Search found 507 matches

by mtratcliffe
December 1st, 2014, 5:47 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My curse is over!!
Replies: 12
Views: 3641

Re: My curse is over!!

Congrats! The Dusky Pygmy is also my only venomous snake sighting in FL. I've found a dead EDB but I seem to be cursed with finding venomous snakes otherwise.

You'll have to check out that site again - looks like it could also be EDB habitat.
by mtratcliffe
November 21st, 2014, 11:24 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1
Replies: 14
Views: 8276

Re: Snakes of 2014-Florida and Georgia - Part 1

Great stuff, and congrats on all the finds!
by mtratcliffe
November 19th, 2014, 7:52 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Help me ID some amphibians (little brown jobs ONLY)
Replies: 11
Views: 3128

Re: Help me ID some amphibians (little brown jobs ONLY)

Your tadpole does look like a Treefrog - I'd have to guess Green or Cope's Gray based on the location.
by mtratcliffe
November 15th, 2014, 7:38 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Nominations - NAFHA SE Chapter Vice-President
Replies: 16
Views: 3907

Re: Nominations - NAFHA SE Chapter Vice-President

captainjack0000 wrote:
Sounds like fun - thanks Noah!
Does this mean you accept the nomination?
Of course!
by mtratcliffe
November 15th, 2014, 11:38 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My Quest: Salamanders of the U.S. - Year 1
Replies: 40
Views: 19469

Re: My Quest: Salamanders of the U.S. - Year 1

Glad to hear you had a productive year, and I love the photos w/the range maps. Really neat post!
by mtratcliffe
November 15th, 2014, 11:31 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Nominations - NAFHA SE Chapter Vice-President
Replies: 16
Views: 3907

Re: Nominations - NAFHA SE Chapter Vice-President

captainjack0000 wrote:I would like to nominate Matt Ratcliffe (mtratcliffe) for this position.
Sounds like fun - thanks Noah!
by mtratcliffe
November 14th, 2014, 10:47 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2015 Eastern Indigo Snake Search - Conecuh Naitonal Forest
Replies: 64
Views: 21592

Re: 2015 Eastern Indigo Snake Search - Conecuh Naitonal Fore

This sounds like great work and a lot of fun! I appreciate you all extending the invitation. I will do my best to free up my calendar to make it.
by mtratcliffe
October 31st, 2014, 2:37 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Episode VI: Return of the Clarkii
Replies: 22
Views: 9667

Re: Episode VI: Return of the Clarkii

It's hard to be certain without a closer inspection, but I'd put my money on a normal fasciata - it's an extremely variable species. Here's an example of two that I found that were pure fasciata: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8258533858_a01fb0ce56_z.jpg Oh well - thanks for clarifying though! ...
by mtratcliffe
October 30th, 2014, 5:11 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Anyone have recordings of the new Leopard Frog species?
Replies: 18
Views: 7195

Re: Anyone have recordings of the new Leopard Frog species?

Spinifer had some recordings on naherp.com as vouchers. I listened to those. I just wanted to hear the call rather than just go by sound prints in the paper. If you find his records that are just L. sphenocephalus without the subspecies, those are his kaufeldi specimens. Their calls are interesting...
by mtratcliffe
October 30th, 2014, 5:07 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Anyone else near Tampa, FL seeing red/orange anoles?
Replies: 11
Views: 3716

Re: Anyone else near Tampa, FL seeing red/orange anoles?

