Sepping Into Steptember. 9-2-2024

Man, the year has sped by. We've been trying to get out as much as possible but have also been very busy and thus lazy. But it was Labor Day and we were both off so we figured we'd head into Bristol County to brave the EEE warnings and looks for Milks and Musks. We got there pretty early, sprayed down and headed into a place that should be less populated by humans now that the season was more or less over.

The Parking lot was pretty full, which was a horrible sign, but we figured our paths wouldn't be super busy. I had no sooner said to Andrea "Keep an eye out for shoestrings" when a new Garter was seen squiggling across the path. Unable to get a shot before some people were approaching, Andrea grabbed the bruiser for an in-hand photo.

Small (but not tiny) Fowler's Toads were hopping about, too. Is this a black-eye, like we used to see here? I didn't notice in the field. It might be.

A Pickerel tried to fool me, but I got the shot anyway! I was on fire!

The picnic-table graveyard produced no Milks but another shoestring garter was sleeping under a board.

Gorgeous!

This darker fella with no dorsal stripe was under some bark and slid off when I peeked under it.

Out to the pond... we were looking for walking pebbles in the sand but saw none. The water was low so we could easily see a bunch of Painted Turtles basking on mudflats.

This guy was sharing his real estate with a Green Heron.

The sandy area did produce a super-pretty Fowler's, if no hatchling turtles.

We got down to the center beach and there was a young family there. The dad and daughter were jumping from stone to stone. That made me quiver and quake. I know Toads hang out under the rocks. To show them, I flipped a nearby one and there were plenty of Fowler's there.

The family was actually pretty cool... they have Grey Tree Frogs in their yard and the kids love anurans. The youngest boy was enthusiastic but dangerous (his brother yelled at him.. "Look out or you'll squish him!" I told his folks that he sounded like me.) Eventually, we all left the toads alone... lesson taught and toads appreciated.

Me, not listening to my own advice, grabbed this tailed Bullfrog from under the sand at the pond's edge. He'll be totally transformed soon enough.

We couldn't see any Musks anywhere but the water was super clear and I told Andrea to keep her eyes open for turtles swimming under the water. Then, about 35 or 40 feet from where we stood, a Snapper popped his head up, making my suggestion moot.

We were having a pretty good turtle day but hadn't seen any Red-bellies yet. We went down a path to a secret spot where we'd seen some massive ones last time but it was all Painters. Still, I liked the lighting on these shots, Red-belly-less though they may be.

Back to the picnic-table graveyard on the way out, we found another shoestring. Andrea posed it in her hat.

A Fowler's hopped onto my shoe.

Before hitting the car, we took a look around a bog that's next to the parking lot. I saw a Pickerel hop into the grass and saw the grass move. There was a shoestring Ribbon hauling vent into the brush. He was gone in a flash but it was great to see a third Ribbon in as many weeks... in three different counties!

I got Pickerel revenge with this beauty near the bog.

Man, that sure beats a regular Monday! Glad we had it off together so we could enjoy seeing some critters. We can't remember if we suffered any aches, pains or discomfort so I guess it was a pretty good day, despite having missed our chosen targets.