Nature Photography (Formally Spring is in the Air)

[Halichoeres]

Autumn is in the air at 42º N latitude:



The shrubs in the foreground are sumac, the big tree is a sweet gum, and the stuff on the walls is frost grape, I think.

[Newt]

Neat! I would hazard a guess that the wall-climber is not a grape but another vitacean, Boston ivy, just based on habitus and color.

I'm a little surprised there's still so much green; the color is about the same down here at 36 N.

[Halichoeres]

Neat! I would hazard a guess that the wall-climber is not a grape but another vitacean, Boston ivy, just based on habitus and color.

I'm a little surprised there's still so much green; the color is about the same down here at 36 N.

Yeah, I walked by it again this afternoon and it's ivy. I even tasted one of the fruits to be sure.

I'm guessing you're at a bit higher elevation? That could catch you up, color-wise.

[Newt]

I'm down on the Interior Low Plateau (emphasis on the low), about the same elevation as Chicago. Blade-of-the-Moon's at the high end of Tennessee.

As Popeye would say, "It's just one of them blasted myskeries of life!"

[triceratops83]

Caught this little rascal trying to get into the guinea pig hutch when I got home from work one night.


It's a 2 metre long Carpet Python. I released him into a forested gully near our house. He'd wrapped around my arm and it felt like I was wearing a blood pressure cuff. By the time I got to the woods he'd gotten his tail around my neck and was starting to squeeze - it was an effort to untangle him. I like pythons - they're the only snakes around here you can actually pick up, the only other non venomous ones are tree snakes, and they stink.

[Newt]

He's cute! It must be fun to have wild pythons around.

I'm glad you caught him before he got into the hutch, though. I used to keep rabbits and poultry outside, and wild animals and free-roaming dogs were a constant problem.

[triceratops83]

He's cute! It must be fun to have wild pythons around.

I'm glad you caught him before he got into the hutch, though. I used to keep rabbits and poultry outside, and wild animals and free-roaming dogs were a constant problem.

Dingoes, dogs and cats are a major problem here. We've lost numerous guinea pigs and chickens to night time raiders.

[Doug Watson]

Caught this little rascal trying to get into the guinea pig hutch when I got home from work one night.
It's a 2 metre long Carpet Python. I released him into a forested gully near our house. He'd wrapped around my arm and it felt like I was wearing a blood pressure cuff. By the time I got to the woods he'd gotten his tail around my neck and was starting to squeeze - it was an effort to untangle him. I like pythons - they're the only snakes around here you can actually pick up, the only other non venomous ones are tree snakes, and they stink.

Wow! Lucky you. I knew Australia had pythons but I didn't know you had 18 species. I am envious, that one was a beauty. Do you know which subspecies of Carpet Python it was I can't find any exact pattern matches online, Coastal Carpet Python Morelia spilota mcdowelli maybe? Do you have the Amythystine Python near you? I have seen those on TV and they are truly impressive, especially the colour.
When they came to the orphanage in England in 1927 and asked for kids who were willing to leave and become Home Children my mother had a choice between Canada and Australia but Mom chose the frozen north. Too bad they didn't have the weather channel back then. I could have been born into snake paradise. Mind you she may have known about all your snakes. Of course if she had picked Oz she wouldn't have met my Dad and I wouldn't have been born.

[triceratops83]

Wow! Lucky you. I knew Australia had pythons but I didn't know you had 18 species. I am envious, that one was a beauty. Do you know which species of Carpet Python it was from what I could find online I am guessing  Southwestern Carpet Python (Morelia spilota imbricata)? Do you have the Amythystine Python near you? I have seen those on TV and they are truly impressive, especially the colour.
When they came to the orphanage in England in 1927 and asked for kids who were willing to leave and become Home Children my mother had a choice between Canada and Australia but Mom chose the frozen north. Too bad they didn't have the weather channel back then. I could have been born into snake paradise. Mind you she may have known about all your snakes. Of course if she had picked Oz she wouldn't have met my Dad and I wouldn't have been born.

