Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Duckweed-covered Snapping Turtle

This time of the year a lot of amphibians are completing metamorphosis. There are many small Leopard Frogs out.

This orange-tinted Eastern Garter Snake was "cashing in" on the frog bounty.

A Wood Frog that still needs a bit more time before becoming terrestrial.

Non-native Yelly-belly Slider

A Jefferson Salamander that was maybe three inches in total length.

Northern Water Snake

And here's a few things from today - Midland Painted Turtle

A DeKay's Snake doing the "flatten out" defense behavior.

An Eastern Milk Snake in shed. This snake was under a rock that often has Eastern Milk Snakes - but only ones that are in shed.

Lately I've been interested in photographing dragonflies. Here are a few:

Eastern Pondhawk (male)

Eastern Pondhawk (female)

Widow Skimmer

Common Baskettail

Common Whitetail (female)

Common Whitetail (male)

Eastern Amberwing

Black Saddlebags

Blue Dasher

Ruby Meadowhawk

Not a bad time of the year to be "out and about!"
Third Eye Herp

Loved the photos, Tim. That garter is very pretty! And now I know the difference between the blue and green Eastern Pondhawk. I have often seen them in equal quantities but wondered about the colors.

--Dennis

Great shots! I really like the painted turtle and those dragonflies!
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Kent

Great shots Tim!

I'm guessing you have a 200 mm lens to get some of these shots?

Anyway, I really like them, I wish I had more time to go out myself!

Free time, what's that?

Great finds Tim. I especially love the milk of course. Are most of the ones you find under rocks in shed? I think about 90% of the milks I caught this year hiding were in the blue and I started to theorize that's what drove them to sit still for an extended period of time - long enough to be discovered.

Dave
DNS Reptiles - Milk Snakes

Dave,

I've only found a few milks this year - maybe 5.
It's been really rainy for a few weeks.
I think my students find mostly non-shed ones at their boardlines, but the wet weather isn't giving as good results this year as previous years.
I'm wondering if this particular rock, where I've never found a milk not in "the blue," has some sort of humidity conditions that the snakes in shed find to be ideal.

Tim

those are outstanding photos Tim. Do you mind if I ask you what camera/lense combo you use? Thanks. Mike Panichi

Mike,

It's a medium price range point-and-shoot: Canon PowerShot SX30 IS.
I'm looking to get something "more advanced" next month.

Tim

You always have the best shots. I paid a [bleep]load of money on a nice Rebel with a couple of nice lenses and I still can't seem to "get it". Yet anyway. Thanks again. Mike