2014 was a year of lifers for me! Not so much with local animals (with a couple of exceptions) but with two short trips to Arizona I was bound to find herps I've never laid eyes on before. We'll start with a few things from the beginning of the year before my first AZ trip.
A couple of warm days in January brought the aquatic snakes out in full force at the local swamp.
In early February I took a trip to Arizona for some national sales meetings. Probably not the best time of year for snakes, but I wanted to take a couple extra days to enjoy the desert in all its beauty. I did find some herps along the way!
The one snake I did find on this trip was a very welcomed lifer!
Sonoran Desert Sidewinder
Back home in GA I took a couple of trips to South GA to look for my elusive Eastern Indigo Snake before the Winter ended. It would'nt be until much later in 2014 that I would finally be successful, but many other reptiles and amphibians were out and about.
Always exciting to see this pattern!
Spring brought much flipping of tin!
I was able to get out in the field with some good company this year. One such outing was with Ian. He came upon this monster Eastern Mud Snake in the blue!
The month of May is for road cruising!
June through the Summer months are limited to mostly nocturnal road cruising. But the Pigs are plentiful!
My family took a week vacation with some close friends to northern Virginia. Not much time for herping but I stumbled upon a few.
Then the trip I had been eagerly anticipating all year long...SE Arizona! On Labor Day weekend I joined dozens of fellow herpers, some of whom I know well, to the Chiracaua Mountains for the NAFHA Meetings. With the exception of the Longnose Snake, just about every other snake turned out to be a lifer (yes, even the atrox). I had the privilege of my non-herping brother, Chris join me for the outdoor experience and we spent most of the trip with my herping friend, Justin. Here is most of what we found including my goal of the trip, the Green Rat Snake.
The roads were literally crawing with these feisty Mojave Rattlesnakes!
Nice pink atrox
I have now found all three species of Pituophis in the US with this Sonoran Gopher Snake!
Do you like irony? A week after finding this lifer Texas Horned Lizard here in NM I found myself finding this very same species on the beach in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
And then the find of the trip...Green Rat Snake! I have wanted to find one of these since I began this hobby many years ago. I was finally in their minute geographical U.S. range. My good friend, Tim Warfuel, told me a road to check out and within 30 minutes we came upon this beauty stretched out across the road. I'm quite proud of finding this amazing animal on my first attempt.
A quick hike to my favorite Queen Snake streams.
Then, back home in GA My favorite time of year...Fall herping! Things started to pick up quickly in the sandhills.
Just when the year usually begins to wind down for herp activity, I decided to take a short drive to South Georgia to take one more shot at my elusive Indigo Snake. This time it would pay off!! Two female Indigos withing 30 minutes of each other basking just outside their tortoise burrows. What a thrill! Now to find a massive male.
Georgia is one of those few places that, with the right weather conditions, you can find snakes all year round. But when the air is too cool you can always find the amphibians when the rains prevail. I have not always been much of a caudata enthusiast but this winter I've decided to see what all the fuss is about.
I think this is what they call a Ambystoma "grand slam"? in one week? Is that a big deal?
One last trip to my Indigo locale with some good non-herping freinds turned up some non-indigo snakes on New Year's Day 2015. It looks like this will be another great year for herping in East Central Georgia! I hope you've enjoyed the look back at 2014 with me!
East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
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- Josh Holbrook
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Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Great stuff! We'll be tearing it up in 2015 (already have been!)
I don't know how easy or hard it is, but an Ambystoma Grand Slam is awesome in my books.
I don't know how easy or hard it is, but an Ambystoma Grand Slam is awesome in my books.
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
You would know, Josh! You had one recently in one day! Mine was in a week. I enjoyed getting out with you in recent weeks. Let's get that Rainbow in 2015.
Cary
Cary
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Fantastic post. I love the mud snakes, pine snakes and indigos! Looks like you find a lot of timbers in your area as well.
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Good stuff, carey
- Mike VanValen
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Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Great variety. I love those eastern kings and the canebrakes. How close were you to the pronghorn?
- walk-about
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Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Cary - What an awesome post! I remember quite vividly my first trip to the Sonoran Desert 1989. I will never forget. Made several more trips after that. It left a mark. Love your pics. What is the story on that Georgia Pine Snake under the log? Looks like it was an area recently burned?? Is that how you find them there in GA - in the open like that?
