Field Herping 2013.

I will be updating this thread throughout the year so keep checking in!

Here are a few of the animals I have found so far this year. This is my passion now and if I ever sell the two chams I have I probably wont be keeping any at least for a while. I have much more fun going out finding animals rather than keeping them in a cage.

Ive gone out a few times this winter while it was warmer. Was only finding Red Back and Ravine Salamanders at that time besides one spot where I found Spring and Dusky Sallies. You can find certain species at the heads of springs where it doesnt freeze up in the winter.

Sorry about the pic quality of some.

Red Back Salamander. These are everywhere and you can find them around here all the time. They no longer get me excited LOL.


Ravine Salamanders.




Spring Salamander.


I went out a couple nights ago when we had some warmer temps and decent rain bringing out some of the first amphibians that breed early in the year.

Two Lined Salamander.


Red Spotted Newts. The only species of newt around here. Saw tons of them in a shallow pond breeding.






Wood Frogs.




Breeding.


Egg masses.


Spring Peepers.

Awesome man! Thanks for sharing. I was able to find a few blue spotted and two lined last year. This year I think I will do a bit more in the field

That's really cool Jared. Good variety you found. I've always loved field herping, wish I could find someone to do it with around here.

coldbloodedAL said:

Awesome man! Thanks for sharing. I was able to find a few blue spotted and two lined last year. This year I think I will do a bit more in the field

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Nice! The Blue Spotted sallies are really nice looking. Not sure what the weather is like for you but in the 40s and raining at night in the spring go back to that spot and you should be able to find a ton of them! Im hoping to find more snakes this year but my goal is 30 plus different species of reptile and amphibians. Ive got 8 so far and the year has just started. Cant wait until it warms up a bit more and brings everything else out.

Action Jackson said:

That's really cool Jared. Good variety you found. I've always loved field herping, wish I could find someone to do it with around here.

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Thanks! Ive always liked going out finding critters since I was a kid but last year I started doing it a lot more and this year I am completely obsessed with it Im usually out and about by myself also but once in a while I can get a friend or two to go out with me.

Awesome pics!

Very cool pics. When I was a kid we had a boy scout camp in MI called D bar A. I remember finding nearly every of those salamanders you show and a few more at the campsite we had. Wish I could go back to that camp and do some field herping although I am sure it's not as easy to find them anymore.

Do you ran across a lot of poisonous snakes? Here in so cal there are lots of rattlesnakes about which makes herping interesting.

Unfortunately the location I found them in is no longer accessible since it is private property. I was on a job and had some free time to do a bit of walking in the woods...I I have a few areas around me I plan to search though.

My major goal this year is to find a Mississauga rattler. They're becoming increasingly harder to find due to extensive habitat destruction.

reptoman said:

Very cool pics. When I was a kid we had a boy scout camp in MI called D bar A. I remember finding nearly every of those salamanders you show and a few more at the campsite we had. Wish I could go back to that camp and do some field herping although I am sure it's not as easy to find them anymore.

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That camp still exists. Its only about an hour from me in Metamora. I wonder if they'd let me in to do a bit of searching?

reptoman said:

Very cool pics. When I was a kid we had a boy scout camp in MI called D bar A. I remember finding nearly every of those salamanders you show and a few more at the campsite we had. Wish I could go back to that camp and do some field herping although I am sure it's not as easy to find them anymore.

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Sweet! I love me some salamanders

Action Jackson said:

Do you ran across a lot of poisonous snakes? Here in so cal there are lots of rattlesnakes about which makes herping interesting.

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Unfortunately I dont. I havent seen a Copperhead in years and have never seen a Timber Rattler. Those are the only two venomous species we have around here. I know of some sites to go find them now, though so I hope to find both species this year.

coldbloodedAL said:

Unfortunately the location I found them in is no longer accessible since it is private property. I was on a job and had some free time to do a bit of walking in the woods...I I have a few areas around me I plan to search though.

My major goal this year is to find a Mississauga rattler. They're becoming increasingly harder to find due to extensive habitat destruction.



That camp still exists. Its only about an hour from me in Metamora. I wonder if they'd let me in to do a bit of searching?

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Thats a bummer! Any habitat like that should produce some! Im having the problem of a lot of spots being on private property. Its about time to walk up and ring the door bell. Im in WV so most people are nice and probably wouldnt care. They would just think Im crazy LOL! "You are looking for what? Snakes?!?!?!?!" Unfortunately I dont know where the Ambystoma are in the area I am at now. Ive been trying but it seems we get a warm day or so then it dips back down. Not too much longer. When I am in MD I can go find Spotted Salamanders about 5 minutes away from the house. I never am there in time for the migration but I can still find some when ever we get some heavy rains.

