Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Moderator: Scott Waters
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
At the suggestion of Noah, I've decided to start a new thread for my kayaking adventures since the last one was filling up with photos.
For my first post in this new thread, I'll be sharing photos mostly from a short paddle on the Rainbow River on March 7, 2015. I launched less than a mile downstream from Rainbow Springs, and paddled up to the headwaters and back. While it was a short paddle, I saw dozens of turtles - mostly Suwannee Cooters. I also saw a few Peninsula Cooters, what I believe were Coastal Plain Cooters (Pseudemys concinna floridana), and a single Florida Redbelly Cooter. Enjoy!
DSCN6395 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6398 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6400 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6403 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6405 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6413 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6414 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6418 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
This log had more turtles on it than I'd ever seen on any other log - see how many you can count!
DSCN6423 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6424 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6431 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
The turtle in the middle of the photo below - does anyone know for sure what it is? I think it's a Coastal Plain Cooter, based on the shape of its shell.
DSCN6446 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6447 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Here are a few non-herp photos from the river:
DSCN6472 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6495 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6444 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6387 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6481 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
We were camping on this trip near Goethe State Forest, and hit up a trail the following day on the way back to Tampa. Here are a few shots:
Prairie pond - FL Cricket Frogs were heard calling mid-day here
DSCN6517 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Bullfrog
DSCN6515 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Skink - either Five-lined or SE Five-lined. This is right on the edge of the range of the former.
DSCN6522 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Barred Owl that flew over us and landed in a tree. I'd never seen one in the wild before!
DSCN6525 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
For my first post in this new thread, I'll be sharing photos mostly from a short paddle on the Rainbow River on March 7, 2015. I launched less than a mile downstream from Rainbow Springs, and paddled up to the headwaters and back. While it was a short paddle, I saw dozens of turtles - mostly Suwannee Cooters. I also saw a few Peninsula Cooters, what I believe were Coastal Plain Cooters (Pseudemys concinna floridana), and a single Florida Redbelly Cooter. Enjoy!
DSCN6395 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6398 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6400 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6403 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6405 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6413 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6414 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6418 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
This log had more turtles on it than I'd ever seen on any other log - see how many you can count!
DSCN6423 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6424 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6431 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
The turtle in the middle of the photo below - does anyone know for sure what it is? I think it's a Coastal Plain Cooter, based on the shape of its shell.
DSCN6446 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6447 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Here are a few non-herp photos from the river:
DSCN6472 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6495 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6444 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6387 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6481 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
We were camping on this trip near Goethe State Forest, and hit up a trail the following day on the way back to Tampa. Here are a few shots:
Prairie pond - FL Cricket Frogs were heard calling mid-day here
DSCN6517 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Bullfrog
DSCN6515 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Skink - either Five-lined or SE Five-lined. This is right on the edge of the range of the former.
DSCN6522 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Barred Owl that flew over us and landed in a tree. I'd never seen one in the wild before!
DSCN6525 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
You don't know what a shot in the arm this post is to us back further in winter.
If you haven't already, I might also suggest hitting Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, Ichetucknee Springs as spring runs that have fewer reminders of civilization.
If you haven't already, I might also suggest hitting Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, Ichetucknee Springs as spring runs that have fewer reminders of civilization.
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
I hope to visit more springs during my time here. So far I've paddle Weeki Wachee, Rainbow River, and Crystal River (Three Sisters Springs). There are few places on Earth that have springs like Florida!BillMcGighan wrote:You don't know what a shot in the arm this post is to us back further in winter.
If you haven't already, I might also suggest hitting Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, Ichetucknee Springs as spring runs that have fewer reminders of civilization.
-
- Posts: 2248
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:42 am
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Oh, how I love those turtle images!
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
I love the picture of the turtle UP in the tree. Some folks just gotta have a view!
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
That one was a good four to five feet above the water and was among the largest turtles we saw. I can't recall seeing one that high up before.BethH wrote:I love the picture of the turtle UP in the tree. Some folks just gotta have a view!
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
mtratcliffe wrote:That one was a good four to five feet above the water and was among the largest turtles we saw. I can't recall seeing one that high up before.BethH wrote:I love the picture of the turtle UP in the tree. Some folks just gotta have a view!
