Search found 933 matches

by AndyO'Connor
January 15th, 2014, 7:45 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: A reminder to feed your snakes pre-killed food.
Replies: 23
Views: 6827

Re: A reminder to feed your snakes pre-killed food.

Troy hit on what I was going to say. The lesson learned from the photo should really be "Don't leave live rodents in with your snakes unattended, especially overnight". There are always some exceptions to feeding live vs. pre-killed. My coachwhip for example, will not touch pre-killed rode...
by AndyO'Connor
January 9th, 2014, 9:54 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Indigo hunts in Conecuh 2014
Replies: 68
Views: 15044

Re: Indigo hunts in Conecuh 2014

That would be awesome, if it's not widely distributed and I don't have a chance at finding at at a big grocery store.
by AndyO'Connor
January 8th, 2014, 5:27 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Indigo hunts in Conecuh 2014
Replies: 68
Views: 15044

Re: Indigo hunts in Conecuh 2014

Don't get your hopes up, I don't want to disappoint you, lol. I do always enjoy meeting new people when I am in new parts of the world. I also love food from the South, and look forward to trying some local IPAs. Hopefully I can find some Snake Handler, I don't know how common it is there, but it is...
by AndyO'Connor
January 8th, 2014, 12:05 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: URGENT! PLEASE READ!!! Our future rests on it.
Replies: 48
Views: 10438

Re: URGENT! PLEASE READ!!! Our future rests on it.

I didn't start this post so we could continue because it was obvious we are going to have to agree to disagree, and I was trying to be diplomatic, but since you just can't help yourself, we can now cloud up this thread and possibly discourage the second person from stepping up (thanks Mike btw). Mik...
by AndyO'Connor
January 8th, 2014, 8:51 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Indigo hunts in Conecuh 2014
Replies: 68
Views: 15044

Re: Indigo hunts in Conecuh 2014

OK, I bought a plane ticket and will be with Joseph Jenkins for the Feb 28-Mar 2 weekend. I am looking forward to herping a new part of the country, and the prospect of seeing such an amazing snake (one that has been a favorite since childhood) makes the excitement that much more intense.
by AndyO'Connor
January 8th, 2014, 7:52 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: URGENT! PLEASE READ!!! Our future rests on it.
Replies: 48
Views: 10438

URGENT! PLEASE READ!!! Our future rests on it.

Is there anyone (we need at least 2) that is willing to accept the title of President and Vice President of the chapter to keep it alive for another year? You don't actually have to do much, other than receive a couple Private Messages about voting on things and being on the IB. According to others,...
by AndyO'Connor
January 6th, 2014, 5:15 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Australia: 2013 in review (pic heavy)
Replies: 24
Views: 8910

Re: Australia: 2013 in review (pic heavy)

Amazing post. That lightning shot is something special. What lens do you use for the herp in habitat and landscape shots?
by AndyO'Connor
January 2nd, 2014, 7:55 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Hot Stove Herping: 2013 EOY post
Replies: 41
Views: 27033

Re: Hot Stove Herping: 2013 EOY post

I'm glad I was able to share some of the amazing finds with you from Baja and the Croatan. I hope we can meet up in the field again soon! Excellent post sir. Excellent.
by AndyO'Connor
December 12th, 2013, 11:32 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Indigo hunts in Conecuh 2014
Replies: 68
Views: 15044

Re: Indigo hunts in Conecuh 2014

What's the closest big airport?
by AndyO'Connor
December 5th, 2013, 8:11 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: If you were to go rediscover a Herp, which one would it be?
Replies: 43
Views: 18425

Re: If you were to go rediscover a Herp, which one would it

Closest to home would be long-nosed leopard lizards in Washington state. There are museum records from the 1800s in places that are now populated or agriculture lands of eastern washington, and I've been told of anecdotal reports of them in other locations more recently, but it's most likely misiden...
by AndyO'Connor
December 2nd, 2013, 10:11 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: China post #58, herping China with Noel, Shennongjia mostly
Replies: 15
Views: 7248

Re: China post #58, herping China with Noel, Shennongjia mos

Very cool post. Shennongjia was where this week's episode of "Finding Bigfoot" on Animal Planet was, searching for the Yeren. They also went to the gold snubbed nose monkies place, and actually showed that they found some frogs and salamanders, I think the same species you showed from the ...
by AndyO'Connor
November 19th, 2013, 7:18 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: NAFHA National Meeting 2014
Replies: 14
Views: 4031

