Exploring the North Florida Territory
For the past two weekends I’ve been exploring more heavily North Florida between my home in Bradford County and
north just south of the Georgia/Florida line. This post will cover some highlights.
Eitan, who has a wonderful website covering his herp trips http://www.eitangrunwald.com/herptrips/, was traveling
south from New Jersey to Miami. He arrived Friday, April 4th, to the area and decided to road cruise Osceola National
Forest before heading to the farm. So, we made our way north to join him.
With me was my son Mike and Jake Scott. We cruised awhile until we found Eitan. He already had a couple of hours
on us and reported seeing a couple Canebrake rattlesnakes along with several ribbon and garter snakes. He also
found a Glossy Crayfish Snake, Regina rigida rigida, a live Rough Earth snake, Virginia striatula and an Eastern Mud
turtle.
Jake jump in the car with Eitan and off we went. They went one way and we went the other.
This is what was found Friday night:
Eastern Mud turtle, Kinosternon subrubrum
Florida Water snake, Nerodia fasciata pictiventris
Rough Earth snake, Virginia striatula
Southern Ringneck Snake, Diadophis punctatus punctatus
Rat snake, Elaphe guttata guttata
Saturday we were up bright and early and headed north from the farm. The morning turned out uneventful so we
went back to the farm to have a country breakfast prepared by my wife, Yvonne, and Mike’s wife, Alicia. Mark
Kenderdine and Chuck, a friend of his, joined us. After breakfast, we checked out the area down by the creek outback
and some tin around my place.
Mike found this Slimy salamander, Plethodon grobmani, I didn't know I had them around.
Chuck took us to some great tin sites however, no one was home.
Jake took this shot of a male Six-lined racer, Cnemidophorus sexlineatus, on top of some tin.
Next stop was my hunting camp. The following shots are from the camp.
Eitan and Chuck.
Mark
Mike upset about the mosquitoes!
Jake tickling the chin of Scarface.
Eitan and me looking at something...?
And Scarface...Yellow Rat snake, Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata, found under the tin.
Mark and Chuck went on their way while Eitan, Jake, Mike and I went to lunch and then back to the farm to rest for a
while.
Jake had to leave us to go see his girl friend in Orlando. Eitan, Mike and I went cruising Saturday night. The rains
had come and the temperature dropped a bit but that didn’t stop us. Frogs were everywhere, mainly Pine Woods
Treefrog, Hyla femoralis, and a few others. We did find a couple of snakes and Drawf salamander.
Florida Water snake, Nerodia fasciata pictiventris
Red Rat snake, Elaphe guttata guttata
Florida Cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti
Dwarf salamander, Eurycea quadridigitata
Sunday morning, Eitan and I decided to head north again to visit a few other areas that I've had my eyes on. The rain
came down in buckets. We did see a couple of Striped Mud turtles and this Florida Box turtle. Sorry the photos of the
Mud turtles were aweful.
Florida Box turtle, Terrapene carolina bauri
Back at the farm we had a visitor so I captured its image.
Barred Owl, Strix varia
Eitan went on his way to Miami and I went inside and took a nap. It was a very enjoyable weekend in the field and on
the road. Thanks for dropping by Eitan.
Mike found this Scarlet Kingsnake, Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides, about 30 feet from the kitchen porch the next
day.
The following weekend my wife, Yvonne, joined me. Here’s what we found.
Striped Mud turtle, Kinosternon bauri palmarum
Southern Cricket Frogs, Acris gryllus
Glossy Crayfish Snake, Regina rigida rigida
Southern Ribbon Snake (Peninsula Ribbon Snake), Thamnophis sauritus sackeni
Dusky Pigmy Rattlesnake, Sistrurus miliarius barbouri
This large 7.5 foot Red Rat snake, Elaphe guttata guttata...just kidding, 47 inches.
Rough Green Snake, Opheodrys aestivus
Thanks for viewing,
Daniel
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