That is nuts. Turtles aren't supposed to climb trees, they're supposed to bask on logs!
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
This is a nice thread. I especially enjoyed the blue color of the water. I really hope I can find the time to visit a nice spring fed system like that sometime in the next few years.
The last time I visited a spring fed area was Wakulla, and that water was tan, oh so tan. I plan to get out and do some kayak herping very soon. Might be going on a Wacissa trip with a good friend that sells eco-tours to tourists. I know for sure that I'm going to hit the Blackwater River and maybe some creeks on Eglin this year. Also going to go to random swamps that I have found but never explored, and put in there.
My goal this year for water ways is to find a mud snake, I don't care what size or color - could be as drab as drab can get, I just want one alive! I have had so many people around here say they have seen muds in some swamps around very developed areas, and I have only ever seen a single 6ft. DOR mud...
The last time I visited a spring fed area was Wakulla, and that water was tan, oh so tan. I plan to get out and do some kayak herping very soon. Might be going on a Wacissa trip with a good friend that sells eco-tours to tourists. I know for sure that I'm going to hit the Blackwater River and maybe some creeks on Eglin this year. Also going to go to random swamps that I have found but never explored, and put in there.
My goal this year for water ways is to find a mud snake, I don't care what size or color - could be as drab as drab can get, I just want one alive! I have had so many people around here say they have seen muds in some swamps around very developed areas, and I have only ever seen a single 6ft. DOR mud...
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
The grass is always greener...simus343 wrote:My goal this year for water ways is to find a mud snake
I'd gladly trade in two or three of the mud snakes I've seen for one of your kings
-
- Posts: 362
- Joined: June 2nd, 2011, 4:17 am
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Great shots! Nothing says early spring (to me) like logs loaded with turtles warming up for the season ahead.
The turtle in question that you asked about may be an inter-grade/hybrid or whatever with a peninsula cooter. That part of the state is sort of the blurred area of their respective ranges. Plus, peninsula cooters are known to hybridize with other species of Pseudemys so keep that in mind too.
In fact, this turtle https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/166 ... 4713_c.jpg (in the center of the photo)
appears to me to be a coastal plain cooter more than the others.
One other observation: notice how some of the Suwanee cooters have more orange plastrons than others? That is a trait of what used to be called the 'mobile' cooter that is found up in the panhandle but as you can see, sometimes occurs well within the range of P. c. suwanniensis.
The turtle in question that you asked about may be an inter-grade/hybrid or whatever with a peninsula cooter. That part of the state is sort of the blurred area of their respective ranges. Plus, peninsula cooters are known to hybridize with other species of Pseudemys so keep that in mind too.
In fact, this turtle https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/166 ... 4713_c.jpg (in the center of the photo)
appears to me to be a coastal plain cooter more than the others.
One other observation: notice how some of the Suwanee cooters have more orange plastrons than others? That is a trait of what used to be called the 'mobile' cooter that is found up in the panhandle but as you can see, sometimes occurs well within the range of P. c. suwanniensis.
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Interesting - thanks for the info! I did notice how the Suwannees tended to have orange plastrons - more so compared to the ones I've seen at the very southern extent of their range.Carl D. May wrote:Great shots! Nothing says early spring (to me) like logs loaded with turtles warming up for the season ahead.
The turtle in question that you asked about may be an inter-grade/hybrid or whatever with a peninsula cooter. That part of the state is sort of the blurred area of their respective ranges. Plus, peninsula cooters are known to hybridize with other species of Pseudemys so keep that in mind too.
In fact, this turtle https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/166 ... 4713_c.jpg (in the center of the photo)
appears to me to be a coastal plain cooter more than the others.
One other observation: notice how some of the Suwanee cooters have more orange plastrons than others? That is a trait of what used to be called the 'mobile' cooter that is found up in the panhandle but as you can see, sometimes occurs well within the range of P. c. suwanniensis.
It may be impossible to truly ID some of the non-Suwannee Cooters within that part of the state without getting your hands on them. I generally go with Peninsula Cooter = Highly domed carapace, while Coastal Plain Cooters = Flatter carapace, but that is by no means scientific. I also thought that large, brightly colored cooter you pointed out was a Chicken Turtle at first (I later realized I was wrong). I agree that it doesn't look like any Peninsula Cooter I've ever see, so perhaps that is a true Coastal Plain after all. That one turtle was perhaps the most unique looking one I saw during that paddle.