Re: NAFHA National Meeting 2014

Sweet! I've already got the vacation approved for the whole week leading up to that weekend. Can't wait to see everyone and herp a new part of the country. September is so far away!
by AndyO'Connor
November 13th, 2013, 1:04 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: The past year. (Nov 2012-Nov 2013)
Replies: 6
Views: 3980

Re: The past year. (Nov 2012-Nov 2013)

Some excellent shots in here Josh, and some really cool encounters. I'm not a huge fan of the HDRs that look like cartoonish or paintings, but it's a taste thing. Some of your HDR habitat shots where it's more subtle are awesome. That very first yellow rat shot has one of those large spiders in the ...
by AndyO'Connor
November 12th, 2013, 12:56 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: The Ambystoma Appreciation Thread
Replies: 36
Views: 14054

Re: The Ambystoma Appreciation Thread

From Washington: Long toed salamander Ambystoma macrodactylum http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac264/andyoconnor832/2013/Around%20the%20House/IMG_1409.jpg http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac264/andyoconnor832/2013/Around%20the%20House/IMG_1270.jpg http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac264/andyoco...
by AndyO'Connor
November 9th, 2013, 2:37 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: NAFHA National Meeting 2014
Replies: 14
Views: 4031

Re: NAFHA National Meeting 2014

Is there any other conversations on this meeting? Some of us are really excited about some potentially new herping destinations. I know Mack and I already made plans to herp AZ, NM, and TX if the meeting is in NM. There are a lot of details to bang out besides location, like time of year, targets, e...
by AndyO'Connor
November 7th, 2013, 7:21 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)
Replies: 30
Views: 10518

Re: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)

No issues Tonia, other than a couple "traffic violations" or "roadside donations" to the locale law enforcement. Baja Sur really seemed completely safe and I think it is very different than the border areas most of us are worried about. David, they are the same species as the one...
by AndyO'Connor
October 30th, 2013, 1:05 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Louisiana water snake ID?
Replies: 3
Views: 1469

Re: Louisiana water snake ID?

You are correct sir. Nerodia rhombifer
by AndyO'Connor
October 30th, 2013, 7:16 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Northbound - Frawg Legs, Norcal, Oregon.
Replies: 9
Views: 2037

Re: Northbound - Frawg Legs, Norcal, Oregon.

Yeah it's a valley garter then. Here's an Oregon red-spotted so you can see the difference in the side stripe absence.

Image
by AndyO'Connor
October 29th, 2013, 11:33 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Northbound - Frawg Legs, Norcal, Oregon.
Replies: 9
Views: 2037

Re: Northbound - Frawg Legs, Norcal, Oregon.

Excellent shots. That isn't a T. s. concinnus , but depending on where you were is either T. s. infernalis or T. s. fitchi or possibly an intergrade of the two. If you were in Oregon, it's a valley garter. Oregon red spotteds don't have lateral stripes, just a dorsal stripe and red spots. Very nice ...
by AndyO'Connor
October 24th, 2013, 10:57 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Rattlesnake protective gear, thoughts and opinions?
Replies: 64
Views: 49449

Re: Rattlesnake protective gear, thoughts and opinions?

As Chris put it, you don't need to tube the snakes or touch them with your hands at all to weigh and measure them and you can identify them via photographs of markings. I won't say that gaiters are a waste, although the chances of being tagged below the waste by a venomous snake you didn't say exist...
by AndyO'Connor
October 22nd, 2013, 2:59 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Mexico?
Replies: 14
Views: 4308

Re: Herping Mexico?

What Kris and Chris said, and add Baja as a fairly safe and good herping destination.
by AndyO'Connor
October 22nd, 2013, 7:15 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Another Arizona EOY Post
Replies: 17
Views: 6037

Re: Another Arizona EOY Post

Wow, that story is crazy. The idiot that left his kid in the truck while he went in the bar is worse than the guy who stole the truck in my opinion and is lucky he got to see his son alive again. Anyways, thanks for sharing, and great post again!
by AndyO'Connor
October 21st, 2013, 9:32 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: NAFHA 2013 MEETING PHOTO CONTEST!
Replies: 11
Views: 6289

Re: NAFHA 2013 MEETING PHOTO CONTEST!

um, this can't be right. I didn't get an email about winning anything... lol :beer: congrats to the winners.
by AndyO'Connor
October 21st, 2013, 7:24 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Another Arizona EOY Post
Replies: 17
Views: 6037

