Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Moderator: Scott Waters
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping (e.g. warning signs, oddball herps, uncommonly seen/rare things or herps, maybe just bizarre things seen on a herping outing.)
The spirit of this theme is to show, weird, wonderful, even creepy, unusual things or creatures, that you may have encountered on a herping outing. These can be “different” signs, oddball herps, uncommonly seen/rare things or herps, maybe just bizarre things seen on a herping outing, etc. You may have been struck by a condition or thing that made you say to yourself. “wow, that’s weird”, “Gee, that’s something you don’t see every day”, etc.
It could be “different” only to you so please explain this type.
(Ray, Tamara, James,
One of you showed a really creepy place in LA a couple years ago. That would be great here!)
General guidelines:
. One post per day.
. No more than 3 pics per post.
. Pics can be of great or poor quality, as long as they communicate the theme.
. Pics can be from any time in your library.
. If you like, paint a picture with any interesting short story that includes the theme and enhances your pics.
Theme 6 - Camouflage will follow next week on Saturday, unless contribution momentum slows to a crawl, then we’ll start it sooner.
Theme lineup for first group of themes:
Theme 7 Photo bombs (human or otherwise) that get into the frame as you are taking the picture. These would include inadvertent herps that you didn't realize were there when you took the picture.
Theme 8 Dealing with the public, either a lesson or a lecture to a group of non-herpers, LE encounters, etc. The common thread here being a herper in an interaction with non-herper
The spirit of this theme is to show, weird, wonderful, even creepy, unusual things or creatures, that you may have encountered on a herping outing. These can be “different” signs, oddball herps, uncommonly seen/rare things or herps, maybe just bizarre things seen on a herping outing, etc. You may have been struck by a condition or thing that made you say to yourself. “wow, that’s weird”, “Gee, that’s something you don’t see every day”, etc.
It could be “different” only to you so please explain this type.
(Ray, Tamara, James,
One of you showed a really creepy place in LA a couple years ago. That would be great here!)
General guidelines:
. One post per day.
. No more than 3 pics per post.
. Pics can be of great or poor quality, as long as they communicate the theme.
. Pics can be from any time in your library.
. If you like, paint a picture with any interesting short story that includes the theme and enhances your pics.
Theme 6 - Camouflage will follow next week on Saturday, unless contribution momentum slows to a crawl, then we’ll start it sooner.
Theme lineup for first group of themes:
Theme 7 Photo bombs (human or otherwise) that get into the frame as you are taking the picture. These would include inadvertent herps that you didn't realize were there when you took the picture.
Theme 8 Dealing with the public, either a lesson or a lecture to a group of non-herpers, LE encounters, etc. The common thread here being a herper in an interaction with non-herper
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Ok, That's funny...
In Arkansas, love appears in many forms!
.
In living all over the country, we once were sentenced to Dallas/FtWorth area for a year. On a warm, winter day an outing to see what herps were out took us to a northern remnant of hill country, which included the town of Strawn, TX. A pleasant surprise since the main street had several scrap metal sculptures, created by an artist named Marc Rankin.
Just some of these:
In Arkansas, love appears in many forms!
.
In living all over the country, we once were sentenced to Dallas/FtWorth area for a year. On a warm, winter day an outing to see what herps were out took us to a northern remnant of hill country, which included the town of Strawn, TX. A pleasant surprise since the main street had several scrap metal sculptures, created by an artist named Marc Rankin.
Just some of these:
- Rich in Reptiles
- Posts: 494
- Joined: November 30th, 2012, 7:45 am
- Location: Missouri
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Oh My!
Here's my contribution, I'm sure I'll dig up some more...
Oh the things you find when field herping! by Bethany Avilla, on Flickr
Here's my contribution, I'm sure I'll dig up some more...
Oh the things you find when field herping! by Bethany Avilla, on Flickr
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
All three of my photos are from kayaking trips. Not herping in the strictest sense, but part of the reason I go kayaking is to spot gators, turtles, and any other herps that might make themselves known. A fair number of my records in H.E.R.P. are from kayaking, too.
