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Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 29th, 2015, 4:30 pm
by FastSnake17
Since my field season has ended prematurely as a result surgery to repair a torn ACL, I figured now was as good a time as any to share my spring and summer in south Georgia, with a little North Florida tossed in. I'll apologize ahead of time as a lot of these animals have already been posted and the photos you've seen of them are much nicer than mine.

A very unexpected but welcomed surprise

Alabama Water Dog Necturus cf. beyeri

Imagebamawaterdog by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Eastern Hognose Snakes Heterodon platyrhinos were a common sight

ImageHeterodon platirhinos by Billy Moore, on Flickr

An early season Eastern Coachwhip Coluber flagellum, my favorite species. There were some absolute monsters on property with 7 footers not being entirely uncommon
ImageIMG_4933 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_4946 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_4952 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Eastern King Snakes Lampropeltis getula also turned up quite regularly on site and were highly variable in appearance
ImageIMG_4890 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Photographing this Dwarf Siren Pseudobranchus striatus was impossible, so this picture in hand is all I ended up with

Imagenb by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Maybe the coolest observation of the spring was this large getula preparing to make a meal of a hognose snake

ImageIMG_5055 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageMDK by Billy Moore, on Flickr

A large water snake Nerodia fasciata attempting to subdue a bull frog Lithobates catesbeianus

ImageIMG_5154 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

My favorite rattlesnakes made numerous appearances Crotalus horridus

Imagega cane by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5125 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Imagega cane 2 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Another individual fleeing a prescribed burn, only to be clipped by a vehicle unfortunately

Imagecrhor by Billy Moore, on Flickr

An adult getula that retained lots of yellow banding

ImageIMG_5175 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Various Hylids

Pinewoods Tree Frog Hyla femoralis

ImageIMG_5276 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Barking Tree Frog Hyla gratiosa

Imagehygra 2 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Gray Tree Frog Hyla chrysoscelis

Imagebump on oak by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Imageready for take off by Billy Moore, on Flickr

A beautiful Mud Snake Farancia abacura

ImageIMG_5336 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

First Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus of the season was a big one

In situ
ImageEDB by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5417 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Pine Snakes Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus were at the top of my list as I had previously only seen DORs. I took a walk around a nearby sand ridge on a cool, sunny morning in early May and was treated to this big guy basking outside a rodent burrow

In situ
ImageIMG_5427 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5429 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Another C. adamanteus

ImageEDB3 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageEDB2 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Drift fences produced this spectacular Southern Hognose Snake Heterodon simus

ImageHESIM by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5605 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

A young pine

ImageIMG_5638 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5697 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

A nice Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix crossing a rural road

Imagecopper by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Biggest and arguably prettiest pine of the year, also probably the gentlest. This big fella let us pose and handle him with little complaint

ImageIMG_5751 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5748 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageGApine by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5776 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

A young horridus

ImageIMG_5975 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

And a little Diamondback

ImageIMG_5983 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6000 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

A pine exhibiting more typical defensive behavior

ImageIMG_5875 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Imageangrypine by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Hefty Diamondback

ImageIMG_6021 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

An even heftier cane found about 15 minutes after the diamondback

ImageIMG_6060 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6068 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Once July rolled around, canebrakes seemed to really start moving

ImageIMG_6134 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6147 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Rough Green Snake Opheodrys aestivust from Okefenokee

ImageIMG_6313 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

And another species I finally got to see alive, Scarlet Snake Cemophora coccinea

ImageIMG_6522 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnakes Sistrurus miliarius barbouri from Apalachicola and Okefenokee

ImageIMG_6431 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6444 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6322 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7569 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7621 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7608 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Did I mention canebrakes had begun to move?

ImageIMG_6756 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6739 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

This awesome king found by Nick Scobel had an "outerbanks-ish" look to it

ImageIMG_6715 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6675 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

More Dback shots

ImageIMG_7187 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7174 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6245 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

I was fortunate enough to spend a week on Abaco in the Bahamas

Lots of time in the mangroves, helping with surveys

ImageIMG_7066 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7004 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6946 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6939 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7097 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Only turned up one snake that I was able to get my hands on while searching for racers and boas: A little Blindsnake Typhlops lumbricalis I believe. I saw another snake, probably Alsophis, that got off the road before I could get to it.

