Ontario Herpers

ont_herper · 01-15-04, 07:37 PM

hey everyone,

I was just wondering what your snake specie total in Ontario was for 2003 and what your goal species, if any, are this year.
Last year was my first summer of serious herping and I found 11 species of snake. The snake that really skunked me last year was the E. Hognose, I spent around 30 hours of driving and hiking only looking for a Hognose with no luck. Hopefully luck will be with me this year lol.

danh · 01-15-04, 08:09 PM

I had probably the best year for snakes / herping in general! The only other year I can think of when I saw even close to as many herps as I did this year was at camp in Georgian Bay.

Snake list for '03:
Eastern Garter Snake
Northern Ribbon Snake - First Ever!
Eastern Fox Snake
Northern Brown Snake
Blue Racer
Northern Water Snake
Lake Erie Water Snake
Eastern Milk Snake - First Ever!
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake - First Ever!
Eastern Hognose Snake - First Ever!
Smooth Green Snake

My goal species (AKA the species I WILL see) for '04 are:
Boreal Chorus Frog
Pickerel Frog
Mudpuppy
Central Newt
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Two-lined Salamander
Stinkpot
Western Painted Turtle
Wood Turtle
Black Rat Snake
Red-sided Garter Snake
Butler's Garter Snake
Queen Snake

So far, 2003 has been my best herping year, but I plan to make 2004 even better!

dan

Dom · 01-15-04, 09:15 PM

I have seen the following this year..

Eastern Garter snake.
Reb bellied snake
Eastern Milksnake
Black rat snake
Northern water snake

Hane only gone out for a total of maybe 25 hours.. and alwasy in the same erea..

Ottawa and east of Ottawa..

Swampwalker · 01-15-04, 10:19 PM

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

Check out this years field notes submitted by several Ontario & Canadian herpers ( and one American):

The Herp Journal

Dozer · 01-17-04, 11:57 AM

Black Rat Snake haven is Frontenac Pro. Park.

Swampwalker · 01-17-04, 03:47 PM

Black Rat Snakes are at the top of my must find list for 2004. Also on the list are Massassauga Rattlesnakes, Hognose and Queen Snakes

Jeff Hathaway · 01-18-04, 12:30 AM

For me,
E. Garter
N. Ribbon
N. Brown
N. Redbelly
N. Water
Lake Erie Water
E. Fox
Blue Racer
Smooth Green
E. Hognose
E. Massasauga

For a total of 11. Just realized I never saw a milk snake this year; have to rectify that next summer.

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

Jayson · 01-18-04, 10:25 AM

E.garter
N.ribbon
N.red bellied
N.water
lake eire water
E.milk
N.ringneck (First ever)
E.fox (first ever)
N.brown ( first ever)
Blue racer (first ever)
Hundreds of five lined skinks

2002,s find that were missed 2003 E. hog nose,smooth green

2004 main goals Massasauga,s black racers,

Jayson · 01-18-04, 10:27 AM

2004 main goals Massasaugas, Black RATS!! LOL

Ontario_herper · 01-19-04, 09:08 AM

Eastern Garter Snake
Northern Ribbon Snake Eastern Fox Snake
Northern Brown Snake
Blue Racer
Northern Water Snake
Lake Erie Water Snake
Eastern Milk Snake
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
Eastern Hognose Snake
N.red bellied

I spent most of my time looking for turtles this summer but this is my list. Of course my goals for next year are all of those that I missed this year LOL

I also really want to finish my turtles off... woods and stink's

KristenM · 01-19-04, 10:15 AM

Tonnes of Smooth Greens
Northern Ribbon Snake
N. Eastern Garter Snake
Northern Brown Snake
Eastern Fox Snake
Northern Water Snake
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Like over 50!!! I also saw a 8 babies with a mom, and tonnes of matings!)
Eastern Hognose Snake (I saw 13 hognose and 3 matings, and 1 egg laying :P)
N.red bellied
Eastern Milk Snake
Ringnecks (Lots of those too)

I also found some really cool turtles (some with the help of others) and a stinkpot shell (closest I've come to seeing one!). I saw tonnes of skinks, and a couple new amphibians, fowlers toads, mink frog, blue spot, and yellow spot sallys! Something else I saw this year that was really cool yet herp unrealated was 2 owls.

Kristen

Herpsrus · 01-19-04, 10:16 AM

All of you people have had real good luck this past year. Where abouts are you finding the large colubrids (Black Rat, Fox, Milk, Hognose)? All four of these snakes are on my to see list. These are the animals I have seen this season.

Eastern Garter
Northern Ribbon
Smooth Green
Red Bellied
Northern water
Ringneck

Stinkpot
Blandings
Painted
Snapping

Mike

carpetman · 01-19-04, 10:28 AM

The best spot to find Hognose is Apsley,Ontario,insane numbers in the hundreds nesting,Massasauga,s in Georgin Bay best place to find or near Lake Simcoe( Barrie side) ...Hope this helps
Carpetman

Jeff Hathaway · 01-19-04, 10:42 AM

Geez, Kristen, good thing you didn't come to Pelee or you would have beaten Dave and I! So a three way tie for first with 11- anyone else beat that?

Mike, if you want to see fox snakes (and maybe racers), come to Pelee! Also, the 'Barrie side' of Georgian Bay is a little inaccurate- along the east side of the bay, massasaugas range from approx. Honey Harbour to the French River delta.

Carpetman- what constitutes 'insane' numbers? I'd agree that the Apsley area would be pretty good, but I'm curious how many you have seen there to make such an estimation.

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

JD@reptiles · 01-19-04, 12:29 PM

E. Garters melanistic and normals
E Fox snakes
Blue racers
lake erie water snakes
northern water snakes
brown snakes
E. massassauga

Thats all for ontario.
Saskatchewan

Prarie rattle snakes (LOTS)
Bull Snakes
wondering garter snakes

Florida.

Black Racers
Cottonmouths

Thats all.

Jordan