Good luck on the rattler!

Action Jackson said:

Do you ran across a lot of poisonous snakes? Here in so cal there are lots of rattlesnakes about which makes herping interesting.

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I lived in Chula Vista growing up and it was fantastic collecting Herps in the field, I would often keep them for a week or two and then release them in the same place that I found them. I had wild blue belly swifts,horned lizards, fence swifts,black and white banded and brown and yellow banded king snakes in my area and even in my back yard. I had a dozen rattle snakes for pets by the time I was 11 years old!!! Herps paradise in so cal back then...30 plus years ago

coldbloodedAL said:

Unfortunately the location I found them in is no longer accessible since it is private property. I was on a job and had some free time to do a bit of walking in the woods...I I have a few areas around me I plan to search though.

My major goal this year is to find a Mississauga rattler. They're becoming increasingly harder to find due to extensive habitat destruction.



That camp still exists. Its only about an hour from me in Metamora. I wonder if they'd let me in to do a bit of searching?

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If its still there, and they let you in, check the chipewa campsite. It backed up to a swampy area and had at least a dozen different types of salamanders. I have never seen so many in such a small area. That would be incredible if it's stll the same.

reptoman said:

If its still there, and they let you in, check the chipewa campsite. It backed up to a swampy area and had at least a dozen different types of salamanders. I have never seen so many in such a small area. That would be incredible if it's stll the same.

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Sounds like that would be good for Ambystoma, Al!!! Now wait for night temps in the 40s and raining and get out there!!!

Also, if anyone wants to post pics of their finds from this year in this thread feel free!!

Was rainy and in the 40s last night so I hit the road to see what I could find. Went to a new spot with a lead from my dad saying he saw a Spotted Salamander out there YEARS ago.

My one camera is at a friends house so I took my old one but I forgot to put the memory card in it Had to use the internal memory and unfortunately didnt get many pics

We saw the first Pickerel Frogs of the year along with Two Lined Salamanders, Newts, Wood Frogs and Spring Peepers.

We also found the Spotteds! We only found five but I think once the temps get up a bit we will find a lot more and hopefully some other Ambystomids.

Gotta deal with the crappy pics




Im really pumped to have finally found some habitat these guys are in!

This brings my total up to 10 species so far this year and its just begun. My goal is at least 30 different species of reptiles and amphibians.

Those look awesome! Good luck reaching your goal.

reptoman said:

Those look awesome! Good luck reaching your goal.

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These guys are one of my favorites! Nice sized Salamander with cool coloration. The black is much more vibrant on them than the pic shows.

I found 18 different species last year but was only looking in a few spots and didnt go out as much as I plan on this year. Along with what I found I should be able to reach 30 with some more snake species and turtle species. It will be close but Im going to get on it this year!

I am officially chameleonless at the moment but I still spend a lot of my time playing with herps Here are some that I have been finding in early spring. Some of the pics are of bad quality because I had to take them off of my facebook since I have no idea where on my computer they went. Anyway.

Mountain Chorus Frogs

534141_10200908370820333_768862675_n by natasrulz, on Flickr

Ok. Things arent working out. Will do it later LOL

Me gusta........

Lets try again

Garter Snakes.

025 by natasrulz, on Flickr


023 by natasrulz, on Flickr


013 by natasrulz, on Flickr


008 by natasrulz, on Flickr


002 by natasrulz, on Flickr

Norther Black Racer juvenile

564261_10200939230111796_2000911746_n by natasrulz, on Flickr

Northern Ring Neck Snake

17213_10200943104648657_1784018401_n by natasrulz, on Flickr

Bullfrog

075 by natasrulz, on Flickr


074 by natasrulz, on Flickr

American Toad

070 by natasrulz, on Flickr


066 by natasrulz, on Flickr

Spring Salamander in larval form

065 by natasrulz, on Flickr

Spring Salamander

061 by natasrulz, on Flickr


060 by natasrulz, on Flickr

Wehrel's Salamander

059 by natasrulz, on Flickr

More to come!

Eastern Smooth Earthsnake

051 by natasrulz, on Flickr


046 by natasrulz, on Flickr

Northern Red Salamander

043 by natasrulz, on Flickr

Milk Snake

036 by natasrulz, on Flickr

Eastern Worm Snake

023 by natasrulz, on Flickr


021 by natasrulz, on Flickr


018 by natasrulz, on Flickr

Not all of the stuff I have found but a good deal and the best of the photos

Hope you guys enjoy!