ImageIMG_7115 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Back in the states, a very pretty Canebrake from Osceola

ImageIMG_7214 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7213 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7204 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7227 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7289 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7224 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

While photographing the cane, almost stepped on this tiny little Crayfish Snake Regina rigida

ImageIMG_7260 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Coachwhip in habitat

ImageIMG_6618 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_6624 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Canebrake in situ

ImageIMG_7307 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Possibly the biggest Canebrake I've ever seen found crossing the road shortly after photographing the previous animal

ImageIMG_7374 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7384 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7368 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7339 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

A nice looking Corn Snake Pantherophis guttatus

ImagePantherophis guttatus 001_BM by Billy Moore, on Flickr

An Apalachicola Copperhead

ImageIMG_7647 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

And I guess I'll end on a Canebrake

ImageIMG_7399 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

ImageIMG_7468 by Billy Moore, on Flickr

Hopefully I'll get back on my feet in time for another trip or two before the season changes. Thanks for looking!

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 29th, 2015, 6:57 pm
by mtratcliffe
What are you talking about? Your photos are excellent! Lots of great snakes you've found there - thanks for sharing.

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 29th, 2015, 9:18 pm
by John Martin
I agree, great photos and lots of beautiful animals. Are you sure that coachwhip you're lying beside isn't a stuffed specimen? :lol: I've never seen a coach quite that compliant.

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 29th, 2015, 10:42 pm
by chrish
Very nice. That simus takes the cake. What a stunner!

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 30th, 2015, 7:38 am
by sjohn
Great photos...loved the pines.

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 30th, 2015, 8:59 am
by Stohlgren
Good stuff, for sure. That simus is a beauty, and the basking pine is pretty cool too. Looks like you guys spent too much time road cruising and not enough time in the creek. No Macrochelys? Or any other turtles, for that matter?

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 30th, 2015, 11:36 am
by FastSnake17
Thanks all,

John: That's a coworker of mine who is over 6' to put the length of the snake in perspective! That snake was caught in March I believe and maybe the relatively cool temps slowed him down a bit?

Kevin: Unfortunately, I completely wrecked my knee playing flag football back in June so after that, cruising was really my only option (though I did manage to do a little paddling here and there). Before the injury, I did get to see one gator snapper and plenty of barbour's, just didn't get any pictures of them. I definitely wanted to walk the creek as it was drying up but uneven ground was a no go.

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 30th, 2015, 2:13 pm
by justinm
You run around with Dylan Kelly? LOL he's a great guy. Awesome post really cool finds and wonderful photography.

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 30th, 2015, 2:15 pm
by Stohlgren
I guess that is a valid excuse. That creek is awesome when it clears up, but walking the bank very far, even with functional knees, is near impossible.

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: September 30th, 2015, 2:29 pm
by FastSnake17
Thanks Justin! Yes, I worked with Dylan over the summer, we had some good times in the field for sure.

Kevin, I really wanted to walk BC when it had stopped flowing but still had some standing water. Not sure what I might have turned up but I was pretty excited to give it a shot. Maybe next year.. The waterdog did come from right around the confluence

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: October 13th, 2015, 5:36 pm
by walk-about
What an absolutely incredible post!!! Beautiful images and land(herp)scape photography. THank you so much for this post. Some of the pictures quite unique I think. I have never seen an eastern Cemophora that did not have some degree of dorsal lateral fusing of the triads (bands) as your specimen certainly did not. Looked very much like 'elapsoides' at first glance. So Cool.

Dave

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: October 13th, 2015, 11:49 pm
by AndyKraemer
Thanks for posting! I especially enjoyed the animal + habitat shots. I'm a sucker for those.

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: November 15th, 2015, 7:41 am
by Greg Theos
Great observations!

Re: Spring and summer in south Georgia and North Florida

Posted: November 15th, 2015, 7:54 am
by mfb
Great stuff, thanks for sharing. I especially like that gray treefrog on the bark photo.