The Nature Photography Thread

[Snaky]

Some great pictures, everybody :)

[Melmo]

Oi...the pictures came out fine, but I wrote the wrong text above the fungus picture. I was planning to put a different picture there, but I decided on the fungus picture. Anyway, I found this coral-like fungus in the forest.

[mustang]

Found this poor guy on the side of the road. I wasn't sure what species he was, but I'm thinking mud snake. I'm also pretty sure he was dead, judging by the pool of blood around his mouth.

http://i40.tinypic.com/2i88x3n.jpg

Spotted this guy under a fallen tree near the stream where I've been releasing my garters. I wasn't sure whether he was a nerodian or a moccasin, and I wasn't going to get any closer to find out.

http://i39.tinypic.com/ric6cl.jpghttp://i44.tinypic.com/240yd75.jpg

I wish my camera was as good as my binoculars. I also saw a smaller snake climbing the bank on the other side of the bridge, but couldn't get a good shot of him.
ya its a mud snake...the last one could be a nerodian

[adamanteus]

The snake in the last photos is a Water Moccasin (Cottonmouth) Agkistrodon piscavorus... best not bother that one!

[guidofatherof5]

The snake in the last photos is a Water Moccasin (Cottonmouth) Agkistrodon piscavorus... best not bother that one!

James,

It's all in your approach. Jumping at them will always make them grumpy. It's better to approach slowly, smiling and talking nicely.:D That's all it takes.

[adamanteus]

Dangerous joke, Steve! That guy will kill you dead!

[guidofatherof5]

Dangerous joke, Steve! That guy will kill you dead!

Yes, it was just a joke and if in poor taste I apologize.:)

[reptileparadise]

Dammit...Its not centred...
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/addeltje.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/groentje.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/hmmmmmocassin.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Centered or not. Great photos.
Thanks for sharing.

[gregmonsta]

Awww ... look at the little vipers trying to blend in :D ... nice horned desert adder!

[mustang]

Dangerous joke, Steve! That guy will kill you dead!
well im young and foolish enough...i go in knee deep grass looking for snakes i cant see

[guidofatherof5]

I came across this beautiful Bull snake today. The property owner wanted it removed. They were worried about the snake bothering the kids that will be moving into the house. I wasn't able to change their minds.
She was in a very grumpy mood and wanted to tag me in a bad way. She's about 4.5 feet long and only had a couple of scars. I love these snakes. A bull snake was my first big snake as a young boy. She'll be released tomorrow at a local nature reserve. I have permission to release any Bull snakes there. They have a prairie area just for the Bull snakes.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/bull3.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/bull11.jpg

[Snaky]

Very nice bullsnake :)

[gregmonsta]

Very nice :D I'm planning on keeping one at some point in the future.

[reptileparadise]

Thats a very nice son of a b***h...uh, I mean bullsnake...

These guys seem to hate me...Is it me or do they hate everyono who gets to close?

[guidofatherof5]

Thats a very nice son of a b***h...uh, I mean bullsnake...

These guys seem to hate me...Is it me or do they hate everyono who gets to close?

There are 2 types of Bull snakes. Calm and psycho. This one was the latter.

My kids and I found a 6 footer a few months ago that was as calm as could be. I picked her up and she stayed with us for the next couple of hours. We released her right back where we found her.

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice :D I'm planning on keeping one at some point in the future.

The ones I've had over the years have been great. All calm and easy to work with. My last in-home Bull snake used to come out on the bed with the kids and I when I was helping with their homework, 5 kids, 1 adult and a 5.5 foot bullsnake all on one bed. She crawled around and over the kids and me as we worked. She was a mouse eating machine.

[reptileparadise]

Hmmm...I seem to attract the psychos then.

[k2l3d4]

Steve.... that bull snake is a beauty! I am so glad that that area has you to watch over all the snakes !!!

[GarterGeek]

That is one gorgeous snake...I've just added a new snake to my want list. :D

[CelestiHel]

Wow, so pretty. We don't have any snakes in Vermont that get that big. Glad you've got your eyes out for them!

[pitbulllady]

Seeing the Bull Snake made me kinda sad. During the week of July 6 I lost one of my oldest and best buds, a huge TX Bull named(don't shoot me for this, OK)"Bull", actually after the huge but kind-hearted Bailiff on the old tv comedy series, "Night Court". I'd had him for the better part of 16 years, except when he lived with a friend of mine and her pre-teen son. She and her husband were going through a nasty divorce, which was having a really bad effect on this kid, emotionally, and to make things worse he and him mom had to move out of the house he'd grown up in and into a shabby single-wide rental trailer, and the landlord wouldn't let them have a dog, so the kid had to leave his beloved mixed-breed dog with his father. The dog got hit by a car and killed soon after that. The boy ended up having to see a Psychiatrist/counselor, who recommended that he get a pet to help him deal with the emotional mess he was going through. Since he couldn't have a dog, he asked for a snake, and after some convincing of his mother, she relented and let him go with me to a small local reptile show. He picked out a 3-4 foot wild-caught Bull Snake, under the agreement that if he decided not to keep the snake, I'd get it back. Bull lived with him until he graduated high school and enlisted in the Marines, at which time I got him back. Between the time I paid for him at the show, and his death, that was 16 years, and he was already at least 3 feet long when I bought him. He was every bit of 8 feet when he died, and probably at least 18 years old. He passed away while I was attending an educator's conference in Myrtle Beach, and I had the task of burying him when I got home.

pitbulllady

[guidofatherof5]

It sounds like you had a friend there. If you get the right one, Bulls can be great. Like a extra large Garter snake. I would love to keep the one I have but in Iowa they are protected.
I call some of my large T.radixes, mini bull snakes.
I bet there's much more to the story after 16 years. That's great.
I'm very sorry to hear about Bull's passing. Sounds like he had a full life. Nice job.

[guidofatherof5]

I took the Bull snake to a nature reserve. They have an awesome prairie area and were glad to have a new resident. After taking this photo, she made one last attempt to tag me. Not Today!
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/mad_bull.jpg

[count dewclaw]

We went to my parents house yesterday. Their property includes some lake frontage. One of the pilings for their dock has a couple channels that a young watersnake thinks makes a good place to hang out (the bucket that is usually put over the piling probably makes it cozy).....
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/watersnake.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

Great shot, Leann.

[Snaky]

A funny picture :)
Think that's a great hide.

[Mommy2many]

Great hide! Took me a minute to see his face!

[gregmonsta]

Love that pic! :D

[mustang]

how big is it

[count dewclaw]

Thanks. The snake is maybe 15"-18" long, so probably one of last year's babies.

[guidofatherof5]

A first for the Ranch. Baby dekayi's.
Only one so far but the day is here. We have been waiting and today is it. They are much smaller than I thought they would be. This is going to be a good day.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/first_dekayi.jpg

[gregmonsta]

Cute wee thing :D

[Snaky]

Nice one, congrats :)

[count dewclaw]

Went to my parents house on the lake yesterday. Found a couple cool things to photograph.

Neat looking mushroom
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/mushroom.JPG

and a spider with her egg sack
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/spiderwitheggsack.JPG

the spider is missing a leg on the left side.

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice photos.

[CelestiHel]

Oh, I used to love coming across those spiders, usually on boulders near the stream edge around here. Very nice. That must be why they have 8 legs...spares ;)

[Mommy2many]

I have trouble handling anything with more than 4 furry legs....:eek::rolleyes::eek:

[Stefan-A]

I have trouble handling anything with more than 4 furry legs....:eek::rolleyes::eek:
I have trouble handling anything with less than 4 furry legs.