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
This past Saturday, I took my sister, who was visiting from Oregon, kayaking down the Weeki Wachee in hopes of finding a manatee for her. Unfortunately, temps have been steadily in the 80s lately, and most manatees have moved back out into the Gulf, as the water there is already in the mid-to-upper 70s. Also, the river was PACKED with kayakers, boaters, and swimmers, which likely scared away any manatees that might have lingered around. Still, it was a beautiful day, and we saw several turtles, plus I got a much sought after lifer! Pics are in order they were taken.
There are a lot of saltwater fish in the Weeki Wachee, especially up near the headwaters. It's a short river that flows directly into the Gulf. These are mullet, and this would have been an excellent underwater shot if not for the bubbles.
DSCN6596 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
More Mullet
DSCN6606 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Sheepshead
DSCN6599 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Can you spot the turtle? I believe it's a Suwannee Cooter.
DSCN6611 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Male Southeastern Spinytail - they have very long legs. Photographing Dragonflies and Damselflies can be difficult, but they are another side hobby of mine, and their presence lessens the disappointment when I get skunked while herping. I love finding a new species like this one here and poring through my guidebook to narrow down an ID.
DSCN6618 - Southeastern Spinytail Male by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Here's my lifer herp from the paddle - a Florida Cottonmouth! I can't believe it took me almost two years of living here to find one. This Cottonmouth was swimming upstream against a steady current. I had to turn my kayak around and keep pace against the current, so getting good shots was very difficult.
DSCN6630 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6633 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Blue-ringed Dancer. Good luck ID'ing any blue Damselfly - it's not always easy.
DSCN6637 - Blue-ringed Dancer by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
I'm guessing that this is a Blackwater Clubtail. Apparently this Dragonfly recently eclosed (emerged from metamorphosis), which is why it is nearly all gray and hasn't developed it's final color pattern.
DSCN6636 - Possible Blackwater Clubtail Colorless Phase by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Suwannee Cooter - I had to swim to get this shot.
DSCN6642 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Peninsula Cooter
DSCN6644 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
After the paddle, we stopped at one of my favorite nature preserves in Pinellas County since it was on the way home. It did not disappoint! Saw three species for the first time this year there, plus some more familiar ones.
DSCN6653 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Peninsula Ribbonsnake
DSCN6656 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Either Pig Frog or Bullfrog tadpoles, with a crayfish.
DSCN6658 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Striped Mud Turtle, found by my sister. It was well camouflaged and moving slowly - I was impressed that she saw it.
DSCN6659 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6661 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Southeastern Five-lined Skink
DSCN6683 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Florida Watersnake that was actively huting, aka swimming around like crazy. I'm guessing it was chasing after minnows. It would not sit still!
DSCN6673 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6680 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
There are a lot of saltwater fish in the Weeki Wachee, especially up near the headwaters. It's a short river that flows directly into the Gulf. These are mullet, and this would have been an excellent underwater shot if not for the bubbles.
DSCN6596 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
More Mullet
DSCN6606 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Sheepshead
DSCN6599 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Can you spot the turtle? I believe it's a Suwannee Cooter.
DSCN6611 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Male Southeastern Spinytail - they have very long legs. Photographing Dragonflies and Damselflies can be difficult, but they are another side hobby of mine, and their presence lessens the disappointment when I get skunked while herping. I love finding a new species like this one here and poring through my guidebook to narrow down an ID.
DSCN6618 - Southeastern Spinytail Male by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Here's my lifer herp from the paddle - a Florida Cottonmouth! I can't believe it took me almost two years of living here to find one. This Cottonmouth was swimming upstream against a steady current. I had to turn my kayak around and keep pace against the current, so getting good shots was very difficult.
DSCN6630 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6633 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Blue-ringed Dancer. Good luck ID'ing any blue Damselfly - it's not always easy.
DSCN6637 - Blue-ringed Dancer by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
I'm guessing that this is a Blackwater Clubtail. Apparently this Dragonfly recently eclosed (emerged from metamorphosis), which is why it is nearly all gray and hasn't developed it's final color pattern.