A fellow Tampa herper! Welcome to the forums! How long have you been in Tampa? As far as your anoles, I see plenty with reddish heads, but as Noah said, I pretty much stopped paying attention to Brown Anoles about a month after I moved down here in 2013. They do have a lot of variability, though, an...
by mtratcliffe
October 29th, 2014, 6:47 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Episode VI: Return of the Clarkii
Replies: 22
Views: 9667

Re: Episode VI: Return of the Clarkii

mtratcliffe - Thanks. Looks like a somewhat normal fasciata, but there's always the possibility if could have some clarkii in there if it was near a saltwater area. Any pictures of the venter? Unfortunately, no. I was on an elevated boardwalk and couldn't reach the snake. The park encompasses a fre...
by mtratcliffe
October 28th, 2014, 3:12 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Episode VI: Return of the Clarkii
Replies: 22
Views: 9667

Re: Episode VI: Return of the Clarkii

Awesome stuff, Josh. I am wowed by your photography and the quality/quantity of your finds! Keep up all the great research! Sorry to hijack your thread, but I do have a question. I was at a park in St. Petersburg this spring and I saw a watersnake that did not appear to be fully Nerodia fasciata pic...
by mtratcliffe
October 22nd, 2014, 3:26 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Gilchrist & Area
Replies: 10
Views: 3145

Re: Gilchrist & Area

The road that runs along the place you hiked (I've hiked that land before also, pretty cool) and the northern perpendicular road, is GREAT for cruising. I've seen a dor indigo about 10 yards from that parking lot. Also a live plati on the northern perpendicular road a few blue moons ago. Good stuff...
by mtratcliffe
October 21st, 2014, 5:43 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Rattle Snake Den, The Video!
Replies: 2
Views: 1546

Re: Rattle Snake Den, The Video!

Great finds! I always enjoy seeing herping reports form my home state. The salamander migrations and rattlesnake dens are both sights I hope to see one day. Also enjoyed hearing the barred owl in the background at one point.
by mtratcliffe
October 20th, 2014, 2:55 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Loads of Little Loggerheads
Replies: 10
Views: 2709

Re: Loads of Little Loggerheads

Great post! This makes me want to load up my kayak and head out for a paddle right now. I've only ever encountered large basking turtles (mostly Cooters) during my paddling trips, but I'll keep an eye out for Loggerheads and Muds!
by mtratcliffe
October 16th, 2014, 5:40 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: HERP Records Entered This Year vs previous years.
Replies: 9
Views: 6242

Re: HERP Records Entered This Year vs previous years.

spinifer wrote:I am sitting on over 1000 records for 2014 that ill be putting when I can find the time....
I was wondering why your records had stopped. I should have figured you were busy collecting tons of data over the summer! Good luck with the data entry.
by mtratcliffe
October 15th, 2014, 5:25 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Morocco Herptrip 2014
Replies: 17
Views: 9916

Re: Morocco Herptrip 2014

Nice photos! It's great to see a post from an underrepresented region on this forum.
by mtratcliffe
October 15th, 2014, 5:19 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Conecuh 2014-2015 Winter Outing?
Replies: 6
Views: 2607

Re: Conecuh 2014-2015 Winter Outing?

Winter's comming up again. Are we doing a hunt with Jim and Jimmy again? I'm down, depending on when it happens and if I am permitted to abandon my wife and kid for a weekend! Unless, that is, they want to come along in some fashion. What's the ideal month and what kind of activity can we expect in...
by mtratcliffe
October 15th, 2014, 5:18 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Gilchrist & Area
Replies: 10
Views: 3145

Re: Gilchrist & Area

Bill - every Bullfrog I saw that day was sitting on a lilypad, believe it or not! Captainjack, The skull is a rodent. Do you still have it? I would need to look at the molars and other skull features to id it. Do you have shots of the skull from directly above, underneath and from the side? Sorry, t...
by mtratcliffe
October 15th, 2014, 5:01 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Pics from Kayaking Trips in Florida
Replies: 14
Views: 4281

Re: Pics from Kayaking Trips in Florida

Hey everyone, I have an update to my kayaking adventures. This past weekend I kayaked the Alafia River for the first time. It was a nice paddle, even if the water level was still high from the rains two weeks ago, which gave the river a fairly swift current and covered a lot of the banks along the w...
by mtratcliffe
October 12th, 2014, 5:29 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Gilchrist & Area
Replies: 10
Views: 3145

Re: Gilchrist & Area

I still can't believe after all those hours of road cruising and only turning up a few Black Racers that escaped us, we part ways and you find that beautiful Indigo not long after. That said, I still had a great time, and I appreciate you showing me around. Still not sure why we never saw a Gopher T...
by mtratcliffe
October 2nd, 2014, 9:42 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Can we hit 200,000 records this year?
Replies: 14
Views: 2938

Re: Can we hit 200,000 records this year?

