my area

[Snake lover 3-25]

i didn't know where else to put it so i put it here!!!

this is my backyard and surrounding land alot of it is the nature preserve that we live next to but my dad is one of the owners of that too... so...

this is VERY long so PLEASE DO NOT POST until i say okay!!!



these are berries from my mulberry tree...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_102.JPG

this is our trail that my bro made with his go-cart to the field...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_010.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_014.JPG

this is the field...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_016.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_015.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_017.JPG

[Snake lover 3-25]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_018.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_0191.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_020.JPG
it goes on forever doesn't it???!!!

this it the trail to the creek
it's a little over grown...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_021.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_022.JPG

this is a part of the creak that is surrounded bu land on three sides and is a haven for wildlife...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_023.JPG

[Snake lover 3-25]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_024.JPG

this is a great fishing spot just in front of the previous...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_035.JPG

this is where i relocated all of my toad eggs to... but most of them have evolved...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_0251.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_0261.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_027.JPG

this is the smaller pond where the frogs hang out...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_028.JPG

[Snake lover 3-25]

here are some shots of the creak...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_036.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_042.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_043.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_052.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_051.JPG

here is a pond created by a cold water spring... it is crystal clear... and ICE cold!!!
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_044.JPG

[Snake lover 3-25]

here are some crayfish...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_0341.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_045.JPG

and now some cool pics of butterflies!!!
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_053.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_0541.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_058.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_069.JPG

[ssssnakeluvr]

Nice photos!!!!!

[Snake lover 3-25]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_079.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_070.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_081.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_090.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_080.JPG
they were everywhere!!!!!!:eek:

[Snake lover 3-25]

now more woods shots...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_064.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_065.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_066.JPG

a cute toad...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_0391.JPG

mmmmm rasberries!
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_0552.JPG

cool trees...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_075.JPG

[Snake lover 3-25]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_091.JPG

natural spring...
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_093.JPG
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//617/medium/Shanley_092.JPG

ok I AM done!!!!:D:D:D

[ssssnakeluvr]

Nice!!! I gotta drive a half an hour or more to get to nice scenery like that!!

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol that would suck!!! thanks!!:D

[jitami]

What great wildlife habitat! Thanks for sharing! If there wasn't that whole humidity thing I would be soooo soooo jealous! :) Kidding, I'm still jealous! :)

[Loren]

That looks like a great place to live. I grew up in the country on a dairy, but, even though our dairy has pastures, they arent quite as natural as that.

[adamanteus]

Great series of photos, Shanley. Looks like a nice place to live.

[Justinviper]

Very nice. I love the crystal clear spring and the creek.

[Snaky]

You have a great area next to your home :)

[anji1971]

Beautiful place, Shanley. :)
Now when you say you find your snakes "in your backyard", it takes on a whole new perspective!!;)

[Garter_Gertie]

Beautiful. I'd spend alot of my time outside, too, with something like that right out my back door.

[crzy_kevo]

ya man i wish i lived in an area like that

[Zephyr]

Wow, very nice! But I think I know why you don't find a lot of garters; There's not enough open space, and I haven't seen any places that seem like they'd function as a good hibernaculum. If I were you, I'd do some terraforming around the edges of the meadow and near the ponds; make them a little more open.

[Snake lover 3-25]

terraforming???

[Zephyr]

terraforming???Changing the landscape. :P
Maybe dig some boulders out of the stream and using them to build a hibernaculum for one. For two, maybe cut a large semicircle starting from the edge of the forest a yard or two in the meadow. I find that eastern garters prefer minimal actual ground coverage but a lot of above coverage; Hence the fact that they like wild rhubarb plants, wild raspberry/blueberry bushes, and those odd spikey plants that grow tall.

[Snake lover 3-25]

okay!!! i'll try that!!! bc the pop was so high when i moved here but in the last 6 yrs it has become minimal..:(

[Zephyr]

okay!!! i'll try that!!! bc the pop was so high when i moved here but in the last 6 yrs it has become minimal..:(Has there been any construction lately? Or has any one been touching the forest floor? Such as cleaning it up of leaves?

[Snake lover 3-25]

no it's always been the same... they mow the entire field every other year... but they have always done that... and i don't understand why it's all changing now...:confused:

[Zephyr]

no it's always been the same... they mow the entire field every other year... but they have always done that... and i don't understand why it's all changing now...:confused:I'd check the food supply... Make sure there's a good 3 inches of dead, rotting hardwood leaves on the forest floor.

[Snake lover 3-25]

there aren't that many leaves.... there's alot of lose soil... but it's very windy and i think i'ts always been that way....

[Zephyr]

there aren't that many leaves.... there's alot of lose soil... but it's very windy and i think i'ts always been that way....
Leaves= worms= garter food.
No leaves= no worms= no garter food.

[Snake lover 3-25]

how do i fix it?????:(

[adamanteus]

Import 20,000 tons of dead leaves, I guess.

[Zephyr]

Throw any leaves you find on your lawn, or take neighbor's bags of leaves and distribute them into the forest. You may even want to start a compost heap.

[Zephyr]

Import 20,000 tons of dead leaves, I guess.I did close to that last year. XD
Roaches do need food you know. ;D

[Snake lover 3-25]

there are compost heaps from people dumping their leaves there already!!! they DO throw tons apon tons of debris into the woods every year!!!

[Zephyr]

Hmm... How's the toad population?

[Snake lover 3-25]

there are lots and lots of toads.... dozens come down to the creek to lay their eggs..... :confused: i just don't get it!!!!!:mad:

[Zephyr]

there are lots and lots of toads.... dozend come down to the creak to lay their eggs..... :confused: i just don't get it!!!!!:mad:Then I'd have to stick with a lack of basking area or lack of a decent den. Generally when I find garters they're never in open meadows, near rivers (Streams yes), or in the forests, but rather on the edges of forests and at the top hills that steep down into forest. Ponds and lakes generally have HUGE populations of garters though.

[Snake lover 3-25]

there are lots of ponds too!!! tuge ones full of bull frogs and even ducks!!!!



at the top hills that steep down into forest


our forrest is on a really steep hill wouldn't you think then that they'd be in my yard or on the trails that border it that are mowed a few times a month????

[Zephyr]

there are lots of ponds too!!! tuge ones full of bull frogs and even ducks!!!!



our forrest is on a really steep hill wouldn't you think then that they'd be in my yard or on the trails that border it that are mowed a few times a month????I think I know why Shanley. Check my other thread.

[Snake lover 3-25]

okay...:D:D

[Lori P]

Shanley, I just looked at all your pics-- soooooo beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing. :-)