[Mommy2many]

Ah, Stefan, the Ying and Yang of the universe!:D

[guidofatherof5]

Turned over a railroad tie, looking for slugs(Dekayi gold) and came across this female(?) with her egg sack. I don't know spiders at all so maybe someone can ID it for me. I'm guessing Wolf Spider.
The kids and I feed the spiders that are around our house. I always like seeing them.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/spider3.jpg

[k2l3d4]

Steve did you just say that you feed the spiders? Ok I can do ants, snakes, ect... but I have real issues with spiders,.... as long as they are outside my house we are OK,,,... They make it in,... I can not guarentee that they make it out.

[guidofatherof5]

[quote=k2l3d4;116340]Steve did you just say that you feed the spiders? quote]

Flies and small crickets go in the webs. Spiders are cool. I love having them in the basement. I don't have to spray poison, they do the work for me.

[Mommy2many]

Things with more than 4 furry legs!!!! UUGHHH!!!:eek:

[ssssnakeluvr]

that is a female wolf spider with an egg sac.

[reptileparadise]

woohoo!
baby Coronella austraica I found today :D
And even better...I just heard this is the very first one to be found in Holland this year :D

*edit...Just as tiny as a baby garter, just a bit more ...plump...
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/gladde-slang-juveniel-19-augustus-2.jpg
*edit 2
This ones for James again
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/wielwebspin.jpg

[Stefan-A]

woohoo!
baby Coronella austraica I found today :D
And even better...I just heard this is the very first one to be found in Holland this year :D

*edit...Just as tiny as a baby garter, just a bit more ...plump...
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/gladde-slang-juveniel-19-augustus-2.jpg

Very nice find. That's one species I would like to see in the wild.


*edit 2
This ones for James again

Wherever he might be. :rolleyes:

[jitami]

woohoo!
baby Coronella austraica I found today

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/gladde-slang-juveniel-19-augustus-2.jpg
*edit 2

Awesome find! I was so excited to open this thread and see that the new picture was not a spider.... and then I scrolled down... sigh... :o:eek::p

Actually the big yellow and black spiders are kinda cool... we always called them tomato spiders, but I have no clue where that name came from or if it's even close to correct. Still... :o:D

[Snaky]

Great find, Sjoerd :)

[guidofatherof5]

I have a new member to the Ranch. This newborn Fox snake was found in the building and given to me.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/fox1.jpg

[GarterGeek]

What a pretty pattern! :) Have you gotten it to eat anything yet?

[guidofatherof5]

What a pretty pattern! :) Have you gotten it to eat anything yet?

It eat a pinky last night.:)

[guidofatherof5]

Our Butterfly bushes have been very busy around the Ranch. I found this Monarch catapillar on a milkweed vine and we've been feeding it for a couple of days. It stopped eating tonight and I told the kids to get one last look at it because in the morning it would be in its chrysalis. I week or so from now we'll have a beautiful butterfly in the house. It will be released so it can continue its southernly journey. I love these visitors, there's something calming about them.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/monarch.jpg

[Mommy2many]

Steve,

When I was growing up, Monarchs were another wonderful thing my Mother introduced us to. I think it was in the summer of 1976, we literally raised hundreds of them at my house and then set them free for their migration. You could find their caterpillars everywhere when I was young. Now, I haven't found any in years to show my kids the wonderful & colorful transformation these butterflies make. From their black & yellow caterpillar stage, to their emerald green and gold dotted chrysallis,to the transparent butterfly right before emerging, it is an awesome experience! We loved to watch them emerge, "drip dry" and let their wings unfold. They would stay a few hours and then leave us for Mexico. You are sooo lucky.

[drache]

I saw a monarch yesterday and I don't think I've ever seen one around here
we used to go to a couple of places in Santa Cruz, CA where they would congregate in big clumps, covering some trees to the point where one can't see the tree for the butterflies - it's hard to imagine unless one has seen it
there's some nice pics on this site
monarch1 pictures from outdoors photos on webshots (http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2362996740034069617luXVEy)

[guidofatherof5]

We've been doing Monarchs for the last 10 years here.

We also do Woolly Bear catapillars(Pyrrharctia isabella Pyrrharctia isabella)Pyrrharctia isabella - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrharctia_isabella)

[GarterGeek]

Our Butterfly bushes have been very busy around the Ranch. I found this Monarch catapillar on a milkweed vine and we've been feeding it for a couple of days. It stopped eating tonight and I told the kids to get one last look at it because in the morning it would be in its chrysalis. I week or so from now we'll have a beautiful butterfly in the house. It will be released so it can continue its southernly journey. I love these visitors, there's something calming about them.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/monarch.jpg

Ha! I have the same thing going on right now! Except mine are all in chrysalis already. Milkweed is THE place to look for them. I love all of the stages, especially the chrysalis.

[drache]

Jeff thinks this is really disgusting
credits go to Mikhaila for finding them - she thought they were dying, but hey did fly away after they were done dying, and my sense was that they didn't like the camera

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3487/3858575075_8f79e85860_b.jpg

[count dewclaw]

What a cool photo! I haven't ever seen cicadas doing that before....:eek:

[reptileparadise]

Very cool!
I guess that these guys are bigger then they look?

[drache]

I estimate ca 4cm body length
they're making a big racket in the trees

[reptileparadise]

Yeah, I heard they can be noisy :P
They look cool though!


I'm excited about tomorrow! Going to look for Vipera berus, Coronella austriaca and Natrix natrix!
To bad it takes a 3,5 hour trainride and weather will be sh*t

[ssssnakeluvr]

here's a little visitor to my house I found tonite....

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g302/ssssnakeluvr/DSCF2001.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g302/ssssnakeluvr/DSCF2003.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g302/ssssnakeluvr/DSCF2005.jpg

[Snaky]

Nice pictures, Don :)
Also a nice visitor.

[guidofatherof5]

Love those mantises. Very cool insect.

[drache]

I love their little space alien faces - haven't seen any in my yard this year

[GarterGeek]

Do you know what kind of mantis that is?

[ssssnakeluvr]

just a regular one...not sure the exact species..... he was still here today...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g302/ssssnakeluvr/DSCF3002-2.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g302/ssssnakeluvr/DSCF3003-1.jpg

[ssssnakeluvr]

and I have this girl living in my rose bush....cat spider, araneus gemmoides

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g302/ssssnakeluvr/DSCF3004.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g302/ssssnakeluvr/DSCF3009-2.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g302/ssssnakeluvr/DSCF3012-1.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g302/ssssnakeluvr/DSCF3014-3.jpg

[count dewclaw]

Those are cool shots of the spider wrapping the earwig.

[reptileparadise]

Whoop! Herping trip was a succes!
(Even though my mates said it was a bad day, with very little reptiles....)
4x Coronella austriaca, Smooth snake. One juvie, one subadult and two adults
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/smoth-snake-juvie.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/smooth-snake.jpg

One Adder (vipera berus), juvenile!
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/adder-juvie.jpg

Two grass snakes ( natrix natrix)
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Natuur/grasssnake.jpg

[Stefan-A]

Congratulations, very nice finds. :)

The herping season is drawing to a close here, unfortunately. It was a really bad one.

[CelestiHel]

Woohoo! Nice Spider pics. I root for any critter that gets one up on earwigs.

[reptileparadise]

Congratulations, very nice finds. :)

The herping season is drawing to a close here, unfortunately. It was a really bad one.


Same here...
Although I do like spring...I´ll be looking for Rana arvalis again...:D
I must find them! (Blue males I mean...we found a few yearlings two days ago)

[Stefan-A]

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/nature09/summer2009-1-hoverfly01.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/nature09/summer2009-1-fly01.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/nature09/summer2009-1-fly02.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/nature09/summer2009-1-araneus01.jpg



It's been a really bad summer, but here are some photos anyway.

[count dewclaw]

At least you could be outside getting some photos. The flies and spider look great.

[Stefan-A]

Saved a small toad (Bufo bufo) on Saturday. It had gotten trapped in a scoop partially filled with rainwater. For me, it was kind of special to come across this little guy. It's the first toad I have ever found in that location, despite the fact that I've spent the last 30 summers there. A young specimen, so apparently they're breeding somewhere nearby.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/nature09/lastsave-bufo-01.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/nature09/lastsave-bufo-02.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/nature09/lastsave-bufo-03.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/nature/nature09/lastsave-bufo-04.jpg

[mustang]

cool toad!!!