Oh, you're right, the peeper isn't that far south. I bet you have gopher frogs down there somewhere though, and they have a neat call. Have you heard little grass frogs? It seems like I've heard them all year here, but its easier to hear them in the winter. Spadefoots (spadefeet?) are neat too. I l...
by mtratcliffe
October 2nd, 2014, 3:03 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Can we hit 200,000 records this year?
Replies: 14
Views: 2938

Re: Can we hit 200,000 records this year?

Frogs don't retire down here. They work in shifts. At least where I am at, a whole new batch of species will turn up in the winter. This is when I find things like chorus frogs and peepers. Leopard Frogs are about the only thing I hear in the winter down in Tampa. Peepers don't range down here and ...
by mtratcliffe
October 1st, 2014, 6:18 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Can we hit 200,000 records this year?
Replies: 14
Views: 2938

Re: Can we hit 200,000 records this year?

I don't know - I enjoyed the recent heavy rains if only for the fact that it provided me with one final symphony of frog choruses before they retire for the season. I heard insane amounts of Squirrel Treefrogs and Oak Toads on Sunday, along with plenty of Eastern Narrowmouths, Southern Toads, Green ...
by mtratcliffe
October 1st, 2014, 5:25 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Can we hit 200,000 records this year?
Replies: 14
Views: 2938

Re: Can we hit 200,000 records this year?

I did my part with 30+ frog entries from this past Sunday night! Living in FL, I think I can go out and get another 100+ entries to close out the year. Unfortunately, that's only 1% of what we need to get 200K. With what's surely going to be a drop-off in entries as temps drop, we need to encourage ...
by mtratcliffe
September 25th, 2014, 5:57 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Columbus Day Weekend Herping in FL - Anyone Interested?
Replies: 2
Views: 1571

Columbus Day Weekend Herping in FL - Anyone Interested?

Hey All, The wife and kid are going to be out of town for Columbus Day Weekend, and I have Sat-Mon off, so I'm hoping to do some herping on one of those days. Sunday is off-limits, as I'm going to the Ravens game here in Tampa. Saturday I plan on kayaking, though I could move that to Monday. Anyway,...
by mtratcliffe
September 24th, 2014, 6:05 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Who Wants To Help Mike Rochford Trap Tegus In Florida
Replies: 1
Views: 1489

Re: Who Wants To Help Mike Rochford Trap Tegus In Florida

If they were doing this in the Tampa area, I'd gladly sign-up to do it pro-bono for a weekend as I have a full-time job.
by mtratcliffe
September 15th, 2014, 6:18 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Trying to Decide Where to go for Thanksgiving
Replies: 7
Views: 3527

Re: Trying to Decide Where to go for Thanksgiving

Hey everyone. I'm currently a freshman at the University of Florida in Gainesville, although I've been deeply interested in herpetology as long as I can remember. I'm from Connecticut, so I've only lived here about a month. So far the stuff I've found though has been pretty disappointing. I've seen...
by mtratcliffe
September 9th, 2014, 6:19 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Hello from Atlanta
Replies: 19
Views: 4844

Re: Hello from Atlanta

Please post more often - your pictures are amazing! Welcome to the Forum!
by mtratcliffe
September 9th, 2014, 5:27 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: AZ and NM, 12 days including the NAFHA meeting
Replies: 20
Views: 8316