Re: Another Arizona EOY Post

Nice post. What's the story with the totaled new chevy?
by AndyO'Connor
October 16th, 2013, 2:00 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Copper-Gold King Cobra and Thailand's Deadliest!
Replies: 24
Views: 8101

Re: Copper-Gold King Cobra and Thailand's Deadliest!

pretty freakin awesome! I didn't know that kraits of any kind got that large, that snake is amazing.
by AndyO'Connor
October 14th, 2013, 8:35 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2013 End of Year post
Replies: 15
Views: 4427

Re: 2013 End of Year post

I'll echo fondness for the lightning and star trails shots! Some really nice animal shots as well. That red-backed whiptail DOES look like some of the central/south american species. Your tiger whip doesn't look like a tiger whip from what I can tell, looks too spotted in between the stripes, althou...
by AndyO'Connor
October 12th, 2013, 12:24 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Short-tailed Snake!!!
Replies: 23
Views: 8284

Re: Short-tailed Snake?

Correct ID and Excellent find!
by AndyO'Connor
October 10th, 2013, 7:24 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: snake pupils
Replies: 5
Views: 1918

Re: snake pupils

Yes most nocturnal species have vertical pupils, including many non-venomous snakes in the U.S. such as Lyre snakes, night snakes, etc. There are lots of theories about what advantages vertical pupils provide such as improved depth of field in certain situations, having more sensitive vision at nigh...
by AndyO'Connor
October 8th, 2013, 9:07 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My overly ambitous target species list for 2014
Replies: 17
Views: 3219

Re: My overly ambitous target species list for 2014

ah gotcha, thanks for clarifying. Good luck on your targets!
by AndyO'Connor
October 8th, 2013, 8:55 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My overly ambitous target species list for 2014
Replies: 17
Views: 3219

Re: My overly ambitous target species list for 2014

What do you mean by "just photos" vs. "species plus photos"?
by AndyO'Connor
October 8th, 2013, 8:53 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake Road October 3-7 2013
Replies: 26
Views: 7898

Re: Snake Road October 3-7 2013

Some really nice finds, I wish I could go more often.
by AndyO'Connor
October 8th, 2013, 8:44 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake Road and the Shutdown
Replies: 21
Views: 5604

Re: Snake Road and the Shutdown

Do you know the people personally, that were caught?
by AndyO'Connor
October 7th, 2013, 3:57 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Quick ID - Speck or Panamint? And sheds also - Nevada
Replies: 33
Views: 9546

Re: Quick ID - Speck or Panamint? And sheds also - Nevada

Yes Jimi, the ones in NV.
by AndyO'Connor
October 7th, 2013, 3:44 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake Road and the Shutdown
Replies: 21
Views: 5604

Re: Snake Road and the Shutdown

I can three finger you Justin, what's the fine for that?
by AndyO'Connor
October 7th, 2013, 11:10 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Has anyone ever encountered Bipes?
Replies: 18
Views: 6080

Re: Has anyone ever encountered Bipes?

Baja is extremely safe, safer than many US locations are to herp. There are obviously "sketchy" places in mainland Mexico, or so I'm told. But after spending 12 days in Baja Sur, I can say comfortably that I'd go back with a smaller group than this frist trip or alone if I got better with ...
by AndyO'Connor
October 7th, 2013, 7:54 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Quick ID - Speck or Panamint? And sheds also - Nevada
Replies: 33
Views: 9546

Re: Quick ID - Speck or Panamint? And sheds also - Nevada

I don't have any top of the head shots, just side profiles and portraits. First 4 shots are two panamints from Clark county, little less than an hour northwest of Vegas proper. http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac264/andyoconnor832/Field%20Herps%202011/Nevada/Nevada344.jpg http://i906.photobucket.c...
by AndyO'Connor
October 5th, 2013, 11:49 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)
Replies: 30
Views: 10518

Re: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)

Here's a phone pic of the little grey speck we cruised.

Image
by AndyO'Connor
October 4th, 2013, 1:01 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Seattle Oct Request for Information
Replies: 7
Views: 2269

Re: Seattle Oct Request for Information

Jason, it partially depends on how far you can travel. Josh found some range extensions cope's giants near his house I think, and this time of year is good in most of the western part of the state for salamanders since the rain started falling about 2 weeks ago, and won't stop til May.
by AndyO'Connor
October 3rd, 2013, 1:22 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Canon 300mm f4 vs 17-40
Replies: 8
Views: 4371

Re: Canon 300mm f4 vs 17-40

I have the 100L and the 17-40L, and I rented the 300 f4L for 4 weeks in my September post. I am not a huge fan of the 17-40 for herp shots so far, although partly due to me not getting used to it yet as I've seen some excellent shots from other users of that lens (although I think it's better on ful...
by AndyO'Connor
October 3rd, 2013, 12:30 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Purple and black Harlequin toad, is it real?
Replies: 12
Views: 7961

Re: Purple and black Harlequin toad, is it real?