First up is a Peninsula Cooter out sunning on a log, but this one is showing off with a "Look, no hands!" move by balancing on its plastron with all of its feet up in the air. It didn't even attempt to slide away as I paddled by.
DSCN1247 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Next is an abandoned boat on the Little Manatee River. I don't know what caused it to list and partially sink like that, but it's been that way long enough for a tree to start growing out of it. Not much further down the river were some small homes, and one of them had a Confederate Flag out. I didn't hear banjo music, thankfully.
DSCN1631 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Finally, this photo was taken at the end of a paddle. This river otter came up to the loading ramp looking to snatch some fish that someone was filleting nearby, and a dog ran up to intercept it. They had a stand-off that lasted a minute or so, both making threatening noises to the other.
DSCN2882 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Even took some video of this encounter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2biUEN ... =autoshare
First up is a Peninsula Cooter out sunning on a log, but this one is showing off with a "Look, no hands!" move by balancing on its plastron with all of its feet up in the air. It didn't even attempt to slide away as I paddled by.
DSCN1247 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Next is an abandoned boat on the Little Manatee River. I don't know what caused it to list and partially sink like that, but it's been that way long enough for a tree to start growing out of it. Not much further down the river were some small homes, and one of them had a Confederate Flag out. I didn't hear banjo music, thankfully.
DSCN1631 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Finally, this photo was taken at the end of a paddle. This river otter came up to the loading ramp looking to snatch some fish that someone was filleting nearby, and a dog ran up to intercept it. They had a stand-off that lasted a minute or so, both making threatening noises to the other.
DSCN2882 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Even took some video of this encounter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2biUEN ... =autoshare
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Interesting find with the practice bomb - was that at an old bomb range?
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
OK,
Signs...
Anyone who explores the Everglades National Park
This Texas sign is really scary.....
The most terrifying sign - - - - - - - - ever.
Rambo Rombo Campground Montana
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Signs...
Anyone who explores the Everglades National Park
This Texas sign is really scary.....
The most terrifying sign - - - - - - - - ever.
.
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Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Here's some strangeness:
-Jb
-Jb
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
The land use to be part of Eglin before it was sold to the state for civilian use and park lands.mtratcliffe wrote:Interesting find with the practice bomb - was that at an old bomb range?
Also, that is one freaky frog you found the Jason !
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
These have all been great.
Arkansas has a different look to nature!
If I was hiking and found that pumpkin on the stump, I'd smile the rest of the day.
The dog/otter standoff is one in a life time.
A WWII bomb, even a practice bomb, is definitely not something you see every day.
Closing public land because dumbass politicians on both sides of the aisle can't act like adults and come to agreement seems to be the wave of the future.
Final comment:
JB. That frog is really interesting. It seems well healed and holding weight (eating). Do you have an opinion as to whether it's congenital, or a trauma, like a snapper incising off its nose when it was younger?
JB's car made me think of weird tin while herping:
Some tired trees
Tin that has been here a while.
This tin is really hard to flip!
Arkansas has a different look to nature!
If I was hiking and found that pumpkin on the stump, I'd smile the rest of the day.
The dog/otter standoff is one in a life time.
A WWII bomb, even a practice bomb, is definitely not something you see every day.
Closing public land because dumbass politicians on both sides of the aisle can't act like adults and come to agreement seems to be the wave of the future.
Final comment:
JB. That frog is really interesting. It seems well healed and holding weight (eating). Do you have an opinion as to whether it's congenital, or a trauma, like a snapper incising off its nose when it was younger?
JB's car made me think of weird tin while herping:
Some tired trees
Tin that has been here a while.
This tin is really hard to flip!
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Ah yes, they still have a bomb range at Eglin, I believe. There's one in Avon Park, closer to where I am.simus343 wrote:The land use to be part of Eglin before it was sold to the state for civilian use and park lands.mtratcliffe wrote:Interesting find with the practice bomb - was that at an old bomb range?
