Haven't been out in a while due to the rain and heat. Decided to brave the heat, ticks, and pine flies and search for a pine snake. Within my first couple minutes I came across this mud turtle, a nice find for me and my first one since 1990, she was trying to bury under some leaves to get out of the sun for a few days,
Next I found this 4.5-5 foot black ratsnake, he scared the hell out of me because I nearly stepped on him as I walked around a tree, I thought he was dead at first, I guess he was just taking a snooze in the sun,
From there I decided to check a spot were I found two yearling pine snakes last october, along the way saw thousands of baby fowler's toads. You literally couldn't walk on the trails there was so many, this guy was the smallest I've seen about 3/4 of a cm,
No luck as far as pine snakes were concerned at that spot, saw some racers but no pines. On my way back to my jeep in an area were I never expected to see a pine snake because it is a thin trail with a brackish marsh on either side I struck gold. I glanced directly to my right and saw the most beautiful 5ft pine snake. Unfortunatly she scurried away as i went to grab my camera, I pursued her and managed to get a couple pics. I wish I got a picture when she was in the open on a railroad tie, but these aren't too bad. I must say this was a complete freak chance of finding her there. I walk this trail everytime back to my car at least three dozen times this year and never have found a pine snake there. Clearly luck was on my side, and the funny thing is both times I've seen a pine has been around 3 o'clock, at terrible time normally for herping.
I don't know why this pictures are showing up so tiny, they look alot better bigger...oh well, some day I'll figure out this posting thing.
Next I found this 4.5-5 foot black ratsnake, he scared the hell out of me because I nearly stepped on him as I walked around a tree, I thought he was dead at first, I guess he was just taking a snooze in the sun,
From there I decided to check a spot were I found two yearling pine snakes last october, along the way saw thousands of baby fowler's toads. You literally couldn't walk on the trails there was so many, this guy was the smallest I've seen about 3/4 of a cm,
No luck as far as pine snakes were concerned at that spot, saw some racers but no pines. On my way back to my jeep in an area were I never expected to see a pine snake because it is a thin trail with a brackish marsh on either side I struck gold. I glanced directly to my right and saw the most beautiful 5ft pine snake. Unfortunatly she scurried away as i went to grab my camera, I pursued her and managed to get a couple pics. I wish I got a picture when she was in the open on a railroad tie, but these aren't too bad. I must say this was a complete freak chance of finding her there. I walk this trail everytime back to my car at least three dozen times this year and never have found a pine snake there. Clearly luck was on my side, and the funny thing is both times I've seen a pine has been around 3 o'clock, at terrible time normally for herping.
I don't know why this pictures are showing up so tiny, they look alot better bigger...oh well, some day I'll figure out this posting thing.