Excersise weekend Part Two- Ponk 6-5-2011

OK, baked though we were from the day before (and a pained leg on my part), we threw caution to the wind and set out again, in hopes of snakes. The day was sunny and warm.

Our favorite vernal pond gave us this bright Green Frog


and this egg mass, which I can't for the life of me figure out. Does it look green because of algae? I dunno! Any help is appreciated!


The dam was damn hoppin'! And not just with this Bullfrog!


Andrea had shell-eye going... she just couldn't miss the young turtles who were basking, mostly hidden by plant life. Here are a few Painted Turtles and Spotted Turtles that she spotted...







It was ridiculous how well she was spotting these guys... all 10-15 feet away and none more than a 4" carapace! Lucky me... I got to see my first spotties of the year thanks to her!

Next up was this very speckled Leadback!

And a classic Redback!


Chipmunks were all over again... like this one-


We finally tracked down a snake... a young Garter who made me work for it!

This little guy was difficult to photograph... very squirmy!


"Bormph?"


Here's a gorgeous Spicebush Swallowtail, whose tail wasn't showing the... err... swallows.


Andrea found a rocky outcrop over the pond that has some inhabitants... we couldn't secure them for better shots, but these Northern Water Snakes liked it that way!

Just sunning his noggin...


Have I ever mentioned Nemesis, the medium to large Garter Snake that always hangs in a particular spot at Ponk? Well, he's handed me my ass dozens of times over the years. I saw him this day. Had my stick on his tail. He got away. Heard him again and saw where he was... then lost him. NEMESIS, I'LL GET YOU YET!!! (Nemesis sighting #1 for 2011)

Finally, this very bright Redback closed our walk.