Also, that is one freaky frog you found the Jason !
As for the frog, is that a Spadefoot? Must have been birthed in a radioactive pool!
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
I assumed the bullfrog's incomplete maxillary deformity was congenital, but it could have been caused through trauma. Perhaps through a trematode or a fungus when the frog was but a wee pollywog? When I first noticed the frog hopping across the trail I thought it was a spadefoot.
Here's a couple more:
Standing knee-deep in this stream and looking up at that 8cu foot deep freeze gave me new respect for what heavy rains can do in Appalachia:
Amidst a Hyla carcophony resonating from the River Styx I noticed one brave Green treefrog singing his heart out from a less-than-suitable breeding spot:
The previous picture could have fit a couple other themes too!
-Jb
Here's a couple more:
Standing knee-deep in this stream and looking up at that 8cu foot deep freeze gave me new respect for what heavy rains can do in Appalachia:
Amidst a Hyla carcophony resonating from the River Styx I noticed one brave Green treefrog singing his heart out from a less-than-suitable breeding spot:
The previous picture could have fit a couple other themes too!
-Jb
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- Posts: 2248
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:42 am
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Yeah, that was my post about the creepy place. But I cannot find the pictures.(Ray, Tamara, James,
One of you showed a really creepy place in LA a couple years ago. That would be great here!)
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
TM
"LaBrea" Road - This garter was a DOR and yellowjackets came to feed; then, another car, then more death.
A herping surprise - Africanized Honey Bees – rock cut, south TX:
Walking a Texas cut at night, I had to keep telling myself that these Africanized Honey Bees don’t fly at night. A visit on the next day, inside the safety of a car, they were not so friendly.
Plain ol' Swarming Honey Bees – North Florida Farm
Nice to know they're calmer without a home to defend!
Many pieces of good tin, but no herps!
Very strange, I couldn't even find the post on a FORUM search.Yeah, that was my post about the creepy place. But I cannot find the pictures
"LaBrea" Road - This garter was a DOR and yellowjackets came to feed; then, another car, then more death.
A herping surprise - Africanized Honey Bees – rock cut, south TX:
Walking a Texas cut at night, I had to keep telling myself that these Africanized Honey Bees don’t fly at night. A visit on the next day, inside the safety of a car, they were not so friendly.
Plain ol' Swarming Honey Bees – North Florida Farm
Nice to know they're calmer without a home to defend!
Many pieces of good tin, but no herps!
- umop apisdn
- Posts: 395
- Joined: June 13th, 2010, 6:06 pm
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Found this under a rock in the Florida Keys 10 years ago. Took me around 8 years to figure out what it was.
Any guesses?
Any guesses?
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
It would help if I had a little more depth perception to the photo. I have seen some marine flat-worms that look a lot like that from a Birds-eye-View. Still, looks a little too tall to by a flat-worm, or is that just an optical illusion making it look tall (for depth)?umop apisdn wrote: Any guesses?
Still really learning towards invertebrate. There is a type of shell, I use to find them all the time when I was in Okinawa. When the snail feels secure though, the snail's body covers the outside of the shell as well with little tiny tentacles coming off all over the shell, giving it a fuzzy appearance. The type of snail looks like shell-pasta in shape. Snails with such shell type also live in S Fla, could it be one of those? Again, a marine organism.
So...was this critter under an upland rock, tidepool rock, swamp rock? Might help my guesses some .
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- Posts: 285
- Joined: June 9th, 2010, 8:15 pm
- Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Fl
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
umop apisdn wrote:Found this under a rock in the Florida Keys 10 years ago. Took me around 8 years to figure out what it was.
Any guesses?
Echinoderm skeleton of some type?
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Wow, Mike, good one.
That's strange. What is it?
Reminded me of when an anemone pulls its tentacles into the stem for protection.
Jake, despite denials, it's my understanding that Peruvian police are watching for you!
