We hadn't yet been to a certain spot in Middlesex County where we sometimes have seen hatchling turtles and shoestring snakes at this time of year and, since it was going to be pretty nice out, we decided to make it our Saturday walk. We sprayed down really well because this is the gnatiest place on Earth. Luckily, we got there pretty early and the gnats weren't out in force yet.
Remember last week, when we saw a couple of Redbacks but couldn't procure a picture? I realized that we hadn't actually photographed a Redback since the week before Andrea broke her ankle back in April. April 16th was my last Plethodon cinerus photo. It was with great pleasure that I finally got this guy.
It's ridiculous how difficult it has been to see such a common animal. I blame crazy worms, and heat.
Bull? Green? Are those dorsolateral ridges or a series of bumps. I don't get stumped often but this guy has my head spinning. We're going Green based on the pointier face, but is it the angle?
A few Painted Turtles were seen before we hit the big turtle spots.
This place can flood, even on normal years. We knew we'd be faced with a challenge at a certain spot. Sure enough, the path was super-flooded. Hell, we've done worse. So as other hikers were turning back, we headed in.
The excessive rain was the cause, yes... but the beavers had a lot to say about it, too.
This in-the-blue-Garter sat atop one of the piles, grabbing some morning rays.
I photographed this Painter from the edge of the pond. I hadn't noticed the massive Bullfrog right in front of him until I uploaded the picture! A pleasant twofer surprise.
A definite Green, found by Andrea.
A Painted Turtle playing king of the hill.
This big Garter gal was lounging in the brush.
Let's have a little talk about Painted Turtles. We saw a ton. They are all so beautiful. If they were rare, photographers would be falling all over themselves to try to see one. I rarely pass any Painters up. Plus, this place has Blanding's and sometimes, in a pile of Painters, you get a surprise. We didn't this time, however. But let's all wallow in the splendor that is Chrysemys picta picta, the Eastern Painted Turtle.
I'm going to interrupt the Painted glory for a moment to show off a Green Frog, then a Bullfrog.
OK, back to the beauty of Painters. As you see, I rarely pass one by without trying to get a shot.
We'd walked about as far as we could with sore ankles and heels these days, we've got to cut things off sometimes. Earlier, Andrea had seen one wee shoestring Garter but it quickly got to an untouchable spot. Luckily, on the way back, we saw another. He went under a log. I felt around under it... there was space. So, I looked on the other side of the log and there he was, as cute as a newborn Garter. Which is exactly what he was.
Nice! First shoestring photo of the year!
Even better, that very same log had this Peeper on it that Andrea spotted.
Not a bad day in the field. We got two things that we'd been hoping for... a salamander and a shoestring. Only six species but a good, honest day in the woods. And all of that Painted magnificence.
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