DSCN6636 - Possible Blackwater Clubtail Colorless Phase by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Suwannee Cooter - I had to swim to get this shot.
DSCN6642 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Peninsula Cooter
DSCN6644 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
After the paddle, we stopped at one of my favorite nature preserves in Pinellas County since it was on the way home. It did not disappoint! Saw three species for the first time this year there, plus some more familiar ones.
DSCN6653 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Peninsula Ribbonsnake
DSCN6656 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Either Pig Frog or Bullfrog tadpoles, with a crayfish.
DSCN6658 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Striped Mud Turtle, found by my sister. It was well camouflaged and moving slowly - I was impressed that she saw it.
DSCN6659 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6661 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Southeastern Five-lined Skink
DSCN6683 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
Florida Watersnake that was actively huting, aka swimming around like crazy. I'm guessing it was chasing after minnows. It would not sit still!
DSCN6673 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
DSCN6680 by zeonicweapon, on Flickr
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Great line up of "in situ".
The first shot of the cottonmouth swimming is a still of a herp in action.
It shows how high out of the water the swim when traveling. Very, very good.
question:
Was the crayfish in a slurpgun, or just took up residence in a narrow bottle? or neither?
The first shot of the cottonmouth swimming is a still of a herp in action.
It shows how high out of the water the swim when traveling. Very, very good.
question:
Was the crayfish in a slurpgun, or just took up residence in a narrow bottle? or neither?
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
I like the cottonmouth and water snake in the water photos because of what while Bill said. You can really see how far up in the water the cottonmouth sits compared to the water snake. Also, I don't think I've actually ever seen a cottonmouth in water before, so that's neat to see.
The striped mud turtle is neat as well. It shows how those stripes can help camouflage it. They break up the shape/outline of the shell a bit and make it look like yellow leaves and river muck.
The striped mud turtle is neat as well. It shows how those stripes can help camouflage it. They break up the shape/outline of the shell a bit and make it look like yellow leaves and river muck.
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Thanks Bill. The crayfish was actually sitting on a large stick/small log that was submerged in the slough. I thought the stick might have been an Amphiuma or Siren at first, so I took a photo before poking at it and that's when I noticed the crayfish. I didn't even see the tadpoles until I looked at my photos later!BillMcGighan wrote:Great line up of "in situ".
The first shot of the cottonmouth swimming is a still of a herp in action.
It shows how high out of the water the swim when traveling. Very, very good.
question:
Was the crayfish in a slurpgun, or just took up residence in a narrow bottle? or neither?
The swimming patterns of Cottonmouths is how I was able to ID the snake almost instantly when I saw it. It was a slower, more deliberate, swim than what a Nerodia sp. would display.
- soulsurvivor
- Posts: 530
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:09 am
- Location: NE Florida
- Contact:
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Love the underwater shots, Matt! Makes me want to hit the water. So many turtles!
~Bree
~Bree
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- Posts: 362
- Joined: June 2nd, 2011, 4:17 am
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
More great stuff! I'm surprised that you didn't get photos of loggerhead musk turtles while underwater. They are super common in some of those rivers you do.
BTW as a side note, someone told me that the reason many saltwater species of fish come into the freshwater springs is to clear themselves of parasites. The fish can take freshwater for a time but their parasites can't.
BTW as a side note, someone told me that the reason many saltwater species of fish come into the freshwater springs is to clear themselves of parasites. The fish can take freshwater for a time but their parasites can't.
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
After a nearly three-month hiatus, I was finally able to hit the water again last weekend when the wife and kid left town for the week. I chose to explore two smaller rivers in the area that are not by any stretch popular kayaking spots, especially when compared to the Hillsborough and Withlacoochee Rivers. I took a friend along with me to paddle the Braden River in Manatee County on Saturday, and the following day I set off on my own to paddle the Anclote River in Pasco County, on which I only saw one other paddler, and I'm pretty sure that he lived on the river. The two rivers are very different in composition. While the Braden River had more development on its shore and a bit more paddling/boating traffic, we also saw a good three dozen Cooters on the river, plus a few Gators. The Anclote was the more scenic and peaceful of the two rivers, but wildlife has harder to come by. Neither river is very large or long, with the Braden River being a 21-mile waterway that drains into the larger Manatee River, and the Anclote measures at 29 miles and drains directly into the Gulf. A big part of my decision to paddle the rivers was to see if there were any unknown populations of Suwannee Cooters living in either watershed, as both rivers are conceivably within their range. Unfortunately, none were seen, and as such I believe I can rule out the Braden River as a location where they could be found. There were a few Turtles on the Anclote that escaped me before I could get a visual, and given that the Anclote is much closer to the Weeki Wachee (southernmost extent of the Suwannee, besides the Alafia River) than the Braden River, I'm not yet ready to rule that one out. Still, it's unlikely that they are there - someone would have found them by now, right?
