Spring Silliness

I haven't been able to post much lately due to a variety of reasons.  On of the biggest reasons has been our unseasonably warm weather and the need to spend time in the field.  Today is actually more indicative of "spring", as it is cool in the low 60s and cloudy.  Really not bad for March.  I am going to try and get some stuff up soon, but here is a quick teaser...

Lost and Found

I was digging through some folder files and found images that never got edited or posted from the spring.

I had spent a morning wandering around one of the local metroparks, hoping for a sunning massasauga rattlesnake.  None were out today, but I enjoyed some of the other flora and fauna that were available for my camera lens.

There was a large group of hikers following these poor cranes around.  They are typically very common in the park.

Sandhill Crane and chic

A fellow photographer pointed out some flowering yellow lady slipper orchids, Cypripedium calceolus.  I didn't end up with the images I was hoping for.  It was a valiant first effort...

Painted turtles were enjoying the sun.  Unfortunately, I have yet to see blandings at this location.

This small garter snake was basking in the reeds.

Near the end of the summer, we spent an afternoon trying for an adult fox snake.  None were to be found, be we found 8+ freshly hatched juveniles in a very small location.

Nice flip!

This little red-bellied snake was spotted on a northern Michigan back country road.  I am frequently surprised by the small snakes I manage to spot and often wonder what I still miss...

My last field day I spent looking for saugas and racers.  I managed to find the small sauga I mentioned in this post, as well as few blue racers.

That about does it for the end of my season in Michigan... I may have had a miraculous late December outing, but it is a story for another day.  All in all, it was a pretty awesome year.  I think I met a few of my Michigan goals, and I had some great adventures out of state.  There is more exciting news I have to share  as soon as I can get the pictures loaded up.  Until then, Happy Holidays everyone!

BH

Northern Wood and Rattles...

I was fortunate enough to get to tag along on one of Molly's business trips up north to the Traverse City area in September.  The weather was still nice, although it had started to cool down.  I of course took every opportunity to get outdoors, and selected a new river to kayak, and some nice swamps and fields to check out.  Like all my trips up north, main targets included wood turtles, green snakes, hog-nosed snakes, massasauga rattlesnakes, and blue racers.  It ended up being a very good couple of days...

I hopped on the river early morning, and things were pretty quiet.  The water was frigid, and the ambient temperatures really were not all that much better. Two hours into my paddle I noticed a mink exploring the side of the creek.  This always makes my day, and I was even more excited to be able to get to the shore and snap some pictures.

American Mink Neovison vison

I was pretty pleased, and about 50 yards downstream I rounded a bend to see a wood turtle basking in the shallows!  While getting to the opposite bank for in situ pictures, a second mink (maybe the same one?) popped out of the grasses about 3 feet away.  I quickly tried to frame them both for a shot, but this mink bailed in a few seconds.  The wood turtle cooperated, and hung out all day for pictures.

It doesn't get better than this...

The rest of my paddle was uneventful, but I was alone on the water and pleased with the mornings success.  I headed a bit north, finding a few fields and power line cuts to explore.  Despite flipping cover till I was blue in the face, smooth green snakes continued to evade me.  I was also surrounded by sandy soils, and hognoses also decided to stay hidden.  I did roadcruise this very small redbelly snake, which always makes my day.

In situ on the road

I found some tin I spread out a bit, although who knows when I will return this far north.  The mid-afternoon found me in a marsh I had read a little about.  The temps were now low 70s and the skies were bright.  Leopard frogs were hopping along the trail, and a number of hatchling snapping turtles were moving as well.  I had a couple garter snakes get away, but my hike was fairly uneventful.  Nearing the end of the trail, near the march, I noticed a large dark snake take off in a hurry from the edge of the boardwalk.  It was fairly heavy bodied and I figured it was a watersnake, until I heard the tell-tail sound of a rattle!  My first northern Michigan massasauga and I was a happy camper...

Pure Michigan

I head back down south and roadcruised while exploring around some lakes.  Again no greens or hogs, but I found a DOR blue racer which is interesting, as well as a skink.  A nice end to a wonderful day.  The next day or two I got rained out, but the last morning I headed to areas I have hunted before in the west.  A couple garters later and I had to call it a day.  No greens or hogs this trip.  I did manage to find some a nice board site though and am excited for next years season already.

Happy herping,

BH

I Brake For Snakes!

The leaves are changing here in Michigan, but the last few days have been warm and sunny.  I took advantage of a day off to head out and try for the last (maybe?) rattlesnakes of the year.  I spent a couple pleasurable hours hiking around a fen that is usually good for a snake or two, although not this day.  I decided to try my luck elsewhere, but figured it was a decent time to try a pass or two on one of the roads through the area.  It was a good idea, as not 200 yards down the road I swerved to miss a small twig stretched out on the road.

Neonate eastern massasauga rattlesnake

It didn't move for about 10 or 15 minutes of me photographing it and steering cars around.  This was shot with my 10-20mm wide angle.  For the nonphotographers out there, that means I had to scoot up nice and close to get that shot.  He didn't care.

