My real 2014 year in review...

[frogfish]

...and what a year it was! Full of both highs and lows, I've met some amazing people, traveled to some stunning places, and seen some absolutely incredible animals.

I was able to herp 12 states this year (From AZ to FL to NJ to MI) and finally figured out my (ex)home state of North Carolina. Overall, I saw 71 different species of snake alive this year (and many more dead, including 5 DOR rainbow snakes), 46 species of salamander (40 from the state of NC itself), 33 species of frog/toads, 19 species of turtles/tortoises, and an untold amount of lizards (due to whiptails/scelops of AZ and exotics of FL). The best part definitely was being able to spend time with good friends!

I am just going to post a photo review, but feel free to look at my previous posts this year for a more detailed write-up of my adventures:
http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=20395
http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=20199
http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=20076
http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=19938
http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... 11&t=19760

I'll start with my Florida trip from last December

Gopher Tortoise and Habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Corn Snake portrait by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Gopher Frogs at home by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Starry Night in Central Florida by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Sand Skink by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Hemidactylus portrait by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Day Gecko on a palm by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Striped Crayfish Snake portrait by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Tokay portrait by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Golden Gecko portrait by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Stars over Picayune by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake in situ by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Everglades Racer in situ by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake in situ by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Oustalet's Chameleon by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

My FOY Snake of 2014 was a lifer to boot...Queen Snake in NC
Queen Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Some early spring amphibs
Marbled Salamander and Vernal Pool by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Spring Peeper by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

My friend and I then made a few trips down to GA in March, and we were treated with these jewels

Eastern Indigo Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Indigo Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Jawga Gator by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Hognose crossing the road by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Hognose by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

We then focused heavily on NC later in the spring and summer

NC Gator by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Coachwhip Periscoping by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Outer Banks Kingsnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Pine Barrens Treefrog by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Carolina Pygmy Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Canebrake Rattlesnake crossing the road by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Pair of Northern Pine Snakes by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Southern Hognosed Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Top-down of a Carolina Pygmy Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Scarlet Kingsnake and habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Top-down of a Southern Hognosed Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Southern Hognosed Snake and habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Yonahlossee Salamander by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Canebrake Rattlesnake crossing a road by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Red-phase Carolina Pygmy Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

After that was a summer roadtrip to Arizona

Portrait of a Speckled Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Tiger Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Portrait of a Sonoran Lyresnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Portrait of a Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Variable Sandsnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Tiger Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Milky Way over Tonto National Forest by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Mohave Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Pajarito Mountains by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Mohave Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Saddled Leaf-nosed Snake in threat posture by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Mohave Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Banded Rock Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Banded Rock Rattlesnake in ambush by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Green Rat Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Portrait of a Sonoran Coral Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Sonoran Coral Snake on the crawl by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Portrait of a Sonoran Lyresnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Following AZ, I went home to Michigan to visit the family and was able to sneak in some herping

Prairie Fen in Southeast Michigan by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Blue Spotted Salamander by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake in situ by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Fox Snake in habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Blue Racer by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Blue Racer in habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Fox Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Portrait of an Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake in habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

After that, I moved to Maryland for school, so of course I had to make some herp trips to PA and NJ.

Long-tailed Salamander and habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Portrait of a Black-phase Timber Rattlesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Spring Salamander and habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Timber Rattlesnake on a trail by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Timber Rattlesnake in a Mountain Stream by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Eastern Milk Snake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Black-phase Timber Rattlesnake in situ by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

"Pinebrake" in situ by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Portrait of a "Pinebrake" by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Northern Pinesnake by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Northern Pinesnake in habitat by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

After that, I made a quick trip back to NC for the Orianne PYNH5

North Carolina "Cloud Forest" by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Weller's Salamander by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Green Salamander by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

Green Salamander climbing a mossy rock face by santosh_shanmuga, on Flickr

That has pretty much been my herp year...can't wait for next year!

[Crazins]

Screw you and your Saddled leaf.

Great shots, Santosh. Very very well done. I like your use of shadows.

-M

[chad ks]

If there was still a picture of the week...I would nominate your eastern coachwhip periscope shot in a heart beat. Great series, outstanding photography.

[Mike Pingleton]

If there was still a picture of the week...I would nominate your eastern coachwhip periscope shot in a heart beat. Great series, outstanding photography.

I am right there with you. That shot is sick.

Great work, Santosh.