[drache]

cute little guy

[guidofatherof5]

She's finally ready to make an appearance.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ready2.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ready11.jpg

We found this beautiful female in the garden.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/mantus.jpg

[drache]

wow - that's a big one

[jitami]

hehe... just keep that mantid away from the monarch <gg>

Love 'em both, though :)

[Didymus20X6]

That mantis, didn't he play keyboards on Space Ghost Coast to Coast?

[count dewclaw]

We have a dozen or so of these very large mushrooms growing on our property.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/mushroom1.JPG

[reptileparadise]

hmmm, yummy!

[count dewclaw]

I don't know mushrooms well enough to try these.....:o You don't get a second chance if you are wrong. :eek:

[Didymus20X6]

I believe Italian plumbers use those to make themselves giant sized.

[drache]

I believe Italian plumbers use those to make themselves giant sized.
yeah - and they got it from the Chinese, just like the pasta

[guidofatherof5]

While on a slug hunt I came across this beautiful Wolf Spider. I love these things.
I wish I had a backyard full of them, as long as they don't bother my radixes.:D
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/wolf.jpg

[CelestiHel]

Bare handed, even! If it's larger than my thumbnail, I generally leave it be, or if it's in the house, there is a glass and an envelope involved ;) I remember being bit by these as a kid, who was most likely bothering it beyond it's tolerance, but the body remembers! They are lovely, though!

[the_edsta]

Agreed... I love all things nature, but arachnids aren't something I can handle like that. Once the fear sets in, there is no turning back...

[the_edsta]

Figured I'd add a few from this weekend:

This gorgeous juvenile Florida eastern was just roaming about:
http://www.electronicsyllabus.com/nature/easterngarter.jpg

Flushed this adult pigmy rattler out of a bush:
http://www.electronicsyllabus.com/nature/pigmyrattlerfull.jpg

Little Green Treefrog:
http://www.electronicsyllabus.com/nature/greentreefrog.jpg

I couldn't identify this shiny little toad. Several of these little guys were hanging around under logs (I was looking for salamanders):
http://www.electronicsyllabus.com/nature/slicktoad.jpg

Sorry about the quality... I usually only carry my iphone when I'm out in the woods...

[guidofatherof5]

You sure saw a lot of diversity. Thanks for post your photos.

[guidofatherof5]

This weekend I had to cut down my 25 years old Cherry Trees that had died last fall.
I found this very cool looking fungus growing on a branch. I don't know it's name but I think I'll save it.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ungus.jpg

[GarterGeek]

Nice pictures everyone! That pygmy rattle snake is awesome! I saw one of those while on vacation once.

I may have an Audubon fungus book laying around somewhere. If I get to it, I'll look it up. That's certainly a strange fungus.

[guidofatherof5]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/ungus.jpg


I believe it's Trametes versicolor fungus.

[GarterGeek]

Thanks! I checked and it looks like it.:)

[adamanteus]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//537/medium/2009_0926dragonflies0003.jpg

Sympetrum striolatum (Common Darter). Adult male.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//537/medium/2009_0926dragonflies00081.jpg

Sympetrum striolatum. Mating pair.

[GarterGeek]

Are "darters" the same as dragonflies?

[adamanteus]

Well, some dragonflies are darters, it's just the common name of this species.

[GarterGeek]

Thank you! I was just wondering whether it was similar to how damselflies and dragonflies differ. :)

[adamanteus]

The Common Darter is most definitely a Dragonfly, 'Common Darter' just happens to be it's common (English) name.

[count dewclaw]

I think it is time to trim back my aquatic plants and put my pond to bed for the winter.....:(

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/snowypond.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

I think it is time to trim back my aquatic plants and put my pond to bed for the winter.....:(

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/snowypond.JPG

Wait just a minute. I'm going to send you 4 of my radixes and you don't have an outside heated pool for them to use.:D I may have to re-think my decision:rolleyes:

[count dewclaw]

Wait just a minute. I'm going to send you 4 of my radixes and you don't have an outside heated pool for them to use.:D I may have to re-think my decision:rolleyes:

I do have an indoor heated pool for them and all kinds of climbing branches and hiding places, does that help sway the decision in my favor? :D

[guidofatherof5]

I've been trying to collect as many slugs as I can before the real cold sets in. These little Dekayi delicacies will come in handy.
I have a few shameless radixes that eat them also. Most of my radixes just look at me like "Where's the real food, I ain't eating that"
I also saw a large number of eggs in the soil.
I really like the first photo showing the breathing hole on their side.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/slug_hole.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/slug_egg.jpg

[chrom0]

I was out walking with my boyfriend and his golden retriever when his dog dug up this snake:

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu92/chromzero/IMG_7608.jpg

I THINK its a checkered Garter Snake. Can anyone confirm this please?

[Stefan-A]

I was out walking with my boyfriend and his golden retriever when his dog dug up this snake:

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu92/chromzero/IMG_7608.jpg

I THINK its a checkered Garter Snake. Can anyone confirm this please?
Definitely a garter, but probably not a checkered garter. It looks like an Eastern garter, but if you give a location, we can probably narrow it down.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I'd say eastern also

[chrom0]

Eastern PA, I thought just eastern garter at first too, but wiki lead me to believe checkered because of the pattern, though I'm definitely no expert.

[Stefan-A]

Eastern PA, I thought just eastern garter at first too, but wiki lead me to believe checkered because of the pattern, though I'm definitely no expert.
Then it's definitely an Eastern garter (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis).

You can find our Photograpic Library among our articles, if you want to see pictures of some of the other garter species.
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Photographic_Library

[chrom0]

Thanks! :D

[GarterGeek]

Eastern PA, I thought just eastern garter at first too, but wiki lead me to believe checkered because of the pattern, though I'm definitely no expert.

There are only three native members of Thamnophis in PA: Eastern Common Garter, Eastern Ribbon Snake, and the Short Headed Garter Snake. The Short Headed Garter snake is considered rare and only lives in the north-western part of the state. I hope this helps for future encounters! :)

[reptileparadise]

Couple of shots I took today...
A little bit of late summer,
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/blauwe-bloemetje-klein.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/blommeke-klein.jpg

And some autumn. Nothing special going on here. Its way to dry for good 'shrooming' and we had some early frost sadly...
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/clustertje-klein.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/donker-clustertje-klein.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/donkere-cluster-klein.jpg

[reptileparadise]

One of the worlds most lethal mushrooms...
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/groene-knol-klein.jpg

And others...
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/twijfelgeval-klein.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/vliegenzwam1klein.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/vliegenzwam-klein.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/zwermpje-ozwampjes-klein.jpg

A little bit of editing going on here. I didn't like the original, but this is okay I guess.
"psychodelicious"
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Fotografie/psychedelicious-klein.jpg

[Stefan-A]

Very nice. :) I haven't been able to take any photos worth posting this year.

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice group of photos.

[gregmonsta]

Pretty fungi :)

[drache]

lovely mushrooms
the a. muscaria are such a bright red; where I grew up they were more of a dull brick colour

[mustang]

dosnt mario jump off that middle red one?

[reptileparadise]

Cheers all;

@ Drache; It took all morning to find pretty ones. They lose color soon after emerging from the ground.
What I find interesting is that quite a few are 'spotless' this year. Maybe a different ssp?

I don't know, I only know shroom basics (and P. semilanceata...but thats a whole other story)

[drache]

@ Drache; It took all morning to find pretty ones. They lose color soon after emerging from the ground.
What I find interesting is that quite a few are 'spotless' this year. Maybe a different ssp?
I wonder whether it has something to do with soil and microclimates
the ones I saw as a kid hardly ever had as many spots as the ones in your photos - most of the time it was only a few spots, or a cluster

[guidofatherof5]

While heading home from picking my kids up at school I saw this poor hawk in the roadway.:(
Road kill is not a fitting end to such a fine animal. I grabbed it and it will be buried on our property. It also gave my kids a chance to see one close up.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/hawk.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/hawk1.jpg

[mustang]

wheres the head? i think its a female coopers hawk but cant be 100% sure without the head.