Motorcycle sculpture did remind me of stumbling on to "Car Henge" in Nebraska. First time I found it while herping, I had no idea it existed; 2nd time was on purpose.
The real Stone Henge (circa 1982):
Car Henge
That's strange. What is it?
Reminded me of when an anemone pulls its tentacles into the stem for protection.
Jake, despite denials, it's my understanding that Peruvian police are watching for you!
Motorcycle sculpture did remind me of stumbling on to "Car Henge" in Nebraska. First time I found it while herping, I had no idea it existed; 2nd time was on purpose.
The real Stone Henge (circa 1982):
Car Henge
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Maybe I just look for weird when I'm out, but here are a few more before we change to "Camouflage" this evening:
This mailbox in NC is just "over mountain" from us.
Low Country, SC
And one last metal sculpture in N GA.
(Berkely, we saw this on our way out from having lunch with you a few years ago.)
This mailbox in NC is just "over mountain" from us.
Low Country, SC
And one last metal sculpture in N GA.
(Berkely, we saw this on our way out from having lunch with you a few years ago.)
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
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DOR otter
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herping Dixie
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snow worm
- umop apisdn
- Posts: 395
- Joined: June 13th, 2010, 6:06 pm
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Sorry, I got a bit busy and didn't have the time to follow up.
You're correct that it is an invertebrate. As far as I can tell, it was alive.
It was found under a chunk of limestone rock outside of any tidal influence, though there was a small amount of fresh water pooled up nearby (for the savvy ones, this can even clue you in to which Florida Key it was found). Until it was identified (still, only to genus), I had mistakenly assumed it was some sort of shell-less mollusk.
It's difficult to get much perspective on the organism, so I'll describe it. It was roughly the size of a raspberry. As a whole, it was fairly rigid. on the underside (not pictured), it was flat, pink-ish, and translucent. Overall, it looked like a weird berry cut in half. The underside was slightly moist, which seemed to help it adhere to the rock. Through the translucent underside, I could make out what I thought looked like a gut tube. The periphery of where the dome met the underside had a rough texture, almost like a bunch of short bristles or spines (no joints and didn't seem to move). If you look at the right side of the organism, there is what I thought to be some sort of mouth/short proboscis/nub.
I'll continue to let people guess, but since I believe it's a fairly obscure thing, I'll link to the image on my Flickr account so people can see what it is.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikedmartin/7968559856
You're correct that it is an invertebrate. As far as I can tell, it was alive.
It was found under a chunk of limestone rock outside of any tidal influence, though there was a small amount of fresh water pooled up nearby (for the savvy ones, this can even clue you in to which Florida Key it was found). Until it was identified (still, only to genus), I had mistakenly assumed it was some sort of shell-less mollusk.
It's difficult to get much perspective on the organism, so I'll describe it. It was roughly the size of a raspberry. As a whole, it was fairly rigid. on the underside (not pictured), it was flat, pink-ish, and translucent. Overall, it looked like a weird berry cut in half. The underside was slightly moist, which seemed to help it adhere to the rock. Through the translucent underside, I could make out what I thought looked like a gut tube. The periphery of where the dome met the underside had a rough texture, almost like a bunch of short bristles or spines (no joints and didn't seem to move). If you look at the right side of the organism, there is what I thought to be some sort of mouth/short proboscis/nub.
I'll continue to let people guess, but since I believe it's a fairly obscure thing, I'll link to the image on my Flickr account so people can see what it is.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikedmartin/7968559856
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
I gave up and went for the flickr, Mike, haha...and wow...did not see that coming!
Also here is something from last week at work. Only the second I've seen, and the first I've been able to photograph and/or seen in a tortoise burrow. So, a rare or unusual find for myself at least.
Not the best picture, was night time and I was in a rush as temps started to drop below my comfort zone. A little mouse of some type. Don't know my rodents very well.
Also here is something from last week at work. Only the second I've seen, and the first I've been able to photograph and/or seen in a tortoise burrow. So, a rare or unusual find for myself at least.
