A coiuple weeks ago I headed a few states east for 10 long, snake filled days. I know it's somewhat lacking on the hots front, but we struck out a few targets. I managed some quality stuff, though, and it was great to be herping with some old friends from back home again.
Within less than an hour of being in the state, I had my first up close and personal gator experience... the wide angle makes it look further away, but I was only 3 or 4 feet from it when it bailed and I snapped a quick shot.
Alligator mississippiensis - American alligator by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
The first snake of the trip, right after the gator was a Southern black racer. Something I have seen plenty of here this year, so I didn't bother chasing it down... That night we headed up from Tampa to herp the ANF area for a few days with another friend who had also never been there.
On the way up we made a couple passes on some powerline cut and cruised this target:
Thamnophis sirtalis similis - Florida bluestriped garter by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Just south of the Panhandle at around 11:30 pm on our way up, we blew past this guy at around 65 miles per hour. Still not sure how we managed to spot it, but I've been told it's a find of a lifetime for that area. I wish I had spent time actually shooting it.
Lampropeltis getula getula - Eastern kingsnake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
The next morning, we set out for some early cruising in for Eastern diamondbacks and Pine snakes, neither of which we had found. We cruised a few of these guys though.
Coluber constrictor helvaticus - Brown chinned racer by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
We didn't know what the hell this guy was when we saw it crossing the road almost 1/4 mile away...
Masticophis (=Coluber) flagellum flagellum - Eastern coachwhip by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Although not my longest 'whip to date, at just over 6 foot, this one had the biggest head I've ever seen... and the most attitude.
Masticophis (=Coluber) flagellum flagellum - Eastern coachwhip by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
The place we were staying at was littered with these little foreigners:
Hemidactylus turcicus - Mediterranean gecko by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Hemidactylus turcicus setae by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
This anery pigmy was flipped under a fiberglass door or something.
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri - Dusky pigmy rattlesnake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
The Florida subspecies of these little guys was a welcome find during a slow afternoon of cruising:
Opheodrys aeativus carinatus - Florida rough green snake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
A few normal plate heads were cruised as well over the trip:
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri - Dusky pigmy rattlesnake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
It seems I can't herp anywhere anymore without coming across the resident boxies of the area:
Terrapene carolina major - Gulf Coast box turtle by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
For not having rain in a few weeks, anurans were still surprisingly active...
Hyla squirrella - Squirrel treefrog by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
This one had quite the milk mustache...
Hyla cinerea - Green treefrog by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
These pitcher plants were a kind of cool sight to stumble upon in the middle of a palmetto field
Pitcher plants by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
After those couple days, we headed back down to the Tampa area.
The first snake I personally flipped was this little target... (I've always been a big fan of small snakes)
Rhadinaea flavilata - Pine woods snake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Herping SE a little ways, we stumbled upon this resident boxed up within the confines of a meth lab explosion...
Terrapene carolina bauri - Florida box turtle by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Cruising that area was rather unproductive, but we were searching for a needle in a haystack, really. Besides a cotton and ringneck, we cruised this guy. A different flavor than what I'm used to seeing at least...
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis - Eastern gartersnake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Another Hylid made an appearance at a small pond we were shining on the way back...
Hyla femoralis - Pine woods treefrog by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Not a day went by that we didn't see a couple of these fellas...
Gopherus polyphemus - Gopher tortoise by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
I was starting to wonder if I was going to make it out of Florida without seeing a corn, when this little fella showed up in the headlights:
Pantherophis guttatus - Red rat snake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
The next morning we decided to hit a different type of habitat for two targets. Number one came as a complete heartbreak that never was redeemed... it had been hit shortly before because we had made a pass on that road no more than half an hour before and it wasn't there...
After not seeing anything else besides racers, and rain heading in, we decided to head somewhere else for the evening.
Cruising in the rain provided more cottonmouths, as well as this little fella in a roadside ditch.
Alligator mississippiensis - American alligator by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
The next morning we headed back for those two targets again, and ended up hitting paydirt at about 10:40 am...
Heterodon simus - Southern hognose by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Hetorodon simus - Southern hognose by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Cuban immigrants are were all over the place...
Anolis sagrei - Brown (Cuban) anole by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Eleutherodactylus planirostris - Greenhouse frog by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Osteopilus septentrionalis - Cuban treefrog by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Osteopilus septentrionalis - Cuban treefrog by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Osteopilus septentrionalis - Cuban treefrog by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
This adult Red showed up under some carpet during a thunderstorm:
Pantherophis guttatus - Red ratsnake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
For being the apparently most common snake, these guys didn't hold up to their reputation... nor did this one hold up to it's namesake... Its ventris wasn't very picti...
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris - Florida banded watersnake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris - Florida banded watersnake by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Another "snake" I wanted to see was one of these guys that I still haven't managed in Arkansas...
Ophisaurus ventralis - Eastern glass lizard by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
I found this squirrel hangin' poolside while eating breakfast in my buddy's backyard...
Hyla squirrella - Squirrel treefrog by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
The last night there, we decided to make one more run up to the Gulf Hammock area to try once more for one last target. We met success within half an hour or so of cruising, which made for the last photo worthy snake of the trip. (We did cruise one more pygmy and cottonmouth afterwards)
Gulf Hammock ratsnake - Pantherophis somethingorother by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Big thanks to my friends Zack, and Garrett for putting up with me for the whole time, Holly for putting us up for a few days up north, and Brad and Manning for some tips. I had a blast.
This is one of the roads we were cruising, and also my first attempt at really messing with exposure stacking..
Central Florida by michaelrayspencer, on Flickr
Mon 21 May - 18:25
