Time for some Braggin'

[CamHanna]

Well, with the season drawing to a close I think it's time to share the years finds. I had a decent season but didn't have all the herping time I would have liked. At any rate, here's my '04 list.

Ontario

Midland Brown Snake (2 or 3)
Eastern Garter Snake (bunches)
Northern Redbelly Snake (2 or 3)
Nothern Water Snake (half a dozen or so)

Common Map Turtle (3)
Common Snapping Turtle (a dozen or so)
Midland Painted Turtle (bunches)

American Toad (bunches)
Bullfrog (a dozon or so)
Green Frog (bunches)
Northern Leopard Frog (bunches)
Wood Frog (bunches)
Grey Treefrog (a few)
Northern Spring Peeper (a few)

Spotted Salamander (a few)
Blue-Spotted Salamander (a few)
Jefferson-ish hybred (1)
Mudpuppy (1, under the ice in February)
Northern Redback Salamander (bunches)
Red-Spotted Newt (a few)

Florida (Wasn't a herping trip but I looked around anyways)

Everglades Racer (1)
Southern Black Racer (1)
Southern Ringneck Snake (1)

Five-Lined Skink (a few)
South-Eastern Five-Lined Skink (a few)
Green Anole (a dozon or so)
Brown Anole (bunches)
Crested Anole (2)
Six-Lined Race Runner (a dozon or so)
Mediterranian Gecko (bunches)
Ashy Gecko (2 or 3)

Florida Redbelly Turtle (a dozon or so)
Florida Softshell (a half dozon or so)
A few other slider-ish turtles I didn't recognize

American Alligator (bunches, they're everywhere)
American Crocodile (1)

Squirrel Treefrog (a dozon or so)
Cuban Treefrog (1)
Greenhouse Frog (a half dozon or so)




So, How'd everyone else do?

[CamHanna]

I just thought I'd add some pictures.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755Eastern_Garter_Snake_Ellice_Swamp_July_22-med.jpg
Notice the small head on this guy and the position of the lateral stripe. I thought this guy and a couple others might have been butleri but I sent some DNA off to the pros and they proved to be sirtalis. I actually found him last year but thought I'd post a picture anyways.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755Southern_Ringneck_Snake_9_Homestead_Fl_March_1 9th_2004.jpg

A southern ringneck from Florida, not the gutsiest creature.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755Mediterranean_Gecko_1_Homestead_Fl_March_17_20 04-med.jpg
A Mediterranian gecko from Homestead Florida. These guys were incredable common.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755American_Alligator_6_Everglades_Fl_March_18_20 04-med.jpg
I went down to Everglades this March and was worried I might not see any alligators but they were literally everywhere. I saw sizes between about 1.5 and 12 feet.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755American_Crocodile_3_Flamingo_Fl_March_18_2004-med.jpg
This handsome guy was under a brige at the very bottom of the glades. He was probably 7-8 feet long and quite indeferent to me. I suspect he's seen a couple people before.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755Wood_Frog_Presque_Ile_August_20_3_-med.jpg
This has got to be the prettiest sylvatica I've ever seen, the grass kind of ruins the photo though.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755Gray_Tree_Frog_Presque_Ile_August_19_7_-med.jpg
A young versicolor.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755Squirrel_Treefrog_3_Jacksonville_Fl_March_13_2 004-med.jpg
A squirrel treefrog.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755Spring_Peeper_Presque_Ile_August_19-med.jpg
A teeny-weeny spring peeper.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755Blue-Spotted_Salamander_Presque_Ile_August_20_2_-med.jpg
A cute little blue-spotted salamander.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5755Red-Backed_Salamander_Presque_Ile_August_18.jpg
Yeah, it's just a redback but I like this photo so here it is.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/57552-med.jpg
Another redback, this ones a little different.

Hope you liked them.

