Love affair with the Pines

[frogfish]

I recently made my second trip to the NJ Pine Barrens after moving to MD a month ago. While it is nothing like NC in terms of herp diversity/density, I am starting to fall in love with the area. What gorgeous landscapes and the hunting there is fun as well!

I met up with a few friends, and we turned up two Northern Pinesnakes (Pituophis melanoleucus), a ratty-looking Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula), a Black Racer (Coluber constrictor), and a bunch of Fowler's toads and Pickerel Frogs. The two pines more than made up for the slow day...I was super stoked!

Pine numero uno
Northern Pinesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Pine numero dos
Northern Pinesnake in habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

[Kyle from Carolina]

Good photos. I wonder if those pines like to hiss like the bulls and gophers.

On another note, I also went from NC to MD a few years back, before starting grad studies. I've since left but I found the herping in MD to be fun, despite the general over-crowdedness of the state. If you get a chance, head down to the southern eastern shore. They've got a little bit of cypress swamp and lots of paddling. The nerodia in those parts are quite pretty.

[orionmystery]

Very nice! I should really try wide angle close-up/macro, but I only herp at night.

[NACairns]

Great shots, two pines in a day seems like a good haul. Any shots of the other species you found? I can wait to get down to the pine barrens one of these days.

[frogfish]

Good photos. I wonder if those pines like to hiss like the bulls and gophers.

On another note, I also went from NC to MD a few years back, before starting grad studies. I've since left but I found the herping in MD to be fun, despite the general over-crowdedness of the state. If you get a chance, head down to the southern eastern shore. They've got a little bit of cypress swamp and lots of paddling. The nerodia in those parts are quite pretty.

These guys were pretty calm, but I heard they can be pretty hissy and cranky when they emerge from their dens in the spring. The pines I've found in NC have been pretty calm as well.

I live in Bethesda, so I actually have some decent herping within an hour of me. Fairfax co VA has some great spots, and I can always jet over to the western shore or Delmarva. Plus PA and the Pines

[frogfish]

Great shots, two pines in a day seems like a good haul. Any shots of the other species you found? I can wait to get down to the pine barrens one of these days.

No shots of the king or racer. The king had a pretty bad fungal infection going on and that racer was my 34873493829th for the year so I didn't photograph him lol

[mtratcliffe]

Great shots! I need to make it back to the Pine Barrens one day.