Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i'll be circling okefeenokee swamp tomorrow (saturday) and maybe sunday. Any suggestions? It looks like there are three entrances. I'm inclined to hit the north one to see the serpentarium. A good idea? What about the others?

And are there any places in that area but outside the park that anyone could recommend for a little herping? Photography, mostly, but can't promise i wouldn't take a king or scarlet king home with me.

Hi Terry,

Though it's been awhile, I went to Okeefenokee Swamp in the early 1900's via the south entrance (there was a fire going on near the north entrance and they would not allow access). Just walking the boardwalk revealed some of the more common herps in the area - skinks ran along the rails and small alligators could be seen at a close distance.

The two most common snakes in the area are Black Racers and Cottonmouths. Although we only saw one Racer, several Cottonmouths were spotted. The highlight for me was finding a Grey Rat Snake in an area where the boardwalk went through an spot that was thick with small trees.

Shortly after leaving, in the early evening, we were driving out of the park and spotted an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake crossing the road. Unfortunately this was before the days of digital cameras, my photography is average at best. Virtually minutes after the thrill of seeing the Diamondback, I straddled another small snake crossing the road. I parked the car and ran back to it - the snake in question was a Pygmy Rattler.

It was a pretty exciting trip!

Tim

Third Eye

Thanks, Tim. I decided it'd be better to visit the swamp on my next trip north, in about a month. Weather should be more conducive then for productive observation. A couple years ago i went in briefly from the east side, walked a boardwalk. Gators, etc. Like you, on the drive out i came upon a pygmy rattler.

Cool rattler's there Terry and Tim!. I would like to check out that area one day myself as well.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

"Though it's been awhile, I went to Okeefenokee Swamp in the early 1900's"

Wow!,.....you really HAVE aged well for being well over 100 years old Tim!..LOL!

~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

I don't reckon even spellcheck would have caught that one! I'm pretty sure they didn't have color film in the early 1900s, so let me correct that to say "early 1990s."

Tim

>>I don't reckon even spellcheck would have caught that one! I'm pretty sure they didn't have color film in the early 1900s, so let me correct that to say "early 1990s."
>>
>>Tim

ahh, you're taking the magic out of the forum, tim.

when i went there some guy called okefeenokee joe was peddling snakes there......think is real name is dick flood

Terry, I was there that exact weekend last year. The previous year an area the size of Rhode Island burned, most of the park. Last year the only wildlife we saw was in the enclosures around the gift shop. We took a tour and as far as the tour went out it was totally devoid of ANY life. The most noticable being the total lack of insects! There werent even any fish noticable! Sure there were gators and turtles around the gift shop but that was it. Its going to be YEARS before that returns, as you will see by the bulldozers and construction equipment on the access road. I had been planning that trip for 20 years.... Looking at the timing I hope your experience was better than mine, hope you didnt waste a trip like I did, sorry I am late to the forum! J--PS-the good news is its national cheerleader weekend in Daytona and all the HS and college teams are there! 10,000 over caffenated sqeakers in short skirts cant all be bad!