Thanks Cole. It wasn't TOO far of a stretch, I'm just surprised that it's the ONLY picture of such an amazing Atelopus, I mean they are all pretty spectacular, but that one is so different from the others I've seen.
by AndyO'Connor
October 3rd, 2013, 12:14 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Purple and black Harlequin toad, is it real?
Replies: 12
Views: 7961

Re: Purple and black Harlequin toad, is it real?

Don, the first one looked really fake to me, but the obviously real frog was the one I was referring to, I was wondering if someone turned the normally yellow/gold coloration pink/purple because it is the only picture of that color combo for an Atelopus I could find anywhere online, and I can't find...
by AndyO'Connor
October 3rd, 2013, 9:29 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)
Replies: 30
Views: 10518

Re: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)

No, none of the rock lizards were captured, and they had lost their breeding colors, although some still had some brilliant blue spots, none were like the one on Grismer's book cover. I think they can be captured with a better approach, we had a long noose but were going after them mid afternoon, an...
by AndyO'Connor
October 3rd, 2013, 9:07 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Purple and black Harlequin toad, is it real?
Replies: 12
Views: 7961

Purple and black Harlequin toad, is it real?

I was asked by a friend about a picture on facebook of a black harlequin toad (Atelopus sp.) with purple squiggles on it. I found one other similar picture on google, but to me it looks like a REALLY well done photoshop... Every other reference to the species is yellow and black or orange and black,...
by AndyO'Connor
October 3rd, 2013, 8:51 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)
Replies: 30
Views: 10518

Re: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)

Marisa has some AWESOME herp in habitat shots on her flickr here http://www.flickr.com/photos/marisa_ishimatsu/ and will likely upload more as she gets to them. And I'm sure we will see something awesome from other members of the team in time. This trip was 12 days long for me, and nearly as long fo...
by AndyO'Connor
October 3rd, 2013, 7:18 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)
Replies: 30
Views: 10518

Re: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)

Norm, I didn't upload any other speck shots (and only photographed one other animal) so we may need to wait and see if anyone else makes a post at some point. We had talked about making a group post at one point or another, I just got caught up in editing and uploading and it seemed like the next st...
by AndyO'Connor
October 2nd, 2013, 3:25 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)
Replies: 30
Views: 10518

Re: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)

How about enyo? Those guys can turn up in great numbers but it doesn't look like they did so for you all. Looks like you rocked it on the ruber though - congrats. In one city, we stayed at what we all have decided to call "The sex hotel". Funny. Was it one of those outskirts-of-town jobs ...
by AndyO'Connor
October 2nd, 2013, 1:59 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)
Replies: 30
Views: 10518

Re: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)

We turned up a few mitch mitch, but it certainly was not the most common snake seen and we had a lot more eyes and cars doing the searching. I definitely plan on going back.
by AndyO'Connor
October 2nd, 2013, 12:58 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Has anyone ever encountered Bipes?
Replies: 18
Views: 6080

Re: Has anyone ever encountered Bipes?

Our group (a majority of us, my car with 2 other people missed out, we got caught up in a storm and were about 2 hours behind) did find one live adult and there are photographs that I am sure will get posted sooner or later. Tim is still on the road, but there are a few active users that were there ...
by AndyO'Connor
October 2nd, 2013, 11:47 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)
Replies: 30
Views: 10518

My BEST September ever. (pic overload >120 shots)

OK so technically this all started on August 28th, but it was still my best September to date. Last year at the NAFHA National Meeting at Snake Road, passing a bottle around the campfire, Tim Warfel looked at Mack and I and said, "You boys like Me-xi-co?!". At first I thought he was just q...
by AndyO'Connor
October 1st, 2013, 8:15 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Seattle Oct Request for Information
Replies: 7
Views: 2269

Re: Seattle Oct Request for Information

Being days of the week, I wouldn't be much help as I work until 4pm and by the time we got anywhere worth searching it'd be dark (which isn't a bad thing with the weather we've been having, probably amphibs allover!) but if he has a day off, Josh may be your man. I'll direct him to this post.