Re: AZ and NM, 12 days including the NAFHA meeting

More individual rattlesnakes in this post than I've seen in my life! Awesome finds and great camera work! Glad you had a great trip.
by mtratcliffe
September 7th, 2014, 6:21 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Albuquerque Trip Report (Crosspost from Rocky Mtn Subforum)
Replies: 9
Views: 5875

Re: Albuquerque Trip Report (Crosspost from Rocky Mtn Subfor

Legendary? Now thats funny! Given where you found the one you are calling inornatus, it is almost certainly a juvenile exanguis, and you are correct that uniparens doesn't occur there. However, inornatus are usually found in healthy grassland habitats. As to the two toads seen outside of Notah's ho...
by mtratcliffe
September 5th, 2014, 4:45 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Spring 2014 SE US Herping ROAD TRIP!!!
Replies: 13
Views: 3526

Re: Spring 2014 SE US Herping ROAD TRIP!!!

yes, the baby box turtle was one of the highlights and a first for me. At first I didn't know it was a box turtle cause it was flat and not hinged then I sat and looked at it for a while and saw that the head was exactly like a box turtle so I deduced from there. Yes, I do guide bioluminescent kaya...
by mtratcliffe
September 5th, 2014, 2:09 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My first trip to the US (pics)
Replies: 6
Views: 2407

Re: My first trip to the US (pics)

I'm glad you had a great trip! I love the close-up of that Sidewinder, at least that's what I think it is (never encountered one before).
by mtratcliffe
September 4th, 2014, 6:17 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: To Alabama for msuk turtles
Replies: 9
Views: 2887

Re: To Alabama for msuk turtles

Well, I learned about a new species today! Thanks for sharing - I'm glad you had success with your finds.
by mtratcliffe
September 2nd, 2014, 5:49 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: A Much Needed Trip
Replies: 9
Views: 2860

Re: A Much Needed Trip

I love the shot of the Woodhouse's Toads - did you find them like that or was there a bit of posing involved? Either way, it's a great picture.

Glad you were able to get out and have a successful herping excursion.
by mtratcliffe
September 2nd, 2014, 5:42 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: August 2014 in the SF Bay Area
Replies: 3
Views: 2276

Re: August 2014 in the SF Bay Area

Great pictures! I love the Coast Garters and the aquatic critters especially. I need to make it out West again sometime.
by mtratcliffe
August 31st, 2014, 3:20 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Trip Report: August in Albuquerque
Replies: 6
Views: 2466

Re: Trip Report: August in Albuquerque

Hi, I'm sure you had a great trip and your pics are great too, but could you please re-size them so I can see them...? :thumb: I know that they typically fill up the width of the page. I use imgur.com, and I'm not sure how to fix it so that the size is smaller without being a thumbnail. What image ...
by mtratcliffe
August 30th, 2014, 6:29 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Around the Pond
Replies: 6
Views: 1968

Re: Around the Pond

Great pics! I think that lens will suit you nicely. I use a simple digital camera (a good one for its type, though) for my pics. I like it because it's durable and can be used underwater, but it does not do well under bright sunligh. My wife has a Canon Rebel but no macro lens. I think I may have fu...
by mtratcliffe
August 29th, 2014, 6:25 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Trip Report: August in Albuquerque
Replies: 6
Views: 2466

Re: Trip Report: August in Albuquerque

Thanks Chris! A few people on the main forum pointed out the ID error with the toads - my herping buddy from NM stated that they were A. cognatus when we saw them, so that's why I went that. As for the lizards, the first one was found in the interior of the Sandias, which is not where A. uniparens t...
by mtratcliffe
August 27th, 2014, 3:28 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Albuquerque Trip Report (Crosspost from Rocky Mtn Subforum)
Replies: 9
Views: 5875