Hey Doug, I'd put my money on Morelia spilota variegata, which is Australia's best known python. Morelia spilota spilota is a darker colour so it's out, but it could feasibly be Morelia spilota imbricata. I live in the Mackay district, just short of the far north of Queensland, so look to the more northerly subspecies.

As for the Amethystine Python, I think its range is to the north of where I am, closer to the rainforests and scrubs of the Cape York Peninsular. I've never knowingly seen one but I wouldn't rule it out. Apparently it can grow up to eight metres, so I wouldn't be too keen on bumping into one.

It certainly is a snake paradise around here and with summer approaching I'll try to keep my camera handy. Aside from Pythons the most common snakes in this area are two colubrids (the Green Tree and Brown Tree Snakes) and a good many Elapids, including most commonly the Eastern Brown Snake, Coastal Taipan and the King Brown, which is actually a type of Black snake, despite its colour and name. Many claim to have seen the Red-bellied Black Snake and the Death Adder, though I never have. I've come across a few other Elapids on rare occasions such as the Rough Scaled snake and the Dwarf Crowned Snake, but they're not the usual suspects.

Oh, and plenty of sea snakes, too. They're really sluggish when beached so despite the risk I've on a couple of occasions dragged a stranded one back into the surf.

[Doug Watson]

Hey Doug, I'd put my money on Morelia spilota variegata, which is Australia's best known python. Morelia spilota spilota is a darker colour so it's out, but it could feasibly be Morelia spilota imbricata. I live in the Mackay district, just short of the far north of Queensland, so look to the more northerly subspecies.

As for the Amethystine Python, I think its range is to the north of where I am, closer to the rainforests and scrubs of the Cape York Peninsular. I've never knowingly seen one but I wouldn't rule it out. Apparently it can grow up to eight metres, so I wouldn't be too keen on bumping into one.

It certainly is a snake paradise around here and with summer approaching I'll try to keep my camera handy. Aside from Pythons the most common snakes in this area are two colubrids (the Green Tree and Brown Tree Snakes) and a good many Elapids, including most commonly the Eastern Brown Snake, Coastal Taipan and the King Brown, which is actually a type of Black snake, despite its colour and name. Many claim to have seen the Red-bellied Black Snake and the Death Adder, though I never have. I've come across a few other Elapids on rare occasions such as the Rough Scaled snake and the Dwarf Crowned Snake, but they're not the usual suspects.

Oh, and plenty of sea snakes, too. They're really sluggish when beached so despite the risk I've on a couple of occasions dragged a stranded one back into the surf.

You are probably correct I found a few images of Morelia spilota variegata that seem to match. There seems to be a lot of colour variation in all the subspecies, very confusing. I watch any TV show that deals with snakes and I have seen a few encounters with the big Amethystine, one on Python Hunters that was eating a farmers chickens. Even though I love snakes I would have to adopt a more protective attitude if I lived there with children and dogs when you have snakes that can take a wallaby, and then there are all your venomous snakes. Actually your spiders freak me out more.
Good for you on the Sea Snakes!

[triceratops83]

Actually your spiders freak me out more.

The only dangerous spider around these parts is the Redback Lactrodectus, the same genus as the Black widow. There are large Mygalomorph spiders that could give a painful bite - you often find them in trees. Thankfully in the north we don't have Funnelwebs. Some spiders I'm OK with, I find jumping spiders delightful and they're always catching flies for which I'm grateful. They're not aggressive in the least and you can pick them up. Also, you can get them to chase a laser pointer. However, I absolutely loathe with a passion Huntsman spiders. They grow as big as your hand and have very prominent fangs.

[Halichoeres]

Actually your spiders freak me out more.

The only dangerous spider around these parts is the Redback Lactrodectus, the same genus as the Black widow. There are large Mygalomorph spiders that could give a painful bite - you often find them in trees. Thankfully in the north we don't have Funnelwebs. Some spiders I'm OK with, