more herps from the pines:

Bobbleton

Explorer
Mar 12, 2004
466
46
NJ
Its been a weird time for me so far. I haven't had a chance to get out all that much lately, but cool pine barrens finds keep popping up. I feel its worth sharing, so here's some of what I've seen lately:

redbelly
IMG_2267sm.jpg


terrapins
IMG_2464sm.jpg


IMG_2397sm.jpg


racer
IMG_2304sm.jpg


in a tree
IMG_2298sm.jpg


orange hognosed
IMG_2340sm.jpg


IMG_2319sm.jpg


rough green
IMG_2131sm.jpg


king
IMG_2506sm.jpg


IMG_2494sm.jpg


and this lone feller:

IMG_2445sm.jpg


hope you enjoyed.
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,358
340
Near Mt. Misery
Really great photos Bob! I mean, really really nice. Such detail, and your perspective is very captivating. I've never seen a hognosed snake in the pines. Someday.

Jeff
 

LARGO

Piney
Sep 7, 2005
1,553
134
54
Pestletown
Such good images. Your willingness to be close to the snakes shows in the pics. Man, I can't place it and it's been eating at me all day but that first shot either reminds me very much of, or could be the setting for a commercial advertisement of some sort. At the least, worthy of paring with a nature article. A real perspective shot. It's a keeper.
Thanks for these.

g.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
26,003
8,769
Bob,

What do you mean by "rough" green?

Great photo's as usual!

Guy
 

Bobbleton

Explorer
Mar 12, 2004
466
46
NJ
Wow okay well first off thanks for the compliments everyone! Its pretty rewarding to see all the positive feedback. I've been concentrating on composition and new techniques more lately since I've pretty much hit a wall in regards to upgrading my equipment (because I'm WAY too poor to get anything better).

I've never seen a hognosed snake in the pines. Someday.
that was actually my first hog in the pines . . . the weird thing is that I did nothing different. I was at a place I've been a million times checking the same spots I've checked a million times. They're out there . . . you just have to be lucky enough to be there at the exact moment.

It's a good thing I don't accidently find the snakes that you find on purpose.
If I did, I wouldn't leave the house. :)
These Pine Barrens are sceery!
Y'know I find the more I understand about snakes the more I enjoy them. between these snakes and the bunch from north jersey in the same time frame, not even one tried to bite me . . . I couldn't have made that claim 10 years ago when I didn't know what I was doing. Their motives are really passive once you get how to read their body language. Of course if you're not into that sort of thing . . . you can at least be confident that if you walk away they won't chase ya.

Bob,
What do you mean by "rough" green?
Jeff nailed that one. Smooth greens are native to the state, only WAY north. if you see a green snake anywhere near the barrens its a rough green.


I notice some of these were taken at night! Scary time to be out there, isn't it? :)
I imagine its horrifying for normal people. But we wouldn't know anything about that . . .

Bob, what kind of topography was that King snake taken in. Does not look too local.
it was actually just a dirt road in the northern pines. topographically speaking its slightly more rolling than the core is, but its pretty typical for the area. some of the weird horizon effects might be a result of my flash diffuser and weird camera angles I had to use in order to get the snake to pose without staring dead center into the lens. If anyone ever saw the weird stuff I have to do during one of these photo shoots they'd probably put me away. Its like a freaking circus act.


again thanks everybody for all the kind words! If all goes well I'll have more pics to post up soon.

-Bob
 

Mike_Future

New Member
May 8, 2006
23
0
47
Fairfield County, CT
Just a quick note to those interested. The "rough" part of the name refers to the scales of the snake, which are keeled instead of smooth.

Nice stuff Bob. I'll be down in the Barrens July 3-4. Contact me if you want to do a little herping.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,683
2,608
60
millville nj
www.youtube.com
rough greens are different from smooth greens due to the fact they have keeled scales which makes them feel rough to the touch.a keeled scale has a ridge down the center.Look closely at his hognose pics and you can see the keels.the racer on the other hand is a smooth scales snake.a black rat snake has keels.
Al
 
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