-Mike

[hellihooks]

Wow... what a year! some great shots of iconic herps. And now I know (hopefully) what to call the dor king I found just inland in SC... an outer banks king? I find myself intrigued by the Sand Skink... can you elaborate and hopefully post more pics? again... great post...jim

[chris_mcmartin]

Very, very nice.

[frogfish]

Thanks everyone! The coachwhip shot was probably my favorite capture of the year

Wow... what a year! some great shots of iconic herps. And now I know (hopefully) what to call the dor king I found just inland in SC... an outer banks king? I find myself intrigued by the Sand Skink... can you elaborate and hopefully post more pics? again... great post...jim

The Outer Banks Kingsnake (L. g. sticticeps) is a subspecies found on Hatteras Island from Oregon Inlet Bridge south. A getula from SC is most likely just a regular eastern kingsnake (L. getula).

As for the Sand Skink (Neoseps reynoldsi, but I think it has recently been reclassified) is an Federally Threatened species endemic to the Lakes Wales, Winter Haven, and Mount Dora ridges of central FL. It is primarily adapted to spending its life a few inches under the sand. These guys are super neat and can disappear into the sand in a heart beat. We found two, but were only able to catch one...along with a blue-tailed mole skink.

Now to focus on feathered "herps" until its warm enough to herp again!

[pjfishpa]

Agree w the coach pic! Great year for sure. Thanks for posting.

[Cole Grover]

Nice spread!

Your first "Hemidactylus" is unquestionably a Tarentola. Better find, actually.

Cole

[Rman]

Very nice! Thank you!

[frogfish]

Nice spread!

Your first "Hemidactylus" is unquestionably a Tarentola. Better find, actually.

Cole

Awesome thanks. My lizard ID skills are not the best lol

[hellihooks]

Thx for the info... I love skinks and the idea of one adapted to life in sand is way cool. only saw some small brown ones, on my one herping excursion through that general area... although I did find a Tx horned Lizard on the Isle of Palms, which was a surprize. The DOR king I found was on a bridge to some sort of 'Pirate themed amusement park'... i always just figured Eastern King... it sure looks a lot like the outer banks one you posted. actual different sub-species you say? interesting... thought they were all just differing morphs of the same species... jim

[frogfish]

Thx for the info... I love skinks and the idea of one adapted to life in sand is way cool. only saw some small brown ones, on my one herping excursion through that general area... although I did find a Tx horned Lizard on the Isle of Palms, which was a surprize. The DOR king I found was on a bridge to some sort of 'Pirate themed amusement park'... i always just figured Eastern King... it sure looks a lot like the outer banks one you posted. actual different sub-species you say? interesting... thought they were all just differing morphs of the same species... jim

Yea the OBX kings are a subspecies of their own, and found only on Hatteras Island. Many look very similar to their mainland eastern king compatriots but exhibit broken "chains links" in their pattern. The stunner OBX kings look nothing like a regular getula though! I found 8 OBX kings this past spring and here is one of the prettier ones



Here is what a mainland king from just across pamlico sound looks like...notice the unbroken chain pattern. That is salt marsh in the background and one of my rainbow snake roads. I wonder how many rainbows this king has eaten over the course of its lifetime???

[hellihooks]

Wow... that obk is pretty trip...like a X tween a speckled and chain (from what little i know of eastern forms ) here's what I saw...I'll just go by what you say it is...

[NACairns]

Wow what great shots. That is a diverse year. Did that Micruroides make you work for that portrait? Great stuff all round.
Thanks for sharing
Nick

[walk-about]

That Massasauga in the grass shot is just perfect! Also love the rock rattlers within their cryptic domain. Beautiful work indeed. I noticed you go with some fat ISO's and little 'flash on'. Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Dave

[frogfish]

Wow what great shots. That is a diverse year. Did that Micruroides make you work for that portrait? Great stuff all round.
Thanks for sharing
Nick

Thanks That Micruroides was a bitch to photograph haha

That Massasauga in the grass shot is just perfect! Also love the rock rattlers within their cryptic domain. Beautiful work indeed. I noticed you go with some fat ISO's and little 'flash on'. Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Dave

Thanks so much! I loved the klaubs too, definitely my favorite finds from AZ.

The D610 is full frame so I don't mind pushing the ISO. I usually start getting discernible noise around ISO 1600. As for flash, I try to shoot with natural light as much as possible...but sometimes that just doesnt work haha.