Cam

[Tim_Cranwill]

Very cool list! I'm jealous! :D Great pics too!

p.s. Some of you IMG tags aren't exactly working. Have a look at them. :)

[ont_herper]

I'll probably never beat this year, I had an amazing time and met some really cool people.

Ontario List

E. Garter
Butlers Garter
Dekays
E. Fox
N. Water
L. E. Water
E. Milk
N. Ribbon
Queen
Blue Racer
N. Red-bellied
Massasauga Rattle Snake
N. Ringneck
E. Hognose

Redbacked
Jefferson
Yellow Spotted
Blue Spotted
Sm. mouthed hybrids
Red Spotted Newt

Peeper
Chorus
Green
Bull
Leopard
Wood
Gray tree
Pickeral
Am. Toad
Fowlers Toad

Painted
Blandings
Snapping
Spotted

I'll just do snakes for now in USA

E. Garter
Red-sided Garter
Chicago Garter
Short-headed Garter
Lined Snake
W. Ribbon
Blue-Striped Ribbon (DOR only)
N. Red-bellied
Midland Brown
W. Worm
Mid-West Worm
Flat-headed
Rough Earth
Smooth Earth
N. Ringneck
N./Miss. Ringneck
Prairie Ringneck
E. Milk
Red Milk
Rough Green
W. Fox
Yellow-bellied Racer
S. Blk Racer
Yellow Rat
Blk. Rat
Blk/Gray Rat
E. Hognose
Speckled King
Black King
W. Mud
N. Water
Midland Water
Brown Water
Red-bellied Water
Fl. Water
Mangrove Water
Diamondbacked Water
Yellow-bellied Water
Broad-Banded Water
Miss. Green Water
Copperbelly Water
W. Cottonmouth
Osage Copperhead

I think thats it, might be a couple I forgot
Are the Black Racers on Sanibel Island Everglades or just S. Blk?

Dan

[danh]

I've had a good year herp wise.

American Toad
Fowler's Toad
Green Frog
Bull Frog
Northern Leopard Frog
Pickerel Frog
Mink Frog
Wood Frog
Spring Peeper
Boreal Chorus Frog

Jefferson's Salamander
Blue-Spotted Salamander
Spotted Salamander
Small-mouthed Salamander
Red-spotted Newt
Mudpuppy
Red-backed Salamander
Northern Two-lined Salamander

Stinkpot Turtle
Spotted Turtle
Midland Painted Turtle
Western Painted Turtle
Common Map Turtle
Snapping Turtle
Blanding's Turtle

Five-lined Skink

Eastern Garter Snake
Red-sided Garter Snake (I think...)
Northern Ribbon Snake
Lake Erie Water Snake
Northern Water Snake
Blue Racer
Northern Ring-neck Snake
Brown Snake
Red-bellied Snake
Eastern Fox Snake
Eastern Hognose Snake
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
Smooth Green Snake
Eastern Milk Snake

Total: Forty Ontario Taxa. Plus my first Golden Eagle and Red Fox, and my second Wolf and Moose sightings. Not bad at all!

Leaving for Fiji, New Zealand and Australia in two days!!! Woohoo!!!

Dan

[CamHanna]

That's one hell of a list, Congratulations. According to Tennant (Snakes of North America, 2003) Sanibel is around the northern limit of the Everglades Racers range and overlaps that of the southern black. Everglades are a tan to brown snake, perhaps with a blue tint; mine looked a lot like a blue racer.

I'm not sure why my IMG tags aren't working (perhaps the URLs are too long) but at any rate the pictures are in my gallery.

Cam

[Cerastes]

My list looks a lot like DanH's with a few additions/subtractions...