[guidofatherof5]

wheres the head? i think its a female coopers hawk but cant be 100% sure without the head.

Let's just say it wasn't very photographic.
It was just too graphic:rolleyes:

[charles parenteau]

Poor eagle ...its great for your kids its someting you don't see every day ,Im fascinate by all bird of prey and how strong they are...beautiful animal.

[guidofatherof5]

Found this little jumping spider out by the front door. I hope he finds a warmer place to be since the weather is turning cold for the season.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/jspider1.jpg

[GarterGeek]

That is so neat! I'm normally not a fan of spiders, but I really like jumping spiders and daddy-long-legs. Somehow neither of those spiders give me the (irrational) willies like other spiders do. Most of the jumping spiders around where I live have green, shiny, jewel-like appearance. :)

I saw a jumping spider try to take out a wasp once - Very exciting, the only problem was that there was a glass window between the spider and wasp. The wasp was crawling on the outside and the spider was crawling on the inside. It was pretty funny.

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, jumping spiders are the coolest. Occasionally I find one about the size of a dime. Jet black with red spots and really hairy. They're like mini tarantulas! The dead hawk is definitely a coopers. Very common in my area. Poor little guy.

Good news is that peregrine falcon and bald eagle sightings in my area are on the rise. A peregrine swooped down the other day and tried to snatch some mourning doves that were feeding at my bird feeders. Scared the crap out of me. I'm used to kestrels doing that, but when the much larger peregrine did it, I darn near crapped myself.

Also saw 8, yes, 8 adult bald eagles flying fairly low overhead. Looked to me like they were headed for the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge just north of my location.

Here's a pic of mourning doves below my feeder, along with a Eastern Grey Squirrel (introduced to the west. Our native western grey squirrel is nearly extinct)

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/5155/gedc0121s.jpg

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Please do not eat the Amanita muscaria! These were on my college campus in a ring around a Santa Catalina Fern-leaf Ironwood tree.

[ConcinusMan]

Uhhh... yeah. I'll try to watch my step, and not eat that. They grow under trees around Vancouver Lake too. I know some people who have eaten them in very small amounts for the hallucinogenic affect, and didn't get sick. Myself, I'll pass. There's plenty of unmistakable and safer psilocybe semilanceata around if that's what you're into.

amanita phalloides, bisporigera, virosa, verna, also grow on my own front lawn. Never fails, every year mushroom hunters in the Northwest die from eating them. Often because they mistake the young bulbs for edible truffles Langermannia gigantea. Stupid. I myself have collected truffles, Morchella elata group (black morels), chanterelles, and Boletus edulis. All of which have deadly look-alikes in my area. Common sense, education, and caution can distinguish the deadlies from the good ones. Deaths occur when people get careless.

My absolute favorite is coprinus comatis: The Shaggy Mane. Man they taste good. Like medium rare prime rib beef. However, if you're one day late in finding a clump, it's too late. They are only good for one day. On top of that, they almost never grow in the same place two years in a row.

[mustang]

yeah, jumping spiders are the coolest. Occasionally i find one about the size of a dime. Jet black with red spots and really hairy. They're like mini tarantulas! The dead hawk is definitely a coopers. Very common in my area. Poor little guy.

Good news is that peregrine falcon and bald eagle sightings in my area are on the rise. A peregrine swooped down the other day and tried to snatch some mourning doves that were feeding at my bird feeders. Scared the crap out of me. I'm used to kestrels doing that, but when the much larger peregrine did it, i darn near crapped myself.

Also saw 8, yes, 8 adult bald eagles flying fairly low overhead. Looked to me like they were headed for the ridgefield wildlife refuge just north of my location.

Here's a pic of mourning doves below my feeder, along with a eastern grey squirrel (introduced to the west. Our native western grey squirrel is nearly extinct)

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/5155/gedc0121s.jpgdoves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bang bang bang mmmm mmm mm delicious!

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, just try it buddy. Besides that, shoot them with anything that goes BANG and there won't be anything left to eat. These guys are puny.

[mustang]

Yeah, just try it buddy. Besides that, shoot them with anything that goes BANG and there won't be anything left to eat. These guys are puny.
nope 12 guage will do it ....hell iv done it with a 20gauge mmm mm winged one and it was about to run BANG i dropped the sucker apparentle i leveled it head ...Birds EYEhahaah (bulls eye joke)

[ConcinusMan]

Yup, that'll do it alright. If you're into bird patee.

[mustang]

Yup, that'll do it alright. If you're into bird patee.
nope a dove breast cabob:D with a jalapeno

[ConcinusMan]

Grrrr..^^^ don't mess with my friends or I'll get creative and come up with a cabob of my own. Horse cabob perhaps.

I got a special Niger seed (thistle) feeder I put out in summer. I get American Goldfinches, and I plant cornflower to attract lesser goldfinches. Took many years before I started getting doves. Always running the neighbors cat off.

Here's a Anna's hummingbird at the hummingbird feeder in my yard. They are inquisitive little birds. Sometimes, they'll let me walk right up to them, within arm's length. Other times, when it's time to change the feeder, they get mad and cuss me out, and follow me all the way to the house. It's funny. (image is a little blurry, I know. I got too close) These birds show up even in the dead of winter, last year, they showed up when it was 18 degrees and a foot of snow on the ground!

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6555/gedc0377.jpg

[mustang]

Grrrr..^^^ don't mess with my friends or I'll get creative and come up with a cabob of my own. Horse cabob perhaps.

I got a special Niger seed (thistle) feeder I put out in summer. I get American Goldfinches, and I plant cornflower to attract lesser goldfinches. Took many years before I started getting doves. Always running the neighbors cat off.

Here's a Anna's hummingbird at the hummingbird feeder in my yard. They are inquisitive little birds. Sometimes, they'll let me walk right up to them, within arm's length. Other times, when it's time to change the feeder, they get mad and cuss me out, and follow me all the way to the house. It's funny. (image is a little blurry, I know. I got too close) These birds show up even in the dead of winter, last year, they showed up when it was 18 degrees and a foot of snow on the ground!

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6555/gedc0377.jpg
well wild horses are gettn to be a prob. since its illegal to kill em or send em to slaughter and when people cant afford them anymore they letem go in the wild...and hunting CONSERVS the population for many reasons do u want a list!

[ConcinusMan]

I used to live in Reno, NV. Same problem except these wild horses have been wild for many generations. Every now and then, the population get's too high for the land to support them, and too many horses begin to suffer, so they have authorized culls every few years, to thin out the population.

[CelestiHel]

This series is the pride of my winter shots so far. This sweet thing is only just about 3 years old, I'd say, given that she's so fearless. She's eating something, probably something that fell out of the bowl on the way to the compost heap.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/SzT_j50HmgI/AAAAAAAACA0/RyLIxbccFAo/s512/Ethyl2b.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/SzT_j8Zow8I/AAAAAAAACA4/71ZKHc3-2yU/s512/Ethyl2c.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/SzT_kPa5taI/AAAAAAAACA8/b3-EDt0Q7P8/s512/Ethyl2d.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/SzT_kFU2aHI/AAAAAAAACBA/A8EV0IO-WmY/s512/Ethyl2e.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/SzT_sdA5YcI/AAAAAAAACBE/53NZtmQ0W3M/s400/Ethyl2f.jpg

No snake pictures in the winter, they're denning in the ceiling out of sight. Happy New Year!

Helen

[Stefan-A]

Very nice, how close were you?