I switched to the 90mm macro for a few shots.

The classic diagnostic shot.  

 

 Refer to recent posts for discussion of identifying massasaugas, including juveniles and neonates.



I also shooed a neonate water snake and a couple garter snakes off the road this day.  Unfortunately, there were two or three DOR (dead on road) water snakes, a few DOR garters, and DOR ribbon snake and a DOR redbelly snake.  Snakes were definitely moving, although like usual, the dead out numbered the living.  Happily, no DOR saugas were found.  I pride myself in spotting small snakes in the road, and seeing how slow to eventually move off this little guy was, this high traffic area most definitely would have claimed him soon.

So, do you brake for snakes?

BH

Massasauga Rattlesnakes in Niles, Michigan - Maybe, but not this one!

The Niles Daily Star, the local newspaper for Niles, Michigan, just reported a story of a rattlesnake being found on the property of one of the rural residents of the area.  The story is full of wonderful information regarding the Eastern  Massasauga Rattlesnake, Sistrurus catenatus, and the snake has not been killed and will most likely be released back to where it was found.   These are all great things, except the snake is really an Eastern Hognose Snake, Heterodon platirhinos.  Please read the article that I have linked.  I hope they don't mind if I share their picture as well?

http://www.nilesstar.com/2011/09/26/rattlers-in-niles/

 Niles Daily Star Photo/Katie Rohman

Hognose snakes are often confused for massasauga rattlesnakes as they can have similar size and patterns.  Although this picture hides the best characteristics with a blurry head and a wood chip over the tail, it is clearly a hognose snake.  Massasaugas are typically very young at this size, and have an overall thinner body.  The have a well defined neck that tapers down after the head, unlike the "neckless" hognose.  Young massasauagas also typically have much more black/white/grey coloration at this age with stark contrast.  The tans and creams of this snake would not be seen in massasaugas.  If you look closely at the blurry head, you can make out the blunt, short head and upturned nose of a hognose snake.  Hognoses are toad specialists and live in sandy environments where they can dig around for their prety.

This midsized hognose from a few years ago looks similar to the snake from Niles.

This is a young eastern massasuaga rattlesnake - note the yellow tail, one segment button of the rattle, contrasting tones and narrow neck.

This is a young eastern massasuaga rattlesnake - note the yellow tail, one segment button of the rattle, contrasting tones and narrow neck.

Hognose snakes are completely not harmless to humans and will sometimes even put on a great display of "playing dead", rolling on their backs, and laying still with their tongues hanging out.

They will often flatten their heads out, hiss and strike with a closed mouth.  This garners a few other common names from locals such as, "puff adder", "spreading adder", "hissing adder" and "cobras".

Either way, the snake is really cool.  I commend Ms. Bowles for cherishing Michigan's wildlife and dealing with it in a responsible way.  She has helped raised awareness of two of Michigan's periled snakes!  These animals can be hard to tell apart, and whenever in doubt if the snake is venomous, it is best to err on the side of caution and keep a safe distance.  For more information on telling apart Michigan's venomous and nonvenomous snakes, please visit - Michigan Snake Identification - Venomous or Not?

Rattlers in Niles? | The Niles Star

By Katie Rohman

Published 10:28pm Monday, September 26, 2011A rural Niles resident has captured an unusual but once common native to Michigan wetlands.
Marjorie Bowles, of 925 Anderson Rd., found an Eastern massasauga rattlesnake Wednesday in a side yard during an excavation project. A worker helped Bowles move the snake — just a baby at shorter than a foot long — into a large plastic tub with water in it. She then contacted the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
“It’s not dangerous, (but) you don’t want to play with it,” Bowles said.
Bowles, who lives with her husband John near a swampy area by Pine Lake, off M-60, said she has only seen garter snakes on her property, and had to research what kind of snake it was.
“This is a new one by me,” she said.
Bowles said she was concerned someone would kill the snake, and wants the public aware of the species and its declining population. She said she hopes to release the snake back into its habitat, but was awaiting a call back from the DNR at press time.
According to the DNR, massasaugas are classified as “of special concern,” are protected by the State of Michigan and are a candidate for federal listing. They live in the entire Lower Peninsula, and were once common but their populations are declining due to the loss of wetland habitat and human harassment.
Massasaugas are slow-moving, but may bite if threatened, and can grow to 18 to 30 inches long. They have thick bodies with gray, grayish-brown or brown coloring. The young snakes have yellow buttons, or “rattles,” at the tip of their tails. The adult rattles are grayish yellow and resemble corn kernels.
If bitten by a massasauga, the DNR advises seeking medical attention immediately. The snakes are venomous, but possess the least toxic venom of any rattlesnake in the U.S.
If a massasauga is spotted, the DNR recommends not picking it up, using caution and submitting the sighting to www.dnr.state.mi.us/wildlife/pubs/massasauga_obsreport.asp.