Andrea & Mike's 2014 Wrap-up - The Snakes

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ZantiMissKnit
Posts: 1037
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 9:43 am
Location: Boston area, MA

Andrea & Mike's 2014 Wrap-up - The Snakes

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

I figured I would cut to the chase and go with what was probably the largest group this year - the snakes! I'm going to try to do this chronologically, but I also want to put in the best pictures I have of each species.

This will be long, and I might have to do it in more that one part. We'll see.

Last winter, Mike's birthday present to me was a trip to South Florida, where we could herp in and around the Everglades National Park. We had a few goals, and got some help.

#1 - Brown Water Snake (Nerodia taxispilota)

ImageDSCN8470 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#2 - Yellow Rat Snake (Pantherophis obsoletus quadrivittatus) 2014 Lifer!

As found:

ImageDSCN8329 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

From the other side:

ImageDSC_0021 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#3 - Peninsula Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis sauritus sackenii) 2014 Lifer!

ImageDSCN8346 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#4 - Red Cornsnake (Pantherophis guttatus)

ImageDSC_0063 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#5 - Everglades Racer (Coluber constrictor paludicola) 2014 Lifer!

ImageDSCN8418 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#6 - Brahminy Blindsnake (Ramphotyphlops braminus) 2014 Lifer!

ImageDSC_0221 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#7 - Florida Watersnake (Nerodia fasciata pictiventris) 2014 Lifer!

ImageDSC_0266 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#8 - Scarletsnake (Cemophora coccinea) 2014 Lifer!

ImageDSCN8574 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#9 - Mangrove Saltmarsh Snake (Nerodia clarkii compressicauda) 2014 Lifer!

ImageDSCN8595 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

Back home, we had to wait until the third week in March to see the first snakes of the season.

#10 - Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)

ImageGarter 14 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

A few weeks later, we started to see ribbons

#11 - Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritis sauritis)

ImageDSCN9079 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

As well as waters.

#12 - Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon)

ImageDSC_0049 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

Then we started getting our species count up:

#13 - Northern Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii)

ImageDSC_0012 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

We had made a deal that we would not get ice cream until we have found out first black racer of the year. We didn't think we wouldn't find one until the beginning of May.

#14 - Northern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor)

ImageDSC_0010 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#15 - Northern Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi dekayi) - I can't believe it took so long to start finding them! Our first was in mid-May!

ImageDSCN9595 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#16 - Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum). I saw less milk snakes this past year than any other year in recent history, and I don't like it!

ImageDSC_0015 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#17 - Black Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus obsoletus). Jeff Dragon found this one for us on the Chapter Trip to Mount Rogers in SW Virginia. Mike and I were happy, because they are ridiculously rare in MA and we've never seen on there.

ImageDSCN8754 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#18 - Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis) - I can't believe I forgot this one on my first draft! This is the first live one I have seen in Massachusetts, and, as a bonus, we saw a second one the very next day in a different location!

ImageDSC_0043 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0009 by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

We had no other FOY snakes until the NAFHA National Meeting on Labor Day weekend in AZ/NM.

#19 - Mohave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) (2014 Lifer!)

ImageMojave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#20 - Painted Desert Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans philipi) (2014 Lifer!) - possibly one of my favorite species found this year; I think these beauties are underrated.

ImagePainted Desert Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans philipi) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#21 - Mexican Hog-Nosed Snake (Heterodon nasicus kennerlyi) (2014 Lifer!)

ImageMexican Hog-Nosed Snake (Heterodon nasicus kennerlyi) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#22 - Checkered Garter Snake (Thamnophis m. marcianus) (2014 Lifer!)

ImageCheckered Garter Snake (Thamnophis m. marcianus) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

Here I am making Popeye face while photographing it:

ImageCheckered Garter Snake (Thamnophis m. marcianus) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#23 - Western Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei) (2014 Lifer!)

ImageWestern Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#24 - Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) (2014 Lifer!)

ImageWestern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#25 - Desert Kingsnake (Lampropeltis Desert Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula splendida) splendida) - this was probably the show-stopper snake of the weekend. I only wish we had gotten photos worthy of it. (2014 Lifer!)

ImageDesert Kingsnake (Lampropeltis Desert Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula splendida) splendida) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

(Not in Arizona)

ImageDesert Kingsnake (Lampropeltis Desert Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula splendida) splendida) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#26 - Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) (2014 Lifer!)

ImageBlack-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#27 - Plains Black-headed Snake (Tantilla nigriceps) (2014 Lifer!)

ImageTantilla nigriceps by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

#28 - Gopher Snake (Pituophis catinefer) (2014 Lifer!)

ImageGopher Snake (Pituophis catinefer) by ZantiMissKnit, on Flickr

Well, there you have it, folks! Twenty-seven eight species of snake, more than half of them lifers! We missed out on several local species (eastern hognose, northern red-bellied snake, timbers, copperheads), and there are plans in place to visit other places to see these species again, plus more!

Hope you enjoyed this! I sure did!
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mike h
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Joined: May 14th, 2012, 1:29 pm
Location: Boston, Ma

Re: Andrea & Mike's 2014 Wrap-up - The Snakes

Post by mike h »

Well, you know I loved that trip down memory lane!! 27 species is nothing to sneeze at!!! We'll see if we can top that this year!!
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kyle loucks
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Location: Pennsylvania- Bucks Co. near Phila.

Re: Andrea & Mike's 2014 Wrap-up - The Snakes

Post by kyle loucks »

Awesome year! That kingsnake is smokin!
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incuhead2000
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Re: Andrea & Mike's 2014 Wrap-up - The Snakes

Post by incuhead2000 »

Excellent finds! That ringneck looks like it has such an orange belly...and your trip to the desert looked killer!
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Mike Pingleton
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Re: Andrea & Mike's 2014 Wrap-up - The Snakes

Post by Mike Pingleton »

I love that shot of the yeller rat poking its head around the tree.

Heckuva snake year!
-Mike
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intermedius
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Re: Andrea & Mike's 2014 Wrap-up - The Snakes

Post by intermedius »

That Splendida is splendid indeed. What an awesome year!

- Justin
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ZantiMissKnit
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Joined: September 14th, 2012, 9:43 am
Location: Boston area, MA

Re: Andrea & Mike's 2014 Wrap-up - The Snakes

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

Thanks, everyone! I just fixed my list, as I had forgotten about the smooth greens we saw this year. So, changed that number to 28!
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