Ontario Herpers

[Ontario_herper]

Now I just need to learn how to count. I look forward to herping with some of you in the spring. More good times!

Perhaps I'll even see some of you muddog hunting in a few weeks.

[Jeff Hathaway]

Lots of great lists- hopefully I'll get a chance to get out more next year.

Kristen, the Pelee trip will be the May long weekend, which I believe is May 22-24 this year. I am reasonably sure that we will go ahead again this year. And Ryan, given your list of 2004 hopefuls you'd better plan to join us!

Choke on Smoke, Pelee is a great place to go for numbers of snakes and a few species which are hard to find anywhere else in Ontario. There are many other places with greater diversity, though. If you are interested in going to Pelee, you should come with us- you'll see a lot more than if you go by yourself. Also, it is much harder to find anything in the summer- by June the vegetation is grown up so much that you can't find things. Actually, even in late May it can be tougher than 3-4 weeks earlier.

Congrats Dave- it makes sense you'd see the most between Pelee, Roundeau, and Georgian Bay:-)

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

[Removed_2815]

Any Ontarians herp outside Ontario this summer?
Here's my total list (Ontario and North Eastern USA) for 2003:

Caudata: (9)
Yellow-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)
Blue Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale)
Eastern Redback Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)
Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
Four-Toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)
Eastern Newt / Red-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
Cave Calamander (Eurycea lucifuga)
Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus)
Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus fuscus)

Anura: (13)
American Toad (Bufo americanus)
Fowler's Toad (Bufo woodhousii fowleri)
Eastern Spadefoot Toad (Scaphiopus holbrooki holbrooki)
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)
Cope's Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
Blanchard's Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans blanchardi)
Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris)
Green frog (Rana clamitans)
Bull Frog (Rana catesbeiana)
Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata triseriata)

Testudines: (8)
Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata)
Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum)
Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata)
Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)
Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)

Squamata: (31)
Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus) - 100's
Broad-headed Skink (Eumeces laticeps)
Southern Five-lined Skink (Eumeces inexpectatus)
Coal Skink (Eumeces anthracinus)
Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis)
Six-Lined Racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus)
Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)
Western Slender Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus)
Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)
Plains Garter Snake (Thamnophis radix)
Northern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus septentrionalis)
Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon)
Redbelly Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata)
Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi)
Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platyrhinos)
Eastern Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis vernalis)
Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus)
Northern Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsi)
Prairie Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus arnyi)
Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta)
Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum)
Red Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum syspila)
Eastern Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus)
Northern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor)
Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus nigra)
Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus getulus)
Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulua holbrooki)
Red-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster)
Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
Southern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix)
Northern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen)

I think that's it! Those are off the top of my head, but I think I got them all. 61 species, there may be one or two more. My journal is back home right now. As you all know, I got some great photos of most of these animals. I think I only missed 6 or 7 of those species (when I was caught without a camera - I have been regretting not being able to take a photo of the Red-bellied Watersnake, she was a beast!).
By far, my best year (keep in mind I devoted a good 10 hours a day for about 40 days observing these species).
Cheers,
R
Edit: Here's a schematic of my field-herping route this summer:

[Nicky]

in 2003 and three i found

over 50 eastern garter snakes
5 red sided garters
one baby rat snake
one injured water snake
one eastern milksnake
10 bull frogs
1 baby painted turtle
2 snapping turtles
100s of leopard and piccaro frogs
an american toad
acouple of spring peppers
and a baby black bear with mama not far behind(not herp related but very scary meeting them face to face)

goals for this year

to find an eastern hognose snake
a black rat snake
a water snake
a milk snake
newts or salamanders more bullfrogs

saddly my herp spot which is near our cottage in a forest is now being cut down for more cottages so me and my cousins will have to find a new spot. Sad that such a beutiful forest will be cut down just for more people. what is this world comign too one day animals will just suddenly dissaper all togther its a real shame.
kayla

[Ontario_herper]

Yea I like to get around Jeff! lol

What was most amazing about this summer was the number of blue-spot salamanders and map turtles that I saw. On more than a few days I saw 190-200 blue-spots (none of these were re-captures). On my best day I saw 300-400+ map turtles, again no re-counts.

This particular spot (which I'd rather not name) was very rich in several species of herp.

[Removed_2815]

Originally posted by Jeff Hathaway
And Ryan, given your list of 2004 hopefuls you'd better plan to join us!

We'll see Jeff! So long as I am not rolling around catching five-liners somewhere down in the States at that time.
R

[ont_herper]

My 2003 overall list is to big and would take way to long to type out, but all together I had 95 species. I don't no if I'll ever be able to do this well again. All I know is I can't wait to get out herping again!!

[Removed_2815]

95 species?!? Wow, what places did you herp?
R

[Swampwalker]

That must be an amazing list Ont_herper, what are some of the highlights and where?

[Ontario_herper]

I too would be very interested to hear about your travels ont_herp.... You too Ryan... one day someone will pay me to travel the US and Canada in the search of herps!

[Ontario_herper]

Although, not a very "fancy" herping spot (infact sometimes considered downright dangerous), downtown Rexdale is considered a somewhat beggining spot for many herpers. I not only perfected my turtle catching abilites at the age of 5 but also many a herper has come fromt his area.

You know what I'm saying Jeff!

[Jeff Hathaway]

Hey Rexdale was pretty good to us ('98-'02). We had toads breeding in the creek behind us, and eventually green frogs in the backyard pond, plus garters and browns. The people who bought the place from us found a milk snake that summer, but we never did:-(

That turtle pond you go to is pretty cool, not to mention finding the occasional python...

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

[Removed_2815]

Originally posted by Ontario_herper
one day someone will pay me to travel the US and Canada in the search of herps!

Whenever I do decide to begin graduate studies and I need to form my own team for field studies, you'll be tops on my list Dave....
R

[ont_herper]

hey,

Although hard to believe I only spent 9 days herping outside of Ontario to compile my list from the mid-west and Carolina. I had 37 species of snakes, 24 frogs and toads, 15 salamanders, 13 turtles, and 6 lizards. Highlights were Timber Rattlesnakes, S. Copperhead, E. Kingsnake, Bullsnake, Mud Snake, 9 species of Nerodia. Marbled salamanders, Cave salamanders, Dark Sided Salamander, 10 inc Broad Headed Skink, Ornate Box Turtle, E. Spadefoots and one of the most thrilling species I caught was a Pine Barrens Tree Frog!!

[Ontario_herper]

Jeff... never knew of milks in the area. Now I have a mission in the spring!

Ryan... let me know if you ever need any help. I'm eager and willing. BTW I'm going to mail that herp CD this week!