The first herp sighting of the day on Saturday was of the terrestrial variety, and quite a surprise. As we were leaving my friend Ben's house in West Central Tampa, we saw this Florida Box Turtle crossing the street. I have no idea if it was a released pet, but we found it right smack dab in the middle of his neighborhood, which is surrounded by Tampa and the suburbs. There is no nearby habitat that one would think was suitable for this species.
iphone FL Box Turtle by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Here is a map showing the portion of the Braden River that we paddled. We launched from Jiggs Landing and paddled up to Linger Lodge, which took about two hours going upriver. We ate lunch at Linger Lodge, then paddled back to our launch point. One day, I'd like to explore further up river from Linger Lodge.
Map by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Once we set out onto the river, we wasted a good 15 minutes taking a wrong turn. As you can see from the map above, where you launch on the Braden River is actually a lake, created by the dam downstream. We took a sidearm of the lake before we realized it was a dead end! Once we hit the river proper, we saw this large Gator ahead, but it went underwater shortly after. We saw three other Gators that day, but I only vouchered one more.
DSCN7861 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
As I mentioned earlier, there were a lot of Peninsula and FL Redbellied Cooters on the Braden River. Some were more shy than others, so I was unable to voucher a good number of them. Still, I was able to get some decent shots of a good number of them.
Peninsula Cooter
DSCN7863 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Scenery
DSCN7864 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7876 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
FL Redbellied Cooter
DSCN7869 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
More Turtles
DSCN7880 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7882 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7885 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
A very photogenic Great Blue Heron
DSCN7888 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
I-75 overpass over the river
DSCN7890 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Juvi Gator by the bridge
DSCN7893 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Redbelly
DSCN7896 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Inside the famously weird Linger Lodge. They have roadkill on their menu, though apparently it's all for show. The food I ordered (Brat and hush puppies) was normal stuff and it wasn't half bad, but nothing to write home about. Apparently this restaurant has been voted one of the strangest in the country, so it's worth checking out for that alone. Plus, it's right on the water, which is great!
DSCN7899 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7904 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
The rest of the photos on the Braden River are from our paddle back
DSCN7907 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7910 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Cooters seem to love basking with their legs up in the air
DSCN7911 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7913 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Huge Redbellied Cooter!
DSCN7918 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7919 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Next up is the Anclote River. I hit the water at around 10 AM, hoping to paddle upstream for an hour and a half before turning around. I didn't get as far as I wanted to (more on that later), but thankfully there was more shade on this river than the Braden River, as it was HOT that day! Thankfully my minor burns from the day before did not get any worse. Below is a map of my paddle - I launched from a makeshift point where Perrine Ranch Road crosses the river, and paddled up to roughly where the marker is. I could tell that others had used the launch point at the bridge before, and I found that spot by doing some searches for paddling trips on the river. There really aren't any public access points until you get down closer to Tarpon Springs, where the river is brackish, and I did not have much interest in paddling down there. I may have to check it out one day though, as there could be some Diamondback Terrapin habitat in the area!
map by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
View from my launch point:
DSCN7924 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Scenery
DSCN7925 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7928 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Easily a $1+ million home on the river
DSCN7930 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Bad photo of two turtles I saw from a distance. They slid away shortly after. All of the turtles on the Anclote were very skittish, likely due to the infrequent human traffic on the river.
DSCN7932 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
The houses you find on Florida rivers are often very...interesting. They are not always the nicest homes, and sometimes they are quite old and run down. Where I'm from, most houses with waterfront property are well-kept and very pricy.
DSCN7936 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7937 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Peninsula Cooter
DSCN7940 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Deadfall I encountered paddling upstream. It wasn't difficult to push through.
