Happy New Years

Not only did January 1st bring a new year (i.e. 2011), it also brought rain and a slight warm front...and I wasn't the only one watching weather.com. I meet up with a couple close herping buds (Kevin and Ross). It had been raining for quite sometime and the air temp stayed in the range of 58-65F until I departed (~12:30).

Ross and I beat Kevin to the spot and quickly spotted five individuals o

f our target species. Photographed a couple before seeing an additional 2 more upon release.

Ambystoma tigrinum

Head Shot

Ambystoma tigrinum

On the crawl, posed

Ambystoma tigrinum

Full body

Elaphe guttata

Kevin cruised this guy en route for the meet up, AOR on a dirt road.

Happy New Years and Happy Herping!

Rubies in the Headlights!

We came all this way one for one thing, for a weekend of ole' fashion herpin' in the Old North State!! Our eyes were set for the coastal plain, home to an endemic form of the Carolina Pigmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus m. miliarius) - a form that is erythristic (high red pigmentation). Once Kevin and I reached Greenville (coming from West Virginia) we met up with Scott, and Ross the next morning. We spent two nights cruising and a day in the field trying to locate these secretive snakes. We ended up photographing two live specimens and found one DOR. The specimens were left in their habitats to prolong their species' survival.

Summer dazin'

Summer is my time. My time to go out and play with creatures more entertaining than most people and I'm lucky it's been my job for the past year and some. These are the fruits of a summer thus far's labor.

Figure 1: Scaphiopus holbrookii

Figure 2: An attractive Plethodon nettingi specimen.
Figure 3: Plethodon nettingi in ambush position.
Figure 4: Plethodon nettingi found on a Red Maple leaf at night.
Figure 5: Young Lampropeltis t. triangulum found out basking, late morning.
Figure 6: Three young Aneides aeneus found on rocky boulders.
Figure 7: Large, attractively bright orange Cryptobranchus alleganiensis found out foraging at night.
Figure 8: Gorgeous black Crotalus horridus found coiled in vegetation.

Sandhills Cruising in the New Herper Whip

2006 Subaru Forester feat. gravid female Elaphe obsoleta (Black Ratsnake)