Eminart's 2018 Herping Thread

[eminart]

I guess I'll start another one of these. I really haven't been out much this year so far, but I do have a few photos I can share. I'm a snake man at heart, and am guilty of passing up lots of turtles, lizards, frogs, salamanders, etc. but I do get a photo of them sometimes, if they really want to be photographed.

Anyway, here's the photos I have so far:

Black Racer (Coluber constrictor)
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/28699189_10215623056071013_278939649808166106_o.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=517d451fe24bf3f80136edeea6bbe9cc&oe=5BAF4267

Not a good photo, but I thought it was cool to see a gray rat snake (Pantherophis spiloides) doing what gray rat snakes do.
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/29744515_10215861369268694_28773577053289934_o.jpg ?_nc_cat=0&oh=1eb5759f908b20204f7dffd83a3bdac7&oe=5BB505B6

Yellow Bellied Slider, maybe?
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/29664724_10215861378268919_4134204692501458968_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=788af2dd14b0cba72f2103a5d5fd0103&oe=5B77BF4A

Midland or common water snake (Nerodia sipedon pleuralis)
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/33045037_10216262080606227_3326312163408084992_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=a73100bfeb4282a7fa8394e7888f22a5&oe=5B7A4E31

I believe this is a young Lithobates sphenocephala (southern leopard frog), but it might be a pickerel frog.
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/33020223_10216262102966786_6924382919272169472_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=47298cdeee900fefad3367432b2c7460&oe=5BB19EB2

Fowler's Toad (Bufo fowleri)
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/32748948_10216262089526450_8844048436601815040_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=12bed51b1b4c73f2f632ce5fb164b1f3&oe=5BABCFD5

Black king snake (Lampropeltis getula nigra)
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/33036179_10216262099326695_6144891727082684416_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=b0405c1f6b495e67abd5b636c0ce26ec&oe=5BB82AC8

Black king snake (Lampropeltis getula nigra)
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/32960584_10216262079886209_7217073159399276544_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=d13e6da13fd3fc83a145e1bbe55f4d85&oe=5BA8E772

[eminart]

Eastern Newt, red eft stage (Notophthalmus viridescens)
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35049644_10216447116872018_2363804868478500864_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=5a80f27dfb7f547b0765121b6e31feb2&oe=5BBAFD05

Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus sauritus) (sorry for the poor focus)
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/34962892_10216447116672013_2034104079117975552_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=804a21266847ec1cb313eb4ce34c4f6f&oe=5BB4312B

Gray Rat Snake (Pantherophis spiloides)
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35128965_10216447115831992_7574239564538052608_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=b91ce6ab54ae360cba84fc0680338a3b&oe=5BC1A444

Southern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys dorsalis)
https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35077208_10216447113631937_8123822282654089216_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=570d402ad746a37b2b9d490ec33e56da&oe=5BAF5D06


That's it for now, but, hopefully, I can start getting out more.

[ClockwerkBonnet]

Very nice photos, eminart. They were all well-focused, in my opinion.

[psychocircus]

Nice photos! Any particular strategies you use for finding herps on your ventures?

[eminart]

Any particular strategies you use for finding herps on your ventures?

I do a little of everything. I drive the roads in the local wildlife refuge and nearby national forests. I hike the woods. And I have one place inside the city limits where I've scattered sheets of tin to provide habitat. I also hunt, fish, and kayak, all of which give me opportunities to see herps.

[ClockwerkBonnet]

I do a little of everything. I drive the roads in the local wildlife refuge and nearby national forests. I hike the woods. And I have one place inside the city limits where I've scattered sheets of tin to provide habitat. I also hunt, fish, and kayak, all of which give me opportunities to see herps.
I love kayaking. I don't hunt for reptiles when I do it, but it's a fun activity.

[eminart]

And found another one of these today.

Eastern Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra)
https://scontent.fhsv1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35225701_10216466751922882_7011519426226814976_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=AeF3JDyf6rmGJOkqqj0pi4EJr-AAPNhQRy_5xgihz-gVVVO5aIFvnCe05v53NAx0g10ReyqxAHW2IEuLYrID4AW4jbC7 VrP0go_TzkA2_FaZwA&oh=a75f2842ed1bb6d9efc8e922867b9a63&oe=5BB5D238

[ClockwerkBonnet]

Wow, that's a lot of kings! They must be very popular where you hike.

[Bandit]

Very nice finds! I love the black kings. I found my first "true" black king in Mississippi earlier this year and was blown away by it. Keep up the good work!

[eminart]

Went out this morning but the only live snake I found was a rat snake. He was a handsome fellow though. Unfortunately, DOR was a copperhead, corn snake, and timber rattler.

Pantherophis spiloides
https://scontent.fhsv1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35532621_10216499239775058_1814330787265249280_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=73458f1c6ff337c312060857e44a2cf2&oe=5BA229CD

[ClockwerkBonnet]

Very nice rat snake, eminart.

[eminart]

Stopped at a spot on the way home from work yesterday. Didn't find much, and only had my phone - no camera. But, I got a couple of photos.

I think this is a Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga)
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35842397_10216541084461149_1453618019040231424_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=35336752d5e336768b611504c724af6e&oe=5BA00EF6

And, this was the largest Five Lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) I've ever seen. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos that really showed his size. This is him playing peekaboo though.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35834408_10216541186903710_3736076108148244480_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=44f959794b46b38fe2968803e699eae3&oe=5BAAC620

[ClockwerkBonnet]

The salamander is so cute!

[psychocircus]

Love the skink poking his head out

[eminart]

I've decided to start doing some short "educational" videos of snakes native to Alabama, whenever I happen across them. I'm a terrible speaker so I bumbled and "ummed" my way through the first one. It's something I've been kind of thinking about doing, but I hadn't prepared at all. When I found this guy, the idea just popped back into my head. So, I left out a lot of info I would have liked to have shared. Hopefully, I can get a little better with that.

Anyway, here's a Dekay's Brown Snake I found yesterday.

tnDw5lr3ejI

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/41435202_10217208834594485_6624920469202010112_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=9b3e518a88a7316e2e083b5e6d6d8947&oe=5C223A09

[eminart]

Oh, and here's a couple of photos that I forgot to share in here.

Hyla cinerea (Green Tree Frog)
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/38612596_10216911796368715_2541609054174707712_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=838849abbee5fc6afb3814afe6aa6389&oe=5C32DB51

Thamnophis Sirtalis (Eastern Garter Snake)
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/38469652_10216911795368690_4761016349067575296_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=a5b9aec3f901814f0d598c43640b3edc&oe=5C24E804

[ClockwerkBonnet]

Good video on the Dekay's brown snake. I understood you perfectly.