NE December Herps Challenge

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brick911
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NE December Herps Challenge

Post by brick911 »

This was brought up in a facebook conversation and a few of us thought this might be a fun idea here. If you want to play, the object is to vouch as many different NE species in this month as possible. This is NOT a contest, as it would be unfair with the different latitudes of everyone. Think of it more as a personal challenge to see what you can record. My suggestion would be to post a pic of each new species you can vouch, along with a running tally of what you have recorded so far for the month. With this warm weather, we might see a bunch of posts to start. That's good. But for the rest of the month, add whatever you find that is a new species for yourself in the month. Let's keep it running all month and at the end, we can see how we all did.

December will give you a few more shots at herps besides this freakish warmth... if you are obsessed enough. :)

Remember... only your first redback. I can go find duskies every day of the month if I wanted. Nobody wants to see that.
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SAGlines
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by SAGlines »

Ok, I'll be the first to post the "rare" Eastern Redback salamander. These guys keep us going up here in New England through the cold months! I'm going to keep at it and hopefully get some different species. Image
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mike h
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by mike h »

I flipped for over an hour after work tonight with no luck. Just a tick crawling up my leg. Bleh!

I'm not waving the flag just yet, though!
Brendan Murray
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by Brendan Murray »

I took a quick look at a local timber den on Tuesday. Temperature was 65 around 3:30 when I got there although the high was 72 for the day. This little guy was out catching some rays. I suspect others were out earlier in the day. I'm curious whats the latest date folks here have seen NE pitvipers?
Image
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Doug W.
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by Doug W. »

Heres my start at some Dec.herps

Marbled salamander larva
Image

Eastern newt
Image

Northern red salamander larva
Image

Northern dusky
Image

Redback
Image

brown snake
Image

I'm going to shoot for 10. Hopefully if I can get some crusing in it will be more.
sstaedtler
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by sstaedtler »

Nice job Doug W! Finding 6 in December is very impressive...a couple more and you'll be giving Bob a run for his money, something I thought was impossible...
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brick911
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by brick911 »

Yeah Doug! Great start. That's what I'm hoping people do is set their own personal goals. I don't want this to be a competition between people. Just a personal challenge. I'll post my own personal goal in a little while along with how I'm doing so far. :)
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brick911
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by brick911 »

I set my goal at 16. It's a bit lofty, but I'm a bit obsessive so why not?! I jumped off to a great start, however, with those two warm days I had really hoped to tally 3-4 reptiles to help me towards my goal. Instead, I only tallied one. This may be the demise of meeting my goal. That said, I'm at 12 so far. The next four will be difficult though, but I have some ideas. I am going to post 9 pics. The other three, I will post at a later time as one, the gray tree frog was DOR and I'm hoping to get a live one. ...2-3 were a northern dusky and a two-lined and I'm not happy with the pictures so I'll wait and see if I can get better ones. So for now, we can count me at a total of 9 (with three in the bag).

1. American Toad

Image

2. Eastern Red-backed Salamander

Image

3. Northern Greenfrog

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4. Pickerel Frog

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5. Red-eared Slider

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6. American Bullfrog

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7. Four-toed Salamander

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8. Marbled Salamander

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9. Eastern Tiger Salamander

Image
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

Keep your fingers cross for us for tomorrow. . . I've never found a December Herp in Massachusetts before, but, then again, I've never tried.

Two weeks ago we saw some redbacks and two-lineds, and I think we have a good chance of seeing more in the same area.
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brick911
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by brick911 »

Do it up! Is your two your December goal? I think you should set it at three since you have a good idea of what you can find more easily already. You need a wildcard herp. Of course, that's like half of your state herps so its up to you. :)
Zinggggg...
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

12/8/12 between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm, Norfolk County, MA

9 redbacked salamanders
4 two-lined salamanders (plus one, possible, larval two-lined)
2 pickerel frogs
1 DOR wood frog.

So you can just bite me, Bob. :lol:
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kyle loucks
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by kyle loucks »

I'm at 0.
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MattSullivan
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by MattSullivan »

also at zero. Bob the tiger and marbled are awesome! i've never seen either, great finds and shots
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Doug W.
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by Doug W. »

While I'm very impressed with your finds Bob this toad clearly is not impressed. Not in the least.

Image
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spinifer
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by spinifer »

kyle loucks wrote:I'm at 0.
Me too. :(
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

Doug W. wrote:While I'm very impressed with your finds Bob this toad clearly is not impressed. Not in the least.
Disapproving toad disapproves of your finds.
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SAGlines
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by SAGlines »

2. Spotted Salamander. This is the latest I have found a Spotted by almost two months!
Image
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kyle loucks
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by kyle loucks »

Didn't see any peepers posted yet...

Image


or wood frogs.

Image
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mike h
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by mike h »

Ironically, I found the exact same herps as Miss Zanti!

Seriously, I'm over the moon with finding 3 species! Hoping for similar luck this weekend, weather permitting.
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

mike h wrote:Ironically, I found the exact same herps as Miss Zanti!

Seriously, I'm over the moon with finding 3 species! Hoping for similar luck this weekend, weather permitting.
Fancy meeting you here.
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Herpin_Time
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by Herpin_Time »

Great December finds Bob...wish me luck for this weekend herping
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brick911
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by brick911 »

Found a few more over the weekend, and I reached my goal. Therefore, I'm going to increase my new goal to 21 so I stay motivated and challenged.

10. Wood Frog

Image

11. Spring Peeper

Image

12. NJ Chorus Frog

Image

13. Southern Leopard Frog

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14. Cope's Gray Treefrog

Image

I also found a DOR Spotted. Add that to my DOR Gray, a Northern Dusky, and a Two-lined, and I'm at 18. I will add those pics later, if I do not find any live versions or take better pics of the brookside sals.

I am still hopeful for a garter. One RES is pretty lame for reptiles, considering my amount of amphibs. I don't want to be a one-trick pony.
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

I'm not hopeful for this weekend. High of 41 on Saturday, and potential for a snowstorm Sunday into Monday.
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brick911
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by brick911 »

I'm not even sure what you really have too much of a shot for up there. Maybe flipping a green frog next to a creek? Sals will still be under rocks in limited quantity if the soil isn't frozen, but as far as new species for you, I don't know what else there is.
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

brick911 wrote:I'm not even sure what you really have too much of a shot for up there. Maybe flipping a green frog next to a creek? Sals will still be under rocks in limited quantity if the soil isn't frozen, but as far as new species for you, I don't know what else there is.
It could be a repeat of last weekend, or maybe I'd get lucky and find a spotted or something.
I've never attempted to find anything in December before this year, so the four species I found last weekend made me happy. Finding anything else would be gravy.

Maybe we'll get out early and try to finish the holiday shopping, and then, weather permitting, we'll attempt to herp.
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brick911
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by brick911 »

I'm pretty sure I could turn up a red and longtail down here if I can find a few free hours. To get #21 though, I'm gonna need some luck. I'm not sure what would be. ...hoping for that garter!
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

brick911 wrote:I'm pretty sure I could turn up a red and longtail down here if I can find a few free hours. To get #21 though, I'm gonna need some luck. I'm not sure what would be. ...hoping for that garter!
If our weather sucks I'll just have to live vicariously through you.

I have 12 days in a row off at the end of this month, with commitments for only two of those days. If it stays unseasonably warm, you bet your sweet cheeks I'll go out and look. Christmas Eve Herps? New Year's Eve Herps? Why the hell not.
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spinifer
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by spinifer »

I also found a DOR Spotted. Add that to my DOR Gray, a Northern Dusky, and a Two-lined, and I'm at 18. I will add those pics later, if I do not find any live versions or take better pics of the brookside sals.
Its possible you have already posted a live versicolor and you only have 17 species. ;)
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brick911
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by brick911 »

I defer to Copes down there, just like I defer to versicolor in southern NJ even though I'd like to think they're all Copes. If you wanna call it 17, we can stick with that. I'm not scared.
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MattSullivan
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by MattSullivan »

my only december herp so far. wait for it...
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REDBACK!
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IMG_5654 by MattSullivan, on Flickr
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Mike VanValen
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by Mike VanValen »

December 15th
43 Degrees
Fairfield County, CT

Image

Brought to me alive by a feral cat. This will probably be my only December herp.
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spinifer
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by spinifer »

That's one friendly feral cat!
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Mike VanValen
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by Mike VanValen »

Yeah, these cats live in the backyard of a friends house which borders a patch of woods. They vary in their acceptance of humans. This particular cat is bold and doesn't flee from us when approached.
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

The rest of December doesn't look too promising per the extended forecast (which I shouldn't bother to pay attention to), but hopefully I can find at the very least a redback to break my record of "latest herps" on December 8.
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brick911
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by brick911 »

I'm going out in a few minutes (around 1pm) to see if my garter den can make a comeback and produce for me.
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

brick911 wrote:I'm going out in a few minutes (around 1pm) to see if my garter den can make a comeback and produce for me.
I'm so jealous that you have your own personal garter den, although I guess I share a personal Dekay's colony with mike h.
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kyle loucks
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by kyle loucks »

ZantiMissKnit wrote:
brick911 wrote:I'm going out in a few minutes (around 1pm) to see if my garter den can make a comeback and produce for me.
I'm so jealous that you have your own personal garter den, although I guess I share a personal Dekay's colony with mike h.

Do you check them often? I have one near my house that i check year round. But the coldest I have seen them bask was 54 on new years eve...
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

kyle loucks wrote:
Do you check them often? I have one near my house that i check year round. But the coldest I have seen them bask was 54 on new years eve...
I haven't checked them in a while. They've been checked a couple of times in November and December, but we haven't seen a snake since October 26. I think they have gone far underground by now; probably in my friends' basement. :)
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mike h
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by mike h »

I've got a lovely bunch of Eurycea bislineata larvae! 4 mini-2-lineds! (Found Dec. 22nd, 2012)
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DSCN3057 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

^^^^ As you can see, Mike and I did make it outdoors yesterday. ^^^^

Flipping rocks in the water in December can make your hands really cold.
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kyle loucks
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by kyle loucks »

ZantiMissKnit wrote:^^^^ As you can see, Mike and I did make it outdoors yesterday. ^^^^

Flipping rocks in the water in December can make your hands really cold.

Excellent effort by you two!
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Darnell Brister
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by Darnell Brister »

Great job getting out there in the winter everyone, but remember to respect the animals during this season the most!

On that note how about a December Garter, oh yeahhhh.

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image_1 by Darnell B2010, on Flickr
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incuhead2000
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by incuhead2000 »

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My December Lifer, Pseudacris kalmi.

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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: NE December Herps Challenge

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

Nice lifer!
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