DSCN7959 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
This is why I didn't quite make it as far up the river as I'd hoped...
DSCN7956 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
This Florida Softshell was tangled up in some fishing line. I saw it and was then confused when the turtle was unable to swim away from me. Turns out it was tangled up with some debris as well, which was "leashing" the turtle, limiting its swimming radius. I struggled and struggled to get it free, but the best I could do was removed some of the debirs that was anchoring it. Finally, a local fisherman came by in his canoe and he had a knife on him, and I was able to cut the Softshell free. I'm still not sure how exactly it was tangled, but in the picture below, you can see some damage to its jaw. Hopefully this turtle is recovering just fine!
DSCN7958 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Here's where I stopped to have lunch and to cool off in the river. There was a wide sandy embankment with plenty of shade, which made it an ideal stopping point. Plus, there was a rope swing installed there! I took a few swings into the river to cool off.
DSCN7962 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
I found this Gopher Tortoise shell at my lunch site. I'm not sure what happened to it.
DSCN7961 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
One final scenic shot of the Anclote:
DSCN7963 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
I hope you enjoyed following my paddling adventures! Stay tuned for more in the future.
The first herp sighting of the day on Saturday was of the terrestrial variety, and quite a surprise. As we were leaving my friend Ben's house in West Central Tampa, we saw this Florida Box Turtle crossing the street. I have no idea if it was a released pet, but we found it right smack dab in the middle of his neighborhood, which is surrounded by Tampa and the suburbs. There is no nearby habitat that one would think was suitable for this species.
iphone FL Box Turtle by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Here is a map showing the portion of the Braden River that we paddled. We launched from Jiggs Landing and paddled up to Linger Lodge, which took about two hours going upriver. We ate lunch at Linger Lodge, then paddled back to our launch point. One day, I'd like to explore further up river from Linger Lodge.
Map by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Once we set out onto the river, we wasted a good 15 minutes taking a wrong turn. As you can see from the map above, where you launch on the Braden River is actually a lake, created by the dam downstream. We took a sidearm of the lake before we realized it was a dead end! Once we hit the river proper, we saw this large Gator ahead, but it went underwater shortly after. We saw three other Gators that day, but I only vouchered one more.
DSCN7861 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
As I mentioned earlier, there were a lot of Peninsula and FL Redbellied Cooters on the Braden River. Some were more shy than others, so I was unable to voucher a good number of them. Still, I was able to get some decent shots of a good number of them.
Peninsula Cooter
DSCN7863 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Scenery
DSCN7864 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7876 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
FL Redbellied Cooter
DSCN7869 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
More Turtles
DSCN7880 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7882 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7885 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
A very photogenic Great Blue Heron
DSCN7888 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
I-75 overpass over the river
DSCN7890 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Juvi Gator by the bridge
DSCN7893 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Redbelly
DSCN7896 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Inside the famously weird Linger Lodge. They have roadkill on their menu, though apparently it's all for show. The food I ordered (Brat and hush puppies) was normal stuff and it wasn't half bad, but nothing to write home about. Apparently this restaurant has been voted one of the strangest in the country, so it's worth checking out for that alone. Plus, it's right on the water, which is great!
DSCN7899 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7904 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
The rest of the photos on the Braden River are from our paddle back
DSCN7907 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7910 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Cooters seem to love basking with their legs up in the air
DSCN7911 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7913 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Huge Redbellied Cooter!
DSCN7918 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7919 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Next up is the Anclote River. I hit the water at around 10 AM, hoping to paddle upstream for an hour and a half before turning around. I didn't get as far as I wanted to (more on that later), but thankfully there was more shade on this river than the Braden River, as it was HOT that day! Thankfully my minor burns from the day before did not get any worse. Below is a map of my paddle - I launched from a makeshift point where Perrine Ranch Road crosses the river, and paddled up to roughly where the marker is. I could tell that others had used the launch point at the bridge before, and I found that spot by doing some searches for paddling trips on the river. There really aren't any public access points until you get down closer to Tarpon Springs, where the river is brackish, and I did not have much interest in paddling down there. I may have to check it out one day though, as there could be some Diamondback Terrapin habitat in the area!
map by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
View from my launch point:
DSCN7924 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Scenery
DSCN7925 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7928 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Easily a $1+ million home on the river
DSCN7930 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Bad photo of two turtles I saw from a distance. They slid away shortly after. All of the turtles on the Anclote were very skittish, likely due to the infrequent human traffic on the river.