[CelestiHel]

Only about 10 feet, but I was up on the porch. Truth be told, I could probably walk right up to her and feed her from my hand, but I don't want to encourage it. She's friendly now, but we wouldn't want her tame.

[mustang]

mmmm...jerky, sausage,mmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[drache]

somebody give Robert something to eat

[CelestiHel]

mmmm...jerky, sausage,mmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I believe what I said to this deer after I was done photographic it was "You are sooooo cute and soooo tasty" and then I made venison stew for supper ;)

[CelestiHel]

I believe what I said to this deer after I was done photographic it was "You are sooooo cute and soooo tasty" and then I made venison stew for supper ;)

I should clarify that I did not make THIS deer into stew...that would have been unsporting.

[Stefan-A]

I should clarify that I did not make THIS deer into stew...that would have been unsporting.
Not if you use your bare hands. ;)

[ConcinusMan]

OMGLMFAO! over that comment ^^^

[CelestiHel]

Ah, true, bare knuckle/bare hoof boxing to the death is always sporting ;)

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll228/adamanteus_bucket/People/Various/2009_0525Ivybridge090039.jpg

Tortoise love!

That's just a GREAT pic!

[CelestiHel]

Tortoise porn! I'll never look at Morla the same way again ;)

[mustang]

Not if you use your bare hands. ;)
na 308. getsit done quick and painlessly....mmmm dangit hunting seasons over!!!

[Stefan-A]

na 308. getsit done quick and painlessly....mmmm dangit hunting seasons over!!!
Whether a .308 does it painlessly, is debatable, but at least the pain doesn't last long.

[mustang]

Whether a .308 does it painlessly, is debatable, but at least the pain doesn't last long.
heart shot drop em dead. i use custom bullets...shall i post my hunting essay(s)

[Stefan-A]

heart shot drop em dead. i use custom bullets...shall i post my hunting essay(s)
Well, heart shots only cause massive bleeding, dropping the blood pressure rapidly, resulting in almost immediate (meaning a second or two) unconsciousness and the animal bleeding to death while unconscious. If you look at something the size of an elk (what we call elk in Europe, is the same animal you'd call moose over there, Alces alces), they run an average of about 40 meters after a heart shot with a .308. That's about 10 steps or about 5 seconds. That indicates that it's not really instantaneous, but it is quick.

[mustang]

Well, heart shots only cause massive bleeding, dropping the blood pressure rapidly, resulting in almost immediate (meaning a second or two) unconsciousness and the animal bleeding to death while unconscious. If you look at something the size of an elk (what we call elk in Europe, is the same animal you'd call moose over there, Alces alces), they run an average of about 40 meters after a heart shot with a .308. That's about 10 steps or about 5 seconds. That indicates that it's not really instantaneous, but it is quick.
i dont shoot elk i shoot whitetail deer and hogs...hogs tho require headshot....try to hit the heart and ul hit the shoulder and theyll stay stil for a while then theyl stand up their hind legs and push themselfs real fast

[ConcinusMan]

Well, heart shots only cause massive bleeding, dropping the blood pressure rapidly, resulting in almost immediate (meaning a second or two) unconsciousness and the animal bleeding to death while unconscious. If you look at something the size of an elk (what we call elk in Europe, is the same animal you'd call moose over there, Alces alces), they run an average of about 40 meters after a heart shot with a .308. That's about 10 steps or about 5 seconds. That indicates that it's not really instantaneous, but it is quick.

I knew a kid when I was growing up. Got shot right in the heart with a .22. He ran 6 blocks before he died. I don't think he ever did go unconscious before he was through.

[ConcinusMan]

On the brighter side of life, here's some shots of our first hints of spring in the Pacific Northwest. Pics taken in my back yard:
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/6156/gedc0881small.jpg
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/7223/gedc0884small.jpg
The tulips aren't quite there, but soon. Usually the same week the tulips bloom is the week I start seeing wild garter snakes. Yippy!
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/9788/gedc0882small.jpg


For those interested in photography and posting pictures, here's two tools from MS that can help. Specifically, image resizer and color control panel applet:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx

[guidofatherof5]

Please send your Spring to Iowa.

[ConcinusMan]

And send your nebraska albino to me!

[GarterGeek]

Oh my gosh, those signs of spring are so heartening! I am so sick of winter. :) Thank you!

[Stefan-A]

Today, the temperature was above the melting point of water for the first time since October. It'll take another couple of months to get rid of the snow.

[mustang]

I knew a kid when I was growing up. Got shot right in the heart with a .22. He ran 6 blocks before he died. I don't think he ever did go unconscious before he was through.
few questions 1. who shot him 2. why was there no adult supervision (unless someone planned to kill him)3. GUNS SHOULD BE KEPT AWAY FROM CHILDREN AND MENTALLY UNSTABLE PEOPLE....AND STUPID PEOPLE!

[ConcinusMan]

Yesterday it was sunny and the temperature was 64 F (17.8 C). But the sun and warmth is usually short-lived so I had to hurry. I just happened to be near a favorite concinnus hotspot. It's impossible to drive there without trespassing so I walked nearly 4 miles to get to it.

It was a place where I sat under a tree one spring day and a large concinnus female (about 3 feet long) came right up to me, followed by 2 excited males, hot on her tail.

It's gone. All gone. It looks nearly like a moonscape now, scattered with debris and mud. Not sure what happened but needless to say, there wasn't time to go to another spot and there was no habitat for them within a few miles. It's all gone and so are the snakes, beaver dams, vegetation, etc. everything is gone. Nothing but mud, silt, logs, etc. The supporting wetland habitat near there is gone too. Condos. It's all condos now. That's a picture I don't want to show you.

Delays, delays...

However, today; right on schedule, trees are blooming everywhere. Huge canopies of flowers everywhere. I'll post pics soon.

[Calift]

I love finding these little guys in the woods. Although they have been plentiful this season, I haven't seen many frogs or snakes....yet :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2755/4486843482_49698ab4ac.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2793/4486191827_dbb5d782c1.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4486191603_3153c829f4.jpg



I recently went to a talk on conservation photography, so I feel the need to add a link for anyone is interested in seeing inspiring photographs (with a purpose)! :D

http://www.icpawards.com

on amphibians/reptiles:
http://www.parcplace.org/how_you_can_help.html

[Calift]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4486191059_6fcee1a1f2_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4486207553_b052ba1dc1.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2773/4486207223_aaf645d58a.jpg

[Stefan-A]

Very nice finds and excellent photos. :)



Here, the first snakes were spotted last week crawling around on the snow.

[Snaky]

Some great pictures, nice finds:)

[ConcinusMan]

Very nice finds and excellent photos. :)



Here, the first snakes were spotted last week crawling around on the snow.


WTF? now that's something I would have to see for myself. I would think it's not warmth above that brought them out. more likely that they were flooded out by melting snow (drainage blocked by ice?) and were lucky enough to have the strength and body temperature to move and find their way out. They were probably thinking "now what?"

[Stefan-A]

WTF? now that's something I would have to see for myself. I would think it's not warmth above that brought them out. more likely that they were flooded out by melting snow (drainage blocked by ice?) and were lucky enough to have the strength and body temperature to move and find their way out. They were probably thinking "now what?"
Pictures would otherwise be easy to show, but the gallery on the Finnish herp forum crashed a few weeks ago. There used to be a bunch of pictures from previous years, of snakes crawling around in the snow.

The south slopes here are free of snow, but most of the ground is still covered.

[ConcinusMan]

Now that's some darn hardy snakes.

[Stefan-A]

Now that's some darn hardy snakes.
Indeed. I suspect the number of reptile species found north of the 68th parallel can be counted on one hand.

[ConcinusMan]

68th? Jeez. You live there? all I can say is why? no friggen way. Not this guy.

[ConcinusMan]

47th is about my limit. 68th, now that would be Northern Alaska in the US. There are no reptiles in Alaska. No permenent residents to speak of either. I don't blame them. Of course, there's no roads either. You people are nuts!