Dave
Dave
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Yes, Andrew, Timbers, or Canebrakes, are one of the more common rattlesnake here in out part of GA/SC. I usually find them without much effort crossing the roads at different times of the year.Looks like you find a lot of timbers in your area as well.
Thanks, Dave! It was a banner year for me. I was able to get to some great new places in 2014.
Mike, we were about 100 ft from the 3 doe and about 100 yards from the buck. They didn't seem too concerned that we were there. It was on a huge ranch so probably used to humans to some degree.How close were you to the pronghorn?
LOL, Dave, I wish Pines were as easy as this one to find. This one made a beeline to its stump hole about 10 feet away after I got some photos. Usually we have to track their movements on sandy roads and hope to see them on the crawl a hundred feet into the forest. It sure helps to see the color contrast on a recent prescribed burn. Thanks for the compliments!Is that how you find them there in GA - in the open like that?
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Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Wow. Thats a banner year for sure and a great start to 2015. Awesome photos too.
- Daniel D Dye
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Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Wow...Sensor overload!! Awesome post, Cary.
It was great to finally meet you in person. Hope to see you in 2015.
DDD
It was great to finally meet you in person. Hope to see you in 2015.
DDD
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Do you herp much in areas where there are EDBs too (I noticed that I didn't see any pics of them in your post)? I was wondering if this is due to relative scarcity of the species or if you just weren't in their range a lot, as it seems you posted pretty much every other species from that part of the world!cherper wrote:Yes, Andrew, Timbers, or Canebrakes, are one of the more common rattlesnake here in out part of GA/SC. I usually find them without much effort crossing the roads at different times of the year.Looks like you find a lot of timbers in your area as well.
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
That was a great post....as a fan of Pits the Pine under the log looked very interesting.
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Andrew, That was a good observation. I live about an hour from the Northernmost range of diamondbacks. They eluded me this year despite spending some time in locales where I've found them previously. I'll admit I didn't pursue them in 2014 as diligently as other years, in fact, I didn't find my lifer diamondback until 2012. I'll throw in a photo here of one found last year a little over an hour from my home.
Cary
Cary
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Thanks, herpmanATL! I assume ATL means you are in Atlanta?
Daniel, It was a pleasure getting to meet you also finally in 2014! Done deal on getting out together sometime in 2015. I'd really like to get down your way sometime. I hear legendary stories about "the Farm". Nice EDB this past weekend, by the way!
Cary
Daniel, It was a pleasure getting to meet you also finally in 2014! Done deal on getting out together sometime in 2015. I'd really like to get down your way sometime. I hear legendary stories about "the Farm". Nice EDB this past weekend, by the way!
Cary
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Thanks, sjohn! Probably my favorite snake in the Southeast. Quite a thrill to see that pattern while walking a recent burn in late winter.That was a great post....as a fan of Pits the Pine under the log looked very interesting.
Cary
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Great post. Looks like a banner year. That second indigo is certainly a stunner.
My favorite might be the Southern Hog. Don't see enough of those on the forum.
My favorite might be the Southern Hog. Don't see enough of those on the forum.
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Awesome post. Like the little patchnose.
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Thanks, Guys!
chrish, I just sent you a PM.
chrish, I just sent you a PM.
- Berkeley Boone
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Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Wow! Cary that was superb! That little silver corn pictured among the pigs was a looker- not to mention all your pigs too! That canebrake that was hanging out with the skink was gorgeous as well.
You killed it last year! I'm looking forward to getting out with you this year.
--Berkeley
You killed it last year! I'm looking forward to getting out with you this year.
--Berkeley
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Incredible! Great stuff, and I hope that this year is as good or even better for you! Thanks for sharing!
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Thanks, Berkeley! I'll look forward to getting out in the field with you this year. I still need to get you that cholla if you still need it. That silver corn was a yearling and I thought it must belong in South Florida somewhere. Also, you know the tin site where I found those two "buddies" hanging out. Let me know when you want to get out in March or April to see if they are still there.
Cary
Cary
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
Thanks MCherper, I have a work trip coming up in South Texas next month so I hope to find a few lifers right off the bat. Good luck to you this year as well!
Cary
Cary
Re: East Central GA 2014 EOY with a couple AZ trips
I believe these are some of the best photos of herps I have ever seen. I'll probably never have enough money, but just out of curiosity what type of camera do you use.