Not the best picture, was night time and I was in a rush as temps started to drop below my comfort zone. A little mouse of some type. Don't know my rodents very well.
- Berkeley Boone
- Posts: 878
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:02 am
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
There are some good ones on here! Nice job yall!
Mike, never would have guessed what you had there. I was thinking it was a type of chiton or something. Wowza!
--Berkeley
Rodolfo's Place! I recognized it right when I saw it, Bill! On the right side of 441 as you are heading out of town, right? Ha ha, that is great.BillMcGighan wrote:And one last metal sculpture in N GA.
(Berkely, we saw this on our way out from having lunch with you a few years ago.)
Mike, never would have guessed what you had there. I was thinking it was a type of chiton or something. Wowza!
--Berkeley
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- Posts: 1165
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:25 am
- Location: Mobile, AL
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
I've sadly seen them around in peninsular Florida too. Most of the ones I've seen, like the one pictured, look pretty healthy so I assume they're picked up or cared for by locals.Lost (sometimes abandoned?) hunting dogs are sadly not a very strange sight in the eastern panhandle
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
*Oops, sorry. Just realized this is a Southeast chapter thread.*
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Don't hesitate to ever contribute, Jim.
We have folks from all over.
Shoot.. It's winter....anything herp is good!
We have folks from all over.
Shoot.. It's winter....anything herp is good!
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Yeah, I'm curious to know what you have to shareJAMAUGHN wrote:*Oops, sorry. Just realized this is a Southeast chapter thread.*
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Okay, then. Just something I saw in my recent trip to Thailand:
Khao Yai National Park by J. Maughn, on Flickr
Park authorities couldn't have been too worried, considering the condition of the sign. Sadly, the crocodile never materialized, despite having been spotted earlier that day. A few minutes down the trail, however, this appeared on the other side of the river:
Asian Elephant, Elephas maximus by J. Maughn, on Flickr
...which pretty well made up for the lack of a crocodile.
JimM
Khao Yai National Park by J. Maughn, on Flickr
Park authorities couldn't have been too worried, considering the condition of the sign. Sadly, the crocodile never materialized, despite having been spotted earlier that day. A few minutes down the trail, however, this appeared on the other side of the river:
Asian Elephant, Elephas maximus by J. Maughn, on Flickr
...which pretty well made up for the lack of a crocodile.
JimM
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Asian Elephant - Wow.
That's neat.
The best I ever did up NW of Kanchanaburi was a Blood Python.
I'll say....which pretty well made up for the lack of a crocodile
That's neat.
The best I ever did up NW of Kanchanaburi was a Blood Python.
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
An unexploded ordinance. This was on Egland AFB and we actually flagged it and called the Jackson Guard.
Projectile by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
-Jake
Projectile by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr
-Jake
- umop apisdn
- Posts: 395
- Joined: June 13th, 2010, 6:06 pm
Re: Theme 5 - Strange things seen while herping
Jake, that appears to actually be a flare often used by military in night training exercises. I found more than I could count in my field work, and most often without the parachute attached.
For the life of me, I cannot find an image of one, only a diagram.
That just reminded me of the time that I actually came across a large explosive, with other improvised explosives scattered nearby. Scared the crap out of me. Turns out, I was walking an area for training on spotting those things. Still left me very uneasy, and yes...I went ahead and reported it.
I actually found a few UXOs in the long term, too, fortunately so old and weathered I could consider myself safe when I found them. What wasn't so comfortable is when I noticed EOD crews digging up UXOs that I had been walking over for years.
For the life of me, I cannot find an image of one, only a diagram.
That just reminded me of the time that I actually came across a large explosive, with other improvised explosives scattered nearby. Scared the crap out of me. Turns out, I was walking an area for training on spotting those things. Still left me very uneasy, and yes...I went ahead and reported it.
I actually found a few UXOs in the long term, too, fortunately so old and weathered I could consider myself safe when I found them. What wasn't so comfortable is when I noticed EOD crews digging up UXOs that I had been walking over for years.