[Stefan-A]

68th? Jeez. You live there? all I can say is why? no friggen way. Not this guy.
No, I'm down here at the 60th. Vipera berus can be found as far north as the 68th and Natrix natrix at....

You know what, I just had a look at another distribution map. It seems the V. berus can be found all the way to the shore of the Barents Sea. That's about the 70th. The northern limit for Natrix natrix is somewhere around the 65th.

According to the distribution map in the Rossman et al. book, there doesn't seem to be any Thamnophis sp. above the 60th.

Of course the latitude alone doesn't say everything about the climate.

[ConcinusMan]

True. But it does say a lot about the day length and at that latitude it's just too darn dark in the winter for my taste.

[Stefan-A]

True. But it does say a lot about the day length and at that latitude it's just too darn dark in the winter for my taste.
Well, it gets compensated for in the summer. :D

[ConcinusMan]

Which isn't nearly long enough. :mad: I'm just used to California's central valley or Southern CA. San Diego or L.A. weather is my taste, I just don't like those cities. Atwater/Modesto isn't bad at all though.(I was born in Bakersfield CA and love the climate) WA is about all the winter I can stand!

[cowsymbola]

Which isn't nearly long enough. :mad: I'm just used to California's central valley or Southern CA. San Diego or L.A. weather is my taste, I just don't like those cities. Atwater/Modesto isn't bad at all though.(I was born in Bakersfield CA and love the climate) WA is about all the winter I can stand!
I'm the same way. I'm near Sacramento and was at the coast near Mendicino last week, and even those rainstorms were almost too cold/wet.

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, Sacramento isn't bad but if I'm going to be near there in the summer, I'd prefer Reno/Sparks, NV or even Lake Tahoe. I just realized we are way off topic. Where's the new nature pics anyway? It's been cold, wet, and nasty so I haven't had a chance to get any new ones. Even had a bad wind/rain storm a few days ago. trees down, houses damaged, roads blocked. :eek:

[cowsymbola]

Okay, okay. I'll post a few to make up for it then.

These were all taken in Death Valley on March 27. Missed the peak bloom by a week. Was still beautiful, though. More links because I'm still grounded;

http://img31.imageshack.us/i/dsc7453.jpg/ (http://img339.imageshack.us/i/dsc7467c.jpg/)
http://img90.imageshack.us/i/dsc7543.jpg/
http://img30.imageshack.us/i/dsc7581r.jpg/
http://img121.imageshack.us/i/dsc7706.jpg/
http://img71.imageshack.us/i/dsc7924.jpg/
http://img682.imageshack.us/i/dsc8005.jpg/
http://img512.imageshack.us/i/dsc8025q.jpg/
http://img40.imageshack.us/i/dsc8076j.jpg/
http://img686.imageshack.us/i/dsc8082.jpg/

[gregmonsta]

Some nice shots there ;)

[guidofatherof5]

Great group of photos. Thanks for posting them.

[Stefan-A]

Beautiful stuff.

[CelestiHel]

Wow, those are lovely! Giving me the travel itch.

[ConcinusMan]

Pretty cool. I still remember that bloom they had in the 90's (I think it was '99?). Death valley got so much rain that it was a sea of flowers. Plants that hadn't been seen in decades were in bloom. The seeds had been waiting for rain all that time!

[cowsymbola]

Thanks. The "best" bloom you're talking about is the 2005 one, although there may have been a similar one in 99 that I'm not thinking of.. And even though the name implies death from heat, it was actually pretty chilly, even at midday.

[ConcinusMan]

Oh yeah, I know. I've been there in the winter/early spring. Maybe you're right, I think it was 2005 I'm thinking of. I did get to go there and see the '99 bloom though.

[CelestiHel]

This is typical of Vermont this time of year. It's been sunny and things have been growing for weeks. We were out doing yard work sweating through our t-shirts yesterday afternoon. This morning, I had to put on a coat and mittens and clean a couple inches of snow off my car from the blizzard that started last night and will go through tomorrow afternoon. By Friday I'll be out at the drive-in in a tank top lounging in a beach chair with a cold one...lol.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/S9cIVmRuljI/AAAAAAAACEg/J1hhwphnBgE/s640/VTSpring10%20tulips.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/S9cIVxYht4I/AAAAAAAACEk/O3n5QiSqcCo/s640/VTSpring10%20tulips2.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Happens every year in Reno, Nevada. Spring of '99 was quite interesting. Sunny and 82 degrees all week long in early June. Then the clouds rolled in, the temperature dropped to 30 and it snowed lightly for 2 days. Once the storm passed, it was back into the 80's again! A few years later, forecast called for flurries in April. Instead, they got 4 feet overnight.:eek:

Never once found a reptile of any kind near Reno and believe me, I looked. Huge toads when it rains in the summer is all I ever found, and lots of them.

[CelestiHel]

Yeah, this is still falling, it's over a foot at my house now. And I was wondering a week ago why I hadn't seen snakes yet...

[vespula]

http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd350/YellowJacketMR2/Snake/IMG_0806.jpg

http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd350/YellowJacketMR2/Snake/IMG_0807.jpg

http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd350/YellowJacketMR2/Snake/IMG_0808.jpg

http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd350/YellowJacketMR2/Snake/IMG_0809.jpg

http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd350/YellowJacketMR2/Snake/IMG_0810.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

OMG! awsome photos! please explain. I'm dying to hear it!

WELCOME! Please come back and post again. You can't go wrong with awesome photos!

[GarterGeek]

Is what happened next, what I think happened next? The suspense is killing me! I think the pictures should be accompanied by dramatic music - like the Jaws theme. :)

[Stefan-A]

Just check the welcome lounge.

[vespula]

Well, we have this acorn nest right on our deck outside our kitchen window... it was nighttime and raining and I had the porch light on... as I was walking by I thought I spotted something white in the corner of my eye. As I approached the window I had to re-check what I thought I was looking at like 3 times... "That looks like a snake" --- wait "That IS a snake!" and I though this is so cool!! I flipped out and was racing around for my camera because (1) I wanted a picture, and (2) I wanted a picture before he ate our baby Carolina Chickadees inside.

Previously to all this, we (wife, me and my three girls 4, 9, 11) watched the mother and father Chickadee for the last month make a nest, lay the eggs and every now and then we pop the lid off to watch the progress... constantly bring caterpillars, etc...

So you can imagine my amazement and panic for our little birds when I saw this.

Anyway, I got my shots, all the girls and wife were screaming save the birds, and then I grabbed a broom and in about the nick of time, I started trying to get the snake off... he started to move faster and faster trying to finish the job looking for an entrance to get to the smell of dinner and as I kept prying his head away from the acorn nest, he kept trying to get back there even more aggressively.

I finally realized I wasnt going to get him away by doing that as he was determined so I started lightly thumping him on the head to make him mad.... which worked... he started to unwind and I could tell he was going to drop off onto the ground and just when he did, I used the broom handle and flung him about 100 feet over our fence into the night... my wife said kill him... but I like snakes and couldnt... they are beneficial, unless you are a bird, was my opinion.... probably why we dont have mice!

Story not over... as I knew he would be back...

About 30-45 minutes later I was cruising by the window and THERE HE WAS AGAIN! only this time he was on the deck railing sitting there staring at the nest contemplating whether he wanted to climb the black iron hanger again...

I grabbed a box and a rawhide glove from the garage, went out there, held him down on the railing with the box, grabbed him behind the head with my hand in the glove, and then dropped him tail first into the box and sealed it up... then two of my daughters and I went in the car about 1/4 mile down to the end of the neighborhood, and let him go.

Now, my wife wonders if snakes are like a dog and will find their way back home when that far away... I didnt think so but dont know. I thought snakes arent THAT attached or smart to track their way back home 1/4 mile away.. and I thought he would just make a new home somewhere else down there where I let him go ... maybe you all have some guesses?

