A good first hour in the pines

[dragoncjo]

Went out hiking today got out around 10:30 in cumberland county. The first hour I was out there turned out to be my best ever. First stumbled upon this smallish racer, he was the first of six I would see and the 18th in three trips.

Next I saw these two female boxies they were very heavy and a few weeks away from laying eggs,

Next I saw a five-lined skink, a first for me in the pines

Walking back to my spotted turtle spot I came across this monster, he was every bit of 6 feet and thick, he was also a big fan of the photo taking process,

After him I saw three common inhabitants of the pines, the paint was found next to a brackish creek, didn't think they occur in salty water

And lastly a juvenille spotted turtle, saw five today, but this was the first non-adult of the year.

A really good morning, a pine snake short of best ever.

 

[Teegate]

That elusive pine snake is haunting you I see

Very nice photo's.

Guy

 

[snakehunter7]

really nice pics, but i believe thats a ground skink

 

[dragoncjo]

I thought it was an old male in its breeding orange. It had no black dorsolateral stripe of a ground skink.

 

[Bobbleton]

nice to see things are going so well. and its a five-lined.

 

[bobpbx]

Good day for you! Those racers scare me a bit. Evil looking and ready to fight!

 

[NJSnakeMan]

Sweet Stuff!! Found a spotted turtle about a week ago crossing my path.... cool snakes too. I've found LOTS of Black Rats in the Pines, but never ever a black racer.... Weird????

And yeah, that's an old five-lined skink.

 

[dragoncjo]

Brandon, did you find the spotted in atlantic county? Suprised you have found no racers I see about a half a dozen different ones every time out, in the same general area though. This is only the second black rat I've seen, and I doubt I will every see a more heatlhy specimen. The nice thing about all the reptiles I see, at this spot, they are always from a physical standpoint, beautiful healthy specimens. The box turtles for not being out of hibernation too long where extremely heavy.

 

[NJSnakeMan]

Yup the spotted turtle was in Atlantic Co. It is weird i've found NO racers... not in PA neither, lots of rat snakes there too.

 

[NJSnakeMan]

Dragoncjo....about the painted turtle...

It's funny how many reptiles/amphibians can survive in Brack/Salt water habitats. My first ever black rat snake was actually IN a salt marsh while i was out birding, basking on top of some dead, pushed over weeds. 4' and healthy. The same day I found painted turtles, green frogs, and even a Gray Treefrog hiding away in a bird house.

I also, have two other friends who found black rats in brack habitats. There is a shoprite in somers point.. behind it there is a salt marsh, and last year my friend Andrew was riding his bike when a 3' rat was crawling his way towards the shoprite building. We've been checking tin since but haven't turned up another rat snake... just lots of fowler's toads.

 

[snakehunter7]

i remember i few years ago, my dad shared an interesting hypothesis with me. on his way to wildwood when he was a kid, by the salt marshes he would see huge black ratsnakes basking, he theorized that the really huge ones loved the marshes because it may be more inaccessable than other places and that they would eat small muskrats, ive always liked this idea, because it makes me wonder if they do like these spots there might be some huge ones out there, no telling just what sizes they could reach, ive always found that interesting, and one day hope to find a monster black ratsnake

 

[dragoncjo]

The black rat I saw wasn't actually near brackish water. However, many of the racers I see are always near brackish water. The black rat in that photo was the biggest I think I will ever see. I know in new jersey they say that they only get six feet...but this thing was huge and extremely fat. A truly beautiful specimen.

 

[Krloucks]

That Black Rat snake looks awesome! I personally usually only find racers in the pines and rat snakes on the periphery in the farming areas...

 

[dragoncjo]

Went out again today, nothing was out. Too hot for the old reliables like spotted turtles and racers. Did see another black rat snake, a juvie box turtle, and fowler's toads. Also saw about a dozen raided turtle nests, mostly redbelly or painted. The black rat was smallish 3 feet and skinny. Made me realize how big the other rat snake actually was. Once again a nice specimen though, here are some pics,

 

[Krloucks]

Nice! In what general area is this?