The yellow orchids are starting to bloom.
Another from today.
Another from today.
Today
- Thread starter Teegate
- Start date
We went to Quarter Mile today to check again this year for the yellow orchids we found years ago. They are not growing because as expected the disturbance has ended and the vegetation around the location is growing blocking the sun.
Very nice! Saw P. clavellata and P. blephariglottis along the Skit Saturday with a few friends.
At an entirely different and distant location, we found an adult Crotalus horridus in some reeds at the water's edge, which was a distinct surprise! Looks like I last saw one of those 11 years ago, on a Walt Bien trip to Warren Grove.
How often do people see those, anyway? I'm now wondering where solo expeditions to savannahs fall in terms of risk assessment, on a scale from zero to "I could build a carbon fiber submarine".
At an entirely different and distant location, we found an adult Crotalus horridus in some reeds at the water's edge, which was a distinct surprise! Looks like I last saw one of those 11 years ago, on a Walt Bien trip to Warren Grove.
How often do people see those, anyway? I'm now wondering where solo expeditions to savannahs fall in terms of risk assessment, on a scale from zero to "I could build a carbon fiber submarine".
People on this site know exactly where to go to see them, and they do visit them. But seeing them in the savanna where you'd normally walk is rare. I'd say the risk is a 1. I always look at the ground where I walk, and they are not agressive at all. They want to avoid being detected and will move away from you.
When I was out in the barrens 2-3x a week I would see probably 12-24Timbers a season and neonates would take that number up several dozen more. Timbers like deep thick woods so they are seldomly actually seen. You will see pregnant females in more open areas however. Seeing them in a savannah is more rare, it was probably a male or non gravid female cooling off. If we are walking in thick wet areas I would almost prod the area before stepping.
We saw P. clavellata (Green Woodland to me) yesterday as well, but the count was much less that the last time I was there. We are going back again next week or the next because they were not prime yet.
Thanks, that gives me some idea. I know if I'm in the mountains, I do give some thought to not putting my hand into, or directly in front of, niches that might accommodate a rattlesnake as it might not give warning. If they're mostly hanging out in open country to thermoregulate that's not very alarming.