Saturday, April 13, 2013

Back on our feet in the Northeast 4-13-13

Damn, it seems so cold! That's because it is. I don't think it actually hit 50° today, though it might have. I've been battling the grip all week and wasn't feeling any better this morning. Also, it was raining and cold, so I took a nap after breakfast. I actually woke up feeling a bit better, so we headed over to Cutler... still cool, but not raining.

We were walking along the trail, deep in discussion when Andrea nonchalantly reached down mid-sentence and hauled up this Garter Snake! What an odd face!
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Well, he didn't like me much because I was poking at his chin trying to wipe off what is obviously a scar! He settled down for Andrea though so we could get some nice shots of his scarred face!
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He was actually quite a dear. We put him back and he cooperated for some decent in situ shots.
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We soon after flipped a large Redback on Racer Alley, in some fairly sandy soil.
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Racer Alley didn't give us much else on the way out (except a deceased garter that was stiff and gnawed on), but on the way back, we saw a large Garter laying next to the trail.
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About 2 1/2 feet easily. And at her tail, a smaller guy...
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I couldn't resist trying to pick up both at once.
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We let them go and went on our way. The trails were cool and we didn't see anything else, but we flipped some Redbacks!
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These two were practicing a synchronized dance routine.

In a rocky spot, I flipped a handful of Leadbacks!
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I thought I had missed a fourth, but I believe it was the tail-less guys tail that flip-flopped away into a crevice! Sorry 'bout that, sir Plethodon!

Another flip found a nice bright red one.
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Well, it had gotten cooler; the sun had retreated behind the thick clouds for good and it wasn't going to come out again. We had just a bit more to flip, then we headed back.

BUT... one of those flips produced this tiny coil!
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The wee-est of the wee Dekay's Snake!
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Our first non-Garter in the Northeast of 2013! We released him and he went back to his hiding spot.
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So, not too shabby for 3 hours in the cold! But damn, I sure wish the warm weather would come! And stay for good!

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