Ontario Herpers

[Swampwalker]

Jeff, I see it as a five way tie for the first with 11 Ontario snakes:
you, DanH, Kristen, Ontario Herper, and myself.

I've been struggling to come up with another that I may have missed, to take the lead but I think thats it.

[KristenM]

LOL Jeff I really wanna go to Peele again this year! Have you thought about what weekend your going down, so I can get the weekend off way in advance!
Kristen

[Swampwalker]

I do think that some of the people should have some species disqualified from the list because they where radio tracked.

[JD@reptiles]

agree'd, lol

[KristenM]

I don't because I had to find them first, then they were implanted with radio transmitters! Nice try stewart LOL

[Swampwalker]

It was worth a shot, but how about DanH.

Stewart

[ont_herper]

I could cheat and take the lead with 12 species but the racer I found on Peele was DOR.

[Removed_2815]

Ontario:
Yellow-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)
Blue Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale)
Eastern Redback Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)
Eastern Newt / Red-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
American Toad (Bufo americanus)
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)
Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris)
Green frog (Rana clamitans)
Bull Frog (Rana catesbeiana)
Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata)
Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus) - 100's
Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)
Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon)
Redbelly Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata)
Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi)
Eastern Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis vernalis)
Northern Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsi)
Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta)
Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum)

I think that's 23 for Ontario. Now, make this international and I am well over 60 species of herps for this summer!

Goals for 2004:
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus)
Blue Racer (Coluber constrictor foxi)
Eastern Fox Snake (Elaphe vulpina gloydi)
Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata)
[joke]Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)[/joke]

Cheers,
R

[Swampwalker]

I believe we are couting snakes, I havent added everything else up yet.

[Removed_2815]

Originally posted by Swampwalker
I believe we are couting snakes, I havent added everything else up yet.

Ha, sorry Stewart, you're totally right. I got a little sidetracked (I think other's posted other herps and that's what misled me)!
Anyway, add the rest of your herps up!
I guess that's 9 snakes then (I forgot to add a Ribbon Snake in there)....
Cheers,
R

[ChokeOnSmoke]

This was the worst year I can remember for not only snakes but frogs toads and newts up here in Thunder Bay.
I'm jealous of you all. All I saw this year were eastern garters but thats all we have. I'm most definitly coming down to southern ontario to go herping this summer. Is Pelee Island "the" place to go? Any other suggestions?

[Swampwalker]

Snakes (11):

Smooth Green
N. Ringneck
E. Garter
N.Ribbon
E. Fox
N. Brown
Blue Racer
N. Water
Lake Erie Water
Eastern Milk
N. Red-bellied

Turtles (5):

Snapping Turtle
Painted Turtle
Spotted Turtle
Blandings Turtle
Map Turtle

Amphibians (11):

American Toad
Bullfrog
Spring Peeper
Grey Tree
Leopard Frog
Wood Frog
Green Frog
Spotted Salamander
Blue Spotted Salamander
Red Back Salamander
E. Newt

Lizard (1):

Five-Lined Skink

I think that brings the total up to 28. I'm not sure if I should also include the Small Mouth salamanders on Pelee Island because they are some kind of hybrid. That would bring it up to 29.

I just took a look back at the Herp Journal archives and it appears that many of us had 17 or 18 herps by April 22. Add to that the species found on the May 24 weekend on Pelee Island and that would bring the count up to at least 20. Thats a great way to start off the season. I can't wait for the warm weather.

[ont_herper]

Since everyone's been posting everything they saw here's my list for all Ontario Herps:

(11) Snakes
E. Fox Snake
E. Garter Snake
E. Massasauga Rattlesnake
E. Milksnake
L. Erie Water Snake
N. Brown Snake
N. Red-bellied Snake
N. Ribbon Snake
N. Water Snake
Butlers Garter Snake
Smooth Green Snake
Havent made it towards Ottawa for Black Rats yet

(7) Turtles
Blandings Turtle
Map Turtle
Painted Turtle
Snapping Turtle
Spiny Softshell
Spotted Turtle
Stinkpot
(Slider)
Looked for Wood Turtle with no luck

(8) Salamanders
Blue Spotted Salamander
Four Toed Salamander
Jefferson Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Red Backed Salamander
Red Spotted Newt
Small Mouthed Salamander
Yellow Spotted Salamander
Tried to catch mudpuppies, didnt find any

(1) Lizard
5-Lined Skink

(11) Frogs and Toads
Am. Toad
Bull Frog
Chorus Frog
Fowlers Toad
Gray Treefrog
Green Frog
Leopard Frog
Mink Frog
Pickerel Frog
Spring Peeper
Wood Frog
Didn't make it north for boreal chorus frog.

Thats 38 species for this year, as you can imagine I put in a lot of hours though. 39 if you count DOR racer

[Ontario_herper]

Oh yea I forgot ring-necks.... that makes me 11

Does a burmese and retic from last year count? They should count as four species due to their large size and nasty temperment lol

[Swampwalker]

doh, the ringneck puts you into the lead with 12 Dave. Look at your list again, you have two species on one line.