American Toad
Fowler's Toad
Green Frog
Bull Frog
Northern Leopard Frog
Mink Frog
Wood Frog
Spring Peeper
Western Chorus Frog
Gray Tree Frog

Jefferson's Salamander
Blue-Spotted Salamander
Spotted Salamander
Small-mouthed Salamander
Red-spotted Newt
Mudpuppy
Red-backed Salamander

Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle
Spotted Turtle
Midland Painted Turtle
Common Map Turtle
Snapping Turtle
Blanding's Turtle

Five-lined Skink

Eastern Garter Snake
Northern Ribbon Snake
Lake Erie Water Snake
Northern Water Snake
Blue Racer
Northern Ring-neck Snake
Brown Snake
Red-bellied Snake
Eastern Fox Snake
Eastern Hognose Snake
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
Smooth Green Snake
Eastern Milk Snake
Black Rat Snake

and one Maritime Garter on the Gaspe Peninsula PQ

Plus my first sightings of gray seals, harbour porpoises, minke whales, fin whales, humpback whales, and blue whales!

[Jayson]

This was an amazing year for finding herps.

Eastern garters
northern ribbons
northern red belly
northern brown
northern ringneck
smooth green
northern water
lake erie water
eastern milk
eastern hog nose
eastern massasauga
Blue racer
eastern fox

Five line skink

american toad
fowlers toad

Green frog
mink frog
pickerel frog
wood frog
grey tree frog
bull frog
spring peeper

snapping turtle
painted turtle
blanding turtle

blue spot salamander
redback salamander
Jeffersons salamander
newt

I found litterally dozens of most on the list, except for the few really rare ones

The pickerel and mink frogs were actually Dan H and my son Dereks find. But they were still cool anyhow.

Steve and Dave
You guys will have to take me out next year to add a couple of turtles to my list LOL

[Ontario_herper]

No worries Jayson....

What's up with you guys posting mammal finds??? lol

[Jayson]

Its ok Dave, not ALL mammals are feeders :)

[JD@reptiles]

Canada

Ontario

eastern gartersnakes (regular and melanistic)
brown snakes
northern water snakes
lake erie water snakes
blue racer (got away) "dave smith as my witness"
eastern fox snakes

Bull Frogs
Leopard Frogs
Green Frogs
american toad
red back salamander
smallmouth salamander
jeffersons salamander
bluespot salamander

Common Snapper
Painted turtle
introduced red ear slider
blandings turtle



Saskatchewan

Bull Snake
Prarie Rattlesnake
Wandering Gartersnake
Plains Gartersnake



USA

Florida

Black racer

Cuban tree frog
american toad

sliders
stinkpot turtles

Five lined skink
Green anole
Brown anole

(yeah i know, i suck at USA herping)



Jamaica

Jamaican boa

golden frog
marine toad

Jamaican Slider

American crocodile

Jamaican aligator lizard
brown anole
jamaican anole
bark gecko
house gecko
dwarf gecko (cant remember species)

thats all i can remember for now... didn't write things down this year...

[Swampwalker]

I didn't get out as much this year as previous years but my total species count is higher this year. Mine is very similar to Steve's, minus a few (hognose, black rat).

American Toad
Fowler's Toad
Green Frog
Bull Frog
Northern Leopard Frog
Mink Frog
Wood Frog
Spring Peeper
Gray Tree Frog

Jefferson's Salamander
Blue-Spotted Salamander
Spotted Salamander
Small-mouthed Salamander
Red-spotted Newt
Red-backed Salamander

Spotted Turtle
Midland Painted Turtle
Common Map Turtle
Snapping Turtle
Blanding's Turtle

Five-lined Skink

Eastern Garter Snake
Northern Ribbon Snake
Lake Erie Water Snake
Northern Water Snake
Blue Racer
Northern Ring-neck Snake
Brown Snake
Red-bellied Snake
Eastern Fox Snake
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
Smooth Green Snake
Eastern Milk Snake

[CamHanna]

So I guess blue racers are a dime a dozon then eh? And I'm the ONLY one who didn't find one:(. Of course I did pretty much stick to Perth County all summer.