Either way, the shots turned out great, and I looked for a forum to post on googling garter snake ... little did I know it was a rat snake (as was pointed out to me in the Welcome Lounge), as I thought it was a garter the whole time... but I am not a snake expert obviously... just played with them as a kid!

Glad you all liked the photos! I was pretty proud of them.

[ConcinusMan]

Oh, I see now what is happening.

[lokai99]

If you've read some of my previous posting you know I live in AL. You would think this would be a snake Eden, but I am the pied piper of ratsnakes and only ratsnakes it seems. Check out this beautiful girl I was called to come get by a hysterical friend, but I appreciate the effort it takes to call instead of just killing it...

please,please forgive the fact that I was sporting my redneck outift.....but it was saturday

She was a gentle girl and iI like to think that the nip on my leg before speeding away into the woods was a "thanks".

[guidofatherof5]

That's a big girl. Nice save.

[guidofatherof5]

My kids haven't been able to play in the play area because we have Turtle Doves nesting there. Today I wanted to check on their progress and see how many eggs they have. I guess time has gotten away from me, no eggs. Only 2 big babies.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/dove.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Small dove eggs hatch quickly. From the time the second one is laid, incubation begins and it can take as little as 9 days for them to hatch, but 10 or 12 is more common. Babies grow fast and leave the nest in about 2-3 weeks. At least, this is the case with mourning doves from San Diego, to Reno, to WA state.

[ConcinusMan]

OK, who's ready for some great pics I took today?

Salmon Creek @ interstate 5 in clark county, WA. Habitat for ordinoides, concinnus, western racers, rubber boas, northwestern alligator lizards, western pond turtles.
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9554/gedc1159.jpg

Endangered Western Pond Turtle. Re-introduced to this pond. One of the very few locations in clark county where they still exist.
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/4281/gedc1176.jpg

Non-native turtle. They outnumber the natives and outcompete them. I'm not sure of the species, but I caught this one (they aren't very shy and will let you get close) and removed it. I will be releasing it into a man made pond near my home, where he can't hurt any native wildlife, 'cause there is none. There are other turtles of his kind in this man made pond in my neighborhood. Anyone know the ID of this turtle? I've seen them in pet stores but I can't remember what they are.
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/8942/gedc1187.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Underside of same turtle. I had the exposure time a little too low so it's actually quite a bit brighter than that.
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/7034/gedc1188.jpg

Me, with the turtle:
http://img532.imageshack.us/img532/2775/getattachmentaspxgm.jpg

3 small bullfrogs. I caught two, and my concinnus "chow hounded" them. Nice bulge in their bellies now.
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6046/gedc1195.jpg

Sadly, there were too many people running around today (sunday) and all the concinnus had already been disturbed and I saw none. They were all hiding.

[ConcinusMan]

Don't look at me. Hey man, those plants aren't mine.
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/8340/gedc1169z.jpg

Interestingly enough, I also found some rather old and drying psilocybe cyanescens growing under some blackberries too. No photos though. It was tempting, but they were in plain sight of other people, and I've been in enough trouble in my life so I left them alone. They look like this, but the ones I saw had blue stains on them.
http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/uploads/phungushead/2005-09-27_095544_psilocybe_azurescens.jpg

Pacific Northwest Forest:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/5218/gedc1153.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

I figured it out. The non-native turtle I caught is an eastern painted turtle, native to Michigan.

I took plenty of video on herping trip too. I'll be posting soon on youtube.

[redspot]

Nice photography! You should probably let that turtle go where you found it, I'm 99% sure that's a Western Painted turtle Chrysemya Picta a native of Washington.

[ConcinusMan]

Oh crap. You're right. Somebody told me those striped one's weren't native. I absolutely will take it back today. He's pretty calm right now. Comfortably resting under a heat emitter but he's going back.

[redspot]

Red eared sliders are non-native, they do look similar but once you see a couple of each you can tell them apart. Western painteds are a good find.

This is a good site for Washington herp ID's http://www1.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/herp/herpmain.html

[ConcinusMan]

Maybe that's where the confusion happened. There are a few red-eared sliders in the pond. The painteds are the most numerous though. Anyway, no harm done. She's none the worse for wear and in couple of hours I'm taking her back to her log. Her, him, whatever.

[redspot]

They do kinda look like poop snakes but I think they're cool. Cool sunny days equals good Charina weather. In a couple hours we found 4 Boas, 2/3 Garters, 5 or 6 Scelops and a MONSTER of a Southern Alligator lizard. Raining off and on and only high 50's.
Got out of the car and one of the first rocks produced this little girl, I always love it when you find what your looking for right away. Everything after that is just bonus!
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Portland%20Herping/DSC03850.jpg
Right afterwards my friend flips another, 2 within 10 minutes! We left that area and went on to the next, up a pretty steep logging road we stop at a fallen 4x8 sign and find thee biggest Southern Alligator lizard I have ever seen. I was a little surprised to find a Southern here, Northerns are more common.
Its funny how much attitude these guys throw.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Portland%20Herping/DSC03862.jpg
Size reference
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Portland%20Herping/DSC03856.jpg
The last snakes of the day were flipped together, two fatty female boas. These guys always throw their tails over their heads, no wonder they're so beat.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Portland%20Herping/DSC03866.jpg
size reference
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Portland%20Herping/DSC03863.jpg
Going home...
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Portland%20Herping/DSC03868.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Nice. Thing about the boas is if you flip and find one, there's usually many more around. You're right, I never thought they looked like rubber. More like poop. Ever find a green one? I did once in Clark Co., WA. It was military green.

That So. alligator lizard you got there is a wuss.:p The one's I found in San Diego county would make a snack out of that one.:D

You seemed surprised to find it though. Is that because this is still Oregon?

I never know where you're going to be next, Redspot.

[redspot]

San Diego Southern Alligator lizards are some of the largest out there, 16" is a very large E.m.webbii. The BIC lighter is 3" long making this dudes body close to 6" you know as well as I do how much longer the tail is than SVL. I would guess this guy is around 14" min A HUGE Oregon Southern.

I've found tons of Southerns but they tend to prefer dryer habitat...mostly, this guy was in the middle of a old riparian habitat more suited to the Northern gator.

The green Boas are pretty cool, this area does have those as well.

[ConcinusMan]

Photo's I took on my recent trip through Oregon:

American Robin (male) in Oregon. I think he found something...

Dinner.

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/153/gedc1362.jpg

Camas flower or "Indian Hyacinth". The city of Camas, WA east of Vancouver, WA is named after the native American name for the area (They called it La Camas) because of the abundance of this edible tuber.
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/4597/gedc1360.jpg

Finally figured out the "panoram" (widescreen) feature of my camera and caught this rainbow in the Oregon countryside. Now if only the RV wasn't there...
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/5151/gedc1298.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

WARNING: Objects appear much smaller than they actually are.

Some very interesting lichen growing ONLY on old oak trees. Some of the threads were about 6 feet long! Gives the forest a creepy sort of feel.
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/7534/gedc1371.jpg

I know it's hard to tell without something of known size to compare, but this sword fern was so big. About 5 feet at it's highest point.
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/7429/gedc1340.jpg

[BUSHSNAKE]

nice pics!

[Nir]

Here are pictures of some herping done here in Quebec saturday. 3 different spots! It was a great day! Many specimens, many species!