DSCN7932 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
The houses you find on Florida rivers are often very...interesting. They are not always the nicest homes, and sometimes they are quite old and run down. Where I'm from, most houses with waterfront property are well-kept and very pricy.
DSCN7936 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
DSCN7937 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Peninsula Cooter
DSCN7940 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Deadfall I encountered paddling upstream. It wasn't difficult to push through.
DSCN7959 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
This is why I didn't quite make it as far up the river as I'd hoped...
DSCN7956 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
This Florida Softshell was tangled up in some fishing line. I saw it and was then confused when the turtle was unable to swim away from me. Turns out it was tangled up with some debris as well, which was "leashing" the turtle, limiting its swimming radius. I struggled and struggled to get it free, but the best I could do was removed some of the debirs that was anchoring it. Finally, a local fisherman came by in his canoe and he had a knife on him, and I was able to cut the Softshell free. I'm still not sure how exactly it was tangled, but in the picture below, you can see some damage to its jaw. Hopefully this turtle is recovering just fine!
DSCN7958 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
Here's where I stopped to have lunch and to cool off in the river. There was a wide sandy embankment with plenty of shade, which made it an ideal stopping point. Plus, there was a rope swing installed there! I took a few swings into the river to cool off.
DSCN7962 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
I found this Gopher Tortoise shell at my lunch site. I'm not sure what happened to it.
DSCN7961 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
One final scenic shot of the Anclote:
DSCN7963 by Matthew Ratcliffe, on Flickr
I hope you enjoyed following my paddling adventures! Stay tuned for more in the future.
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Very nice trip. That water looked a little dark for me to dip into haha - I'm more of a swamp/upland guy .
Glad to know you got the soft shell loose. I think the mouth will be fine, the damage didn't look too fresh in the picture.
Hate to say it, but the tortoise shell to me looks like a human may have had some lunch before setting into the river. Damaged front, too clean on the rest for coyote or natural deterioration. Though maybe it naturally deteriorated - but I've seen a lot of naturally decomposing shells and they don't hold that well with that much front only damage.
Glad to know you got the soft shell loose. I think the mouth will be fine, the damage didn't look too fresh in the picture.
Hate to say it, but the tortoise shell to me looks like a human may have had some lunch before setting into the river. Damaged front, too clean on the rest for coyote or natural deterioration. Though maybe it naturally deteriorated - but I've seen a lot of naturally decomposing shells and they don't hold that well with that much front only damage.
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
You always have to be mindful of any gators before going into the water in Florida, but I never saw the first one on the Anclote River and I watched my surroundings for a few minutes before I decided to use the rope swing. A calculated risk!simus343 wrote:Very nice trip. That water looked a little dark for me to dip into haha - I'm more of a swamp/upland guy .
Glad to know you got the soft shell loose. I think the mouth will be fine, the damage didn't look too fresh in the picture.
Hate to say it, but the tortoise shell to me looks like a human may have had some lunch before setting into the river. Damaged front, too clean on the rest for coyote or natural deterioration. Though maybe it naturally deteriorated - but I've seen a lot of naturally decomposing shells and they don't hold that well with that much front only damage.
I was afraid that humans had something to do with the shell looking the way it did. Even near the modernized cities, there are some "Old Florida" residents rooted in their ancestral ways, including eating turtles/tortoises. And I could tell that some of those people lived on the river.
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Looks to me like the turtle might have swallowed the hook.mtratcliffe wrote: I'm still not sure how exactly it was tangled, but in the picture below, you can see some damage to its jaw. Hopefully this turtle is recovering just fine!
Nice kayak, by the way. I have the same one.
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Good for you, Matt, helping the softshell.
In the '70s, I kept 3 turtles that had swallowed hooks for 3 months in captivity, just to see how they’d do; 2 snappers and a musk.
With all three, I cut the line as close to the head as I could.
All three continued on like nothing had happened, feeding and defecating well, and maintained their "spirits" for lack of a better word.
All three were released at capture sights.