[nguyen_inc]

well, i found acouple of bull frogs, and adozen salamanders.... hahaha what a list huh? I wasn't trying to find anything but they just poped up. Maybe when it gets warmer out, I will find more : )

[Jayson]

CamHanna

Actually Blue racers are very rare here in Ontario, i think everyone here with a blue racer on their list are talking about the same snakes. as we all found them as a group :)

[MathieuO]

This year I've seen 31 on 38 species found in QC! My best year so far!

Here is my Québec list...

Mudpuppy
Eastern newt
Blue-spotted salamander
Yellow-spotted salamander
Northern dusky salamander
Mountain dusky salamander
Redback salamander
Four-toed salamander
Spring salamander
Northern two-lined salamander

American toad
Northern spring peeper
Gray treefrog
Western chorus frog
Bullfrog
Green frog
Mink frog
Wood frog
Leopard frog

Snapping turtle
Wood turtle
Blanding's turtle
Common map turtle
Painted turtle

Northern water snake
Brown snake
Redbelly snake
Garter snake
Northern ribbon snake
Smooth green snake
Eastern Milk snake

Mathieu Ouellette

[coolhl7]

Florida
crowned snake
southern pine
southern hognose
eastern hognose
corn
grey rat
scarlet snake
scarlet kingsnake
white chinned black racer
coachwhip
pigmy rattler
eastern diamondback
mud snake
brown watersnake
cottonmouth
red bellied watersnake
banded watersnake
florida garter
florida ribbon
rough green snake
coral snake
it pays to live in Florida, the Hurricane State!

[coolhl7]

Another reason for you Canadians to hate Americans, especially Floridians(LOL):
I just walked out in my backyard (8pm dark/humid/78degrees F) and found a 24 inch corn crawling around...Put him in one of my cages and within 2 hrs he ate 2 F/T pinks...now I have to decide ...let him go and have the neighbors kill him or run him over...let him go in a remote area....or fatten him up for a while...any suggestions?

[JD@reptiles]

its probably the rarest snake in canada. about 200 left...

Originally posted by CamHanna
So I guess blue racers are a dime a dozon then eh? And I'm the ONLY one who didn't find one:(. Of course I did pretty much stick to Perth County all summer.

[CamHanna]

My pitiful little attempt at homour...

[Removed_2815]

Originally posted by CamHanna
My pitiful little attempt at homour...
I understood when I first read it. No worries... I knew you were joking. Too bad there isn't a "tongue-in-cheek" emoticon...
Ryan

[CamHanna]

Is this the foxii that everyone found?

http://www.ontarioherpers.org/pelee/photos/2004/crowe/DSCN3949.jpg
Photo by Jonathan Crowe from http://www.ontarioherpers.org/pelee/photos/2004/crowe.phtml?photo=15.


Originally posted by coolhl7
now I have to decide ...let him go and have the neighbors kill him or run him over...let him go in a remote area....or fatten him up for a while...any suggestions?
I would let it go. There are plent of captive bred corns around so really no need to one from the wild. You might save a couple bucks but with a wild caught snake you are almost gaurenteed nematodes and other parisites, plus you take business away from your local breeder. From an environmental perspective it makes no difference whether your neighbor runs it over or you keep him as a pet; in both cases a snake is removed from the wild.

:( my IMGs don't work...

[coolhl7]

I plan to let it go...the question is, do I let it go in my backyard which means a very good likelihood it will end up killed by a neighbor ("just killed me a copperhead") or run over (have you ever seen braking skid marks in front of a D.O.R.snake?), or let it go in a more remote area...If I let it go in a remote area I am probably saving that snake but greatly reducing the low chance already that corns will have a chance to survive at all in my area...its a tough call....probably from an objective non-emotional perspective its best to let him go in the backyard and let nature take care of the rest......all things considered, it aint easy being a snake among humans.

[JD@reptiles]

no we caught a few on that trip.... and the racer that got away that i found we never found agian....

[Manitoban Herps]

We lets see, not much of a variety this year but saw tons!

0.0.2 Smooth Green Snakes
Ten's of thousands of red sided grater snakes :)