Here is a sample:



http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_8168mod.jpg


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_8186mod.jpg


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_8201mod.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_8202.jpg



http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_8224mod.jpg



http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_8241mod.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Awesome pics! I wish I could find ringnecks locally. They have been extirpated from my county. Last confirmed population/sighting was wiped out by housing development in 1984. They can still be found 30 miles south into Oregon, or 30 miles east in the next county, but not here at home anymore!:(

[Stefan-A]

Really nice pictures, people. :)

[infernalis]

Here are some from around my area......

http://www.thamfriends.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=635

http://www.thamfriends.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=637

http://www.reptard.info/pic/cheeps.jpg

http://www.thamfriends.com/1/tree.jpg

[infernalis]

Beaver evidence, But I didn't see a single beaver to photograph.

http://www.thamnophis.us/woods/beaver.jpg

An really old stone wall.

http://www.thamnophis.us/woods/stones.jpg

Approaching the lake, I had to hike a good half mile just to access the waterfront.

http://www.thamnophis.us/woods/woods.jpg

Once I got there, the views were worth it.

http://www.thamnophis.us/woods/water1.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.us/woods/water2.jpg

The total absence of other people was GREAT! Can you find the boat??

http://www.thamnophis.us/woods/water3.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Nice pics. Baby starlings... Hate them. Rats with wings is all they are. In fact, they're worse than rats.

I'm afraid I would just have to snatch those two up by their necks and give them to my python wielding friend.

[infernalis]

http://www.reptard.info/flowers/flower.jpg


http://www.reptard.info/flowers/flower2.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/flowers/flower3.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/flowers/flower4.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/flowers/flower5.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/flowers/flower6.jpg

[mustang]

ha my teacher is a member of purple martion socioty....he hired a squad of hs students one year to do away with a starling...he couldnt hit it with slingshot so they did.....bird wasnt so happy.

[ConcinusMan]

I find it much easier to set up squirrel boxes or something similar in March. They move in, build a nest and start laying eggs. When they get up to 5 or 6, I take them all. They keep laying, I take, and so on, then I top it off by trapping an adult inside then humanely killing it. I may have only killed one adult bird but with the eggs, that's one nesting pair that won't become 15 breeding birds next year. If you have snakes that will eat them, you can always wait 'till the eggs hatch.

BTW, nice trillium pics above. I've only seen the bottom one and a white version in the woods around my area.

[Nir]

Here is a pic of a garter I found on friday. Very cool looking, looked like some sort of hypoish red.... The picture isn't the best, but the snake was not very cooperative! hehe

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_8307.jpg

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Nice find! I find ones like that in western PA!

[ConcinusMan]

That's a pretty cool snake. Hey shannon, maybe you should find me a very attractive eastern and send it to me, just so I can say I have one.

Still waiting on someone to get me a very red, very young eastern milk. Looks like the one I was going to get was so dang cool, the person decided he wasn't going to give it up. I've wanted one since I was 10. Somehow, I knew it would be the coolest snake ever, and as it turns out, it is the coolest snake ever! The problem is, it's still not in my collection.:(

[ConcinusMan]

Well everyone, I went and got myself into some credit card debt that I will no doubt barely be able to make the payments on but it was for a good cause. I bought a new camera. No matter what you say, I know that my crappy pictures and video is not because I am a lousy photographer. It's because my camera is a piece of... work.

I bought a Nikon Coolpix S6000 online today. 720p HD video, 14.2 megapixels. Look forward to vastly improved youtube videos and pics from me very soon!

[infernalis]

congrats on the bread and water diet um uh camera purchase.

Looking forward to seeing the pics you take with it.

[ConcinusMan]

Bread and water? I don't think I need to stoop that low. With the case, 8gb SD card, and AC adapter, I only spent $275. No bread and water. I'll be fine dining on ramen noodles!:p

[mustang]

if it was me id use my godly powers to make it the bread and wine purchase (id be the envy of all the other minors hahaha kdding)

[ConcinusMan]

More pics from my trip through Oregon last month:
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/2168/gedc1297.jpg

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/3993/gedc1292.jpg

These ferns are the coolest. They are turning yellow because they do die back and go dormant in the summer. They are a type of temperate air fern known as a "licorice fern". They draw their nutrients from the air and grow on trees, rocks, etc, and do not require soil, but they seem to only grow where there is heavy moss growth. The rhizomes can be dried and eaten, and are sweet and taste like licorice. It wouldn't surprise me one bit, if all those ferns on that branch are actually ONE plant with ONE rhizome. It happens. Just to give you an idea of the scale, that branch is about 25 feet long. Everything is bigger than it appears. You might notice some maple leaves in the pic. They are dang near big enough to use as an umbrella. (Large leaf maple)
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3329/gedc1343.jpg

[Nir]

Spent the whole weekend hiking in the mountains near where I live. It was an amphibian weekend and I wanted to share these three photos.

Pickerel Frog (Lithobates palustris)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/SGdesmarais.jpg

Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/Smacule.jpg

Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/Spourpre-1.jpg

[Mommy2many]

Bread and water? I don't think I need to stoop that low. With the case, 8gb SD card, and AC adapter, I only spent $275. No bread and water. I'll be fine dining on ramen noodles!:p

And mac'n cheese.
And spaghetti.
Oh yeah, and eggs!

[ConcinusMan]

Wow. Those photos are like something out of a book. Very good.

I know this one is a bit blurry, but take a look at all that moss Le Ann
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/753/gedc1369.jpg

[Mommy2many]

My snakes would just love to snuggle in that!!! That is awesome!

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice photos, Nir.

[mustang]

amazin photos

[CelestiHel]

I bought a Nikon Coolpix S6000 online today. 720p HD video, 14.2 megapixels. Look forward to vastly improved youtube videos and pics from me very soon!

That's great! I was given a new camera for my birthday (w00t! 30!), which is an excellent upgrade from the craptastic point and shoot I have been using. We'll see how well the pictures turn out! I'd love to see the videos you shoot! Mine doesn't have video, it's a Nikon D3000, a very nice entry level DSLR!

I just took a bunch of the Milk Snake I found in my living room, winding around my TV. The cats were a fan until I picked it up and it musked one of them on it's way out the door!

[CelestiHel]

Nice pictures, Nir! I can't wait to get out and take some of the frogs myself. We have so many different kinds!

[Snaky]

Very nice pictures, both of you :)

[ConcinusMan]

New camera coming soon. Can't wait to start posting 720p youtube videos.

[CelestiHel]

Here's the guy the cats found winding around the TV:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/TBqI94Xax-I/AAAAAAAACMk/HA50TTrZEYQ/s640/Milk2010b.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/TBqJTEh_MZI/AAAAAAAACMI/D-28gDrJw34/s576/Milk2010a.jpg

[mustang]

aint that a red phase milk snake i know someone on this forum whom really wants it

[Nir]

aint that a red phase milk snake i know someone on this forum whom really wants it

Actually, that is an eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum)

The red milksnake is Lampropeltis triangulum syspila

[mustang]

Actually, that is an eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum)

The red milksnake is Lampropeltis triangulum syspila
still got HOLD ONTO IT ILL LET WHTS HIS USERNAME NOW YOU GOT ONE HES BEEN TRYN FOR YEARS TO GET ONE!

[ConcinusMan]

@ Nir, yes it is an eastern milk snake but there are red phase easterns. I've been wanting one my whole life too. Infernalis was kind enough to offer one of his CB red phase eastern milks to me. Getting a tank for it this weekend and then I'll be sending him money for shipping. Generally the red phased easterns do fade with age and end up looking more of a rusty brown color but when young they are spectacular:

http://www.danceswithreptiles.com/carmella_files/milky1.jpg

BTW, I flipped this really handsome Thamnophis ordinoides today. Looks to be a subadult female. Very nice looking:
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/7436/gedc1489.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7/gedc1487.jpg

[Nir]

Most young eastern milks are red as youngsters...

Hatchling with vibrant colors.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/Copiedemilkbb2.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_6462.jpg

Juvenile Female. Colors are starting to fade.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_8186mod-1.jpg

Adult, blotches are brown...
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/IMG_6479.jpg

This is the nicest adult I have ever found! She had great contrast and light colors.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/nir/Fullbodyshot.jpg

[mustang]

wow u live in a swarm of em dont you? love that first one pinkish white and red

[ConcinusMan]

I'm just saying, even as adults there are two color phases. One is called "red" phase even though it's not necessarily red as an adult, and the other is more of a charcoal gray.