Three months was not conclusive, and all three swallowed bronze hooks, so I'm sure the hooks deteriorated quickly, but my gut feeling was that they continued in life, contributing their genes to more generations.
The most bizarre survival turtle event I saw was with a Yellow Bellied Slider in Falls of the Neuse lake near Raleigh, NC
It had survived a .22 hit by the idiots that regularly plink at turtles. The top mandible, to the eyes (including the eyes) had been taken off, including the nose.
This animal was browsing on water plants successfully in the shallows, and you could see where the tissue had already begun to heal.
I doubt if it lived through winter, though, as it "jumped" out my hands, out of the boat, and swam into the lake.
I'll always wonder about that one.
In the '70s, I kept 3 turtles that had swallowed hooks for 3 months in captivity, just to see how they’d do; 2 snappers and a musk.
With all three, I cut the line as close to the head as I could.
All three continued on like nothing had happened, feeding and defecating well, and maintained their "spirits" for lack of a better word.
All three were released at capture sights.
Three months was not conclusive, and all three swallowed bronze hooks, so I'm sure the hooks deteriorated quickly, but my gut feeling was that they continued in life, contributing their genes to more generations.
The most bizarre survival turtle event I saw was with a Yellow Bellied Slider in Falls of the Neuse lake near Raleigh, NC
It had survived a .22 hit by the idiots that regularly plink at turtles. The top mandible, to the eyes (including the eyes) had been taken off, including the nose.
This animal was browsing on water plants successfully in the shallows, and you could see where the tissue had already begun to heal.
I doubt if it lived through winter, though, as it "jumped" out my hands, out of the boat, and swam into the lake.
I'll always wonder about that one.
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Yeah, swallowing a hook doesn't seem to be a death sentence for a turtle, if the line is removed. I've seen x-rays of turtles with multiple hooks within their body. Tough critters.
- Berkeley Boone
- Posts: 878
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:02 am
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Agreed with the others about the hooked softshell- it should be just fine. They are a lot tougher than most people give them credit for.
A couple of other thoughts:
-The box turtle was an eastern box (T. c. carolina) not a Florida. Definitely someone's escaped/released pet.
-The gopher tortoise shell was broken from the back end, which is actually typical of predator/scavenger behavior. My guess is it was nothing nefarious, it just looks that way at first glance.
Great series Matt! I'd love to come with you on a float sometime! I just have to make it down to Florida....
--Berkeley
A couple of other thoughts:
-The box turtle was an eastern box (T. c. carolina) not a Florida. Definitely someone's escaped/released pet.
-The gopher tortoise shell was broken from the back end, which is actually typical of predator/scavenger behavior. My guess is it was nothing nefarious, it just looks that way at first glance.
Great series Matt! I'd love to come with you on a float sometime! I just have to make it down to Florida....
--Berkeley
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Don't listen to Berkely.
He's in a place where the toilet flushes the wrong direction!
He's in a place where the toilet flushes the wrong direction!
- Berkeley Boone
- Posts: 878
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:02 am
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Ha ha! You're right Bill, I'd been seeing every thing upside down!
--Berkeley
--Berkeley
- BillMcGighan
- Posts: 2362
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
- Location: Unicoi, TN
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Have a great trip and fill us in on events.
- mtratcliffe
- Posts: 533
- Joined: January 19th, 2014, 4:34 pm
- Location: Mt Laurel, NJ
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Thanks Berkeley! I've got two kayaks if you ever are down here.Berkeley Boone wrote:Agreed with the others about the hooked softshell- it should be just fine. They are a lot tougher than most people give them credit for.
A couple of other thoughts:
-The box turtle was an eastern box (T. c. carolina) not a Florida. Definitely someone's escaped/released pet.
-The gopher tortoise shell was broken from the back end, which is actually typical of predator/scavenger behavior. My guess is it was nothing nefarious, it just looks that way at first glance.
Great series Matt! I'd love to come with you on a float sometime! I just have to make it down to Florida....
--Berkeley
I can now see how it is an Eastern Box Turtle based on the shell pattern. That explains how it was found miles away from any suitable habitat.
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
Yeah, now that I look again the tort was broken on the backside. Didn't look at the dorsal scutes properly . Well, that good to know it was at least likely a natural predator
Re: Herping via Kayaking - New Thread
good stuff