Of Gnats and Leopards. 8-20-2017

Encouraged by the previous night's baby DeKay's Snakes, we got a little uppity and decided to go to a turtle-heavy haven to see if baby shells had started popping up yet. It was supposed to be sunny and nice and we hit the road more or less on time, arriving at our Middlesex County spot in mid-morning.

Upon entering the shaded path, we noticed that the gnats were going to be heavy. Those little bastards were in our eyes, ears; even buzzing my camera in force! Total annoyance. Our first animal, a nice Redback, had to be photographed quickly before I went crazy with gnat-madness.

I made no bones about it. I told Andrea that we should go through the wooded parts quickly. The sunny, open areas were usually gnat-free and I could feel my nerves shattering with every buzzbomb from those little maniacs.

The open pond area rewarded us with lots of Bullfrogs and a bonus Pickerel Frog, enjoyed in a gnat-free environment.





The pond was full of lilypads, making turtle sightings harder than usual, but we finally saw this Painter up enjoying some rays.

The one of the left was an upload surprise.

For all of the trouble we'd had the day before with Pickerels, we were doing quite well this fine Sunday.


We walked past a second pond that is usually rife with turtles frogs and snakes but we saw nothing. There weren't even many birds around. We made our way up to the nesting field (after 100 yards of shaded, wooded path that tested my gnat-gnerves again) and saw plenty of predation (as usual) but no emerging turtles. Still too early. A small Garter sped away from me up there, proving that snakes do indeed still exist. Unwilling to go up the trail to the next water area, which would have been a mile there and a mile back of shaded, gnat-happy terror, we turned back to enjoy the bench next to the second pond.

While there, with the help of my binoculars, we noticed a few Painted Turtles up on the other side of the water.


Made us work for it, they did.

We decided that we just weren't feeling it here. Not enough animals to offset the torture of the gnats. The old me would have persevered, needing to prove that I was stronger and better than the insects. Not anymore. Fuck that- they won. We headed out. We saw on fabulous Painter before hitting the final path of Gnatural Selection.

It's a shame that I let it get to me but hey, I'm getting old. Screw that stuff.

We had a bite to eat, then decided to go to another Middlesex County spot on the way home, a place good for Northern Leopard Frogs, not the most common anuran in Massachusetts (to put it mildly). We got there mid-afternoon and were greeted by a large, bright Bullfrog right away.


Through the reeds, we spied a good sized Painted Turtle basking.


We saw a commotion in a spillway that we were approaching. The commotion was a Water Snake hunting for the very Leopard Frogs that we also sought.


A bit further up the path, Andrea saw a Garter in the reeds. Unable to get a decent shot, we got it in hand for a close-up.


We got down to an area where the marsh and river meet up and we ran into a guy netting frogs with his kids. Normally, I object to that practice (having children, that is. I kid! I kid!) but he knew his frogs and he was giving them an up-close education on them. He released them right away, too, which I applaud. Anyway, while he was there, I saw our first Leopard hop under a rock. I moved the rock and found it, as well as a bonus Pickerel.


Further up the path, we got more proof of this wonderful time of the year. Under almost every rock we lifted, baby Garter Snakes sped off.

I tried to gather a couple more but one was weaving itself into the grass and I decided right there that enough was enough. They are incredibly fragile and have only been alive for a day or two. No more trying to handle such wee animals, no matter how gentle we are. I also managed to flip the possible mom but my camera decided to not work at the moment so she went undocumented.

This stunning Leopard watched us as the tiny snakes scattered off. It probably could have eaten one.


Of course, photographing speedy, tiny snakes is easier said than done... but we were given many chances. There were dozens out there.


We didn't go too far in since it was getting late-ish and we'd already done a more or less full hike. We turned back and the name of the game was Leopard. We started seeing them by the dozens. Each one of these emerald beauties was more gorgeous than the last.


Always good to have a "fine the frog" photo. This one is easy.


Andrea found a very fertile vein of Leopard gold... here are some of her photos.

Here is the huntress at work...


We headed back but peeked into the river before hitting the trail back to the car. This stunning Leopard was glistening in the late afternoon sun.


At an open spot in the marshy pond area, Andrea practically had to boop this Bull on the nose before I could see it. He was pretty big, too. I guess I was getting tired.


We got up to the spillway where we'd seen the Water Snake on the way in. A lady was stamping on the boardwalk-bridge so I knew a snake was there. "A Water Moccasin"... well, no. It's actually... she walked off. But there was a good sized Nerodia crawling away, followed by what was probably the one we'd seen earlier. Looking out into the water, my eyes adjusted and noticed this little Nerodia noggin right in front of me.

sipedon trifecta.

I guess Moccasin lady did one thing good, at least as far as this frog is concerned... this little Leopard was cowering, mostly hidden in the reeds hoping to not get eaten.


That is how we take a gnat-filled day of irritation and make it into a good one.