Re: Albuquerque Trip Report (Crosspost from Rocky Mtn Subfor

Looks like you had a productive trip. Your first juvenile New Mexico whiptail is actually a desert grassland whiptail. I think your little striped whiptail may is as well, but I can't be 100% sure from the picture. Are you the legendary Bill Gorum I heard so much about? It's a shame I didn't get to...
by mtratcliffe
August 26th, 2014, 7:25 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Albuquerque Trip Report (Crosspost from Rocky Mtn Subforum)
Replies: 9
Views: 5875

Albuquerque Trip Report (Crosspost from Rocky Mtn Subforum)

I posted this on the Rocky Mountain Chapter subforum but also wanted to share it here. It was the most productive trip I've ever had for herping! -------- I am happy to say that I had a very productive trip to Albuquerque this month! While I was out there for work, I found plenty of time to squeeze ...
by mtratcliffe
August 26th, 2014, 4:13 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Trip Report: August in Albuquerque
Replies: 6
Views: 2466

Trip Report: August in Albuquerque

Hey everyone, Some of you may recall my request for information post about two months ago. I am happy to say that I had a very productive trip to Albuquerque this month! While I was out there for work, I found plenty of time to squeeze in some herping. I encountered 23 live species (24 counting DORs...
by mtratcliffe
August 23rd, 2014, 7:16 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Birds of southwest florida
Replies: 18
Views: 4484

Re: Birds of southwest florida

#10 looks like a Common Moorhen, not a Purple Gallinule. They are closely related, I believe.
by mtratcliffe
August 23rd, 2014, 6:57 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Love affair with the Pines
Replies: 6
Views: 2906

Re: Love affair with the Pines

Great shots! I need to make it back to the Pine Barrens one day.
by mtratcliffe
August 8th, 2014, 4:42 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Nicaragua - July/Aug 2014
Replies: 2
Views: 1482

Nicaragua - July/Aug 2014

Hey everyone! I recently returned from a trip to Nicaragua. The purpose of the trip was to build a house out of cement blocks in a rural, impoverished village. However, I looked for herps whenever I could, but Nicaragua is experiencing a drought right now, even though it's supposed to be the rainy s...
by mtratcliffe
August 7th, 2014, 9:23 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Turtle id
Replies: 7
Views: 1984

Re: Turtle id

Doesn't that turtle know it's supposed to have a red plastron? Sheesh.
by mtratcliffe
July 25th, 2014, 4:19 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: What's Your Favorate Anuran Chorus?
Replies: 12
Views: 2974

Re: What's Your Favorate Anuran Chorus?

Those burrowing toads sound like alarms going off! Crazy.

Also, that gopher frog audio may be one of the single greatest frog recordings I've ever heard.
by mtratcliffe
July 25th, 2014, 1:55 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2014 YOY Theme - Show us those kids for this year
Replies: 40
Views: 12602

Re: 2014 YOY Theme - Show us those kids for this year

Here's mine: Tropical House Gecko http://i.imgur.com/VuBocPh.jpg Young Florida Leopard Frog that was living under a downspout splashguard at my house until heavy rains rolled through last week. I hope my amphibian ally is doing well! It could be a yearling, but I really don't know. http://i.imgur.co...
by mtratcliffe
July 25th, 2014, 9:43 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: What's Your Favorate Anuran Chorus?
Replies: 12
Views: 2974

Re: What's Your Favorate Anuran Chorus?

My vote goes for spadefoots. Especially Scaphiopus couchii mixed with Spea multiplicita and/or Spea bombifrons. Throw in a few Anaxyrus cognatus just for good measure. A concert like that on a dark desert night with the smell of wet creosote bushes in the air and all is right with the world! Funny ...
by mtratcliffe
July 24th, 2014, 3:40 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: What's Your Favorate Anuran Chorus?
Replies: 12
Views: 2974

Re: What's Your Favorate Anuran Chorus?

That's a really hard call to make. Individually, the call of a Southern Leopard Frog (L. sphenocephalus) is one of my favorites, due to the variability in call for each individual. Plus, I love the chuckling sound. As far as a chorus, I'm partial to that of the Eastern American Toad (A. a. americanu...