward to living vicariously, thanks for the teaser.

cheers,
Jimi
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justinm
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by justinm »

Even bad pictures of South Florida Rainbow snake will do. No pressure though, but don't come home til you have one.
Carl D. May
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by Carl D. May »

With that many traps you're bound to come up with something neat. Looking forward to it Josh!
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Anticipating!
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BillMcGighan
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by BillMcGighan »

Wow, that does look exciting.

Anything you find there has to be interesting.


PS
See what I know; I thought "ran dumb" was something I did when I encountered Africanized honey bees!
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Daniel D Dye
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by Daniel D Dye »

BillMcGighan wrote:
PS
See what I know; I thought "ran dumb" was something I did when I encountered Africanized honey bees!
Yes, like it!

I'm with Jimi, I like the tiltle "haphazard" as well.

Looking forward to seeing your results.

DDD
Darkhorse
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by Darkhorse »

You have your work cut out for you Josh. But with the hard work hopefully wil come great rewards.
Chris
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Mike VanValen
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by Mike VanValen »

justinm wrote:Even bad pictures of South Florida Rainbow snake will do. No pressure though, but don't come home til you have one.
:thumb:

Josh might still be out there :lol:
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Josh Holbrook
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Re: I Call Rand.... err.... Haphazard

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Thanks all - I'll try to post my results this weekend - I've been in the field every day this week for 6-8 hours!
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BillMcGighan
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Re: Haphazard Day Results

Post by BillMcGighan »

OK, you sneaked this in by editing.

bump

Small "gratiosa" look like caricatures of frogs.

Was that constriction onn the Mud well healed?
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: Haphazard Day Results

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Love the beautiful mud snake, Josh. Also the barkers and gophers.
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Josh Holbrook
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Re: Haphazard Day Results

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Sorry, Bill, I guess I didn't realize that an edit doesn't bump the thread. The constriction on the mud was from the trap - it was mesh/collapsible crayfish trap. Unfortunately, smaller size class snakes do get stuck in it at times, but the traps are checked often enough where mortality and/or serious injury are rare. This particular mudsnake recovered from the constriction within the couple minutes with no problems.

Tamara - thanks, I think they'll both be part of many more over this summer.
Carl D. May
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Re: Haphazard Day Results

Post by Carl D. May »

Neat finds Josh. I was sort of hoping that you might find some steindachneri in that habitat. Florida mud turtles are considered rare by some folks but the reality is that they are just more persistently aquatic than the striped mud turtle that likes to wander around on land--especially during rains. Although it is true that striped mud turtles are also more common. But Florida mud turtles are there and can be found if you know where and how to look for them.
One question: did you happen to check the PH of that water? I'd be curious to learn what in might be.
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Josh Holbrook
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Re: Haphazard Day Results

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Carl D. May wrote:Neat finds Josh. I was sort of hoping that you might find some steindachneri in that habitat. Florida mud turtles are considered rare by some folks but the reality is that they are just more persistently aquatic than the striped mud turtle that likes to wander around on land--especially during rains. Although it is true that striped mud turtles are also more common. But Florida mud turtles are there and can be found if you know where and how to look for them.
One question: did you happen to check the PH of that water? I'd be curious to learn what in might be.
Thanks Carl. I didn't take a pH but the water is certainly acidic: A lot of sphagnum moss.
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Rich in Reptiles
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Re: Haphazard Day Results

Post by Rich in Reptiles »

You caught a bunch of cool stuff! The pine woods tree frog tadpoles are so pretty. I love the ventral pattern on that Nerodia :shock: .
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