Results from Weekend in the Mountains

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
Jake Schneider
Posts: 43
Joined: December 21st, 2013, 5:59 pm
Location: Pasadena, MD

Results from Weekend in the Mountains

Post by Jake Schneider »

Hey guys. I spent the weekend in the mountains of Virginia and Maryland. I found a lot of cool stuff. I never really got pictures of most of it though. I just wasn't in the mood to try to get pictures of Salamanders and Ringnecks as they wouldn't sit still. I got pictures of the good stuff, though, and I have a question. I was in an open area on top of a mountain and under the third rock I flipped was this guy:
ImageSmooth Greensnake by JakeSchneider., on Flickr
ImageSmooth Greensnake by JakeSchneider., on Flickr

Sooo.... I was super excited. I never even expected to find a Smooth Greensnake. I think that was the find of the trip for me.

My Question: How rare are these guys? I know they're common in Michigan and Wisconsin but how common are they in Virginia and the Northeast? I think in the last year I've seen 2 people post them here. Does no one ever look for them? It didn't seem too difficult at all to find it. Was I just extremely lucky?

The next notable find was a slimy salamander. These are pretty common to most people but salamanders just don't live around my house and at the local parks. Any salamander is cool for me. Slimy Salamander (lifer):

ImageSlimy Salamander by JakeSchneider., on Flickr

I got a double flip and with it another lifer:
ImageSlimy and Marbled Salamander by JakeSchneider., on Flickr
ImageMarbled Salamander by JakeSchneider., on Flickr

The next day I started flipping in Western Maryland. I found a huge Ringneck just crawling around in the rocks but the thing wouldn't stop moving.


The real excitement was a little baby Timber found under a rock:
ImageRattlesnake with Ringneck by JakeSchneider., on Flickr

I didn't notice the Ringneck for quite a while. I was too busy staring at my first Timber.

ImageTimber Rattlesnake by JakeSchneider., on Flickr
ImageTimber Rattlesnake by JakeSchneider., on Flickr
ImageTimber by JakeSchneider., on Flickr

I'll definitely be heading back there this fall. For now it's back to normal.
User avatar
Mike VanValen
Posts: 2074
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:41 pm
Location: Connecticut
Contact:

Re: Results from Weekned in the Mountains

Post by Mike VanValen »

Smooth Greens are usually considered "more common than we think" due to their secretive nature, but in certain areas (such as New England) they are declining due to habitat loss and heavy pesticide use. I'd imagine in those mountains they are fairly common.
User avatar
Kyle from Carolina
Posts: 221
Joined: May 3rd, 2012, 8:12 pm
Location: western MA and NC

Re: Results from Weekend in the Mountains

Post by Kyle from Carolina »

Don't know about the rest of their new england range, but the smooth greens were abundant at high elevations in Northeastern West Virginia, fairly close to MD. I imagine the habitat might be similar. Still pretty awesome though. That timber is pretty young...I bet it hasn't moved all too far from where it was born last fall, it would be worth checking that area again during the shoulder seasons, you might see more.
User avatar
ZantiMissKnit
Posts: 1037
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 9:43 am
Location: Boston area, MA

Re: Results from Weekend in the Mountains

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

I have heard of smooth greens being more common in elevated areas as well, although the only smooth green I have found in Massachusetts was a DOR in a spot that has an elevation of 144 ft. The only others I have seen were in the mountains of PA.
Jake Schneider
Posts: 43
Joined: December 21st, 2013, 5:59 pm
Location: Pasadena, MD

Re: Results from Weekend in the Mountains

Post by Jake Schneider »

Kyle from Carolina wrote: That timber is pretty young...I bet it hasn't moved all too far from where it was born last fall, it would be worth checking that area again during the shoulder seasons, you might see more.
I'll certainly be heading back there this Fall and probably again before then. It'd be awesome to find a whole pile of them like I see occasionally posted here.

When I saw the Smooth Green, I thought I had found the best thing ever. So they're actually common at high elevations? Still really cool though.
Post Reply