I got the day off, but Andrea wasn't as lucky. As much as I hate herping without her, I figured that I'd head out after the crew read our meter. So I went to close-by places, right here in Suffolk County. I didn't know what to expect... I really rely on Andrea a lot.
At the first place, I started off respectably with a nice Redback.
I was happy with my next find... a plump Spotted Salamander!
Another Redback...
I approached the pond and 42-Zoomed this Painted Turtle, who looks very very happy!
Across the pond, this Red Eared Slider was basking.
I know... probably a released pet, but this guy was here last year and I'm happy to see him doing well! He too looks pretty satisfied!
This particular place is known to me now as the Two-Linediest Place on earth, ever since I discovered that they loooove the dry stream beds here! So I found a few!
At this point, I was only missing Bullfrogs, Garter Snakes and American Toads to have found everything that we have ever seen here! So I headed to Bullfrog Pond. They usually skid away with a "Bleeaaakkp" but, with patience, I caught a few noggins popping back up.
Hey, I was doing pretty well! 6 species, if you count the Red Ear!
I got to another wet Two-Lined spot, but they were mostly too fast for me there! I got a couple...
One flip got me a surprise! A chubby American Toad!
So, believe me, I looked hard for a Garter on the way out but never came up with one. That's OK... I was planning on going to another spot about 2 miles away, if that. I got a Slurpee for vitamins and energy, and started in. First up was this large Bullfrog, just sitting there... daring me to photograph him!
Coming up from the water's edge, I noticed some logs to flip. The water level was very low and these were now exposed. Between the bark and wood of one of them was this Blue-Spotted Salamander!
I felt kind of bad because these are pretty rare and I wished Andrea was with me. Oh well, I was now at 8 species. Would I ever find a snake?
Well, yes. Between some huge pieces of cement, I found this wee Garter!
He would NOT settle down, but I finally got a good picture of him.
That was 9 species and I knew I could find Green Frogs here. Indeed, I found them next!
I snuck down to get this guy and a dozen of them jumped into the water! Heads soon popped up, though...
Further up the trail, I saw an American Toad hopping. And I saw a mushroom. Come on, who wouldn't have done this?!
He didn't want to cooperate, but I finally got this OK shot.
This large Bullfrog looks very pleased with that photo.
Here's a beautiful dragonfly! (Brown Spiketail?)
Well, now I had reached the spot where Andrea and I flip stones on warm nights, and usually find a Garter or two and a Water Snake. But it was very sunny and the rocks were hot, so I didn't want to flip much. I walked along the path, flipping small stones every so often, but really just watching the shoreline of the (very low) river.
Walking back, I got up on the grass and a frog jumped in front of me. Green? I got the camera ready and realized that it was a Northern Leopard! The first one that I had ever seen in this county!!
So now I was at 10 species even if I don't count the Red Ear! But I do, so it's 11, bay-bee!
Still unable to pass by a suitable looking rock without flipping, I flipped one and saw a small black and white thing retract. Then a tiny Water Snake crawled away, under a rock next to the one I flipped. Hmmm... I wonder if that other rock is flippable. It was!
This little bugger had quite the attitude! He struck at the camera more times than Zsa Zsa Gabor when she still had both legs!
OK... back to work. I herped for 3 hours, found 12 species, and now I have to get back to housework and book work. I wish I had been with Andrea, but I'm glad that I found some herpin' time all the same. Oh, and I saw a DOR Garter driving out of the second place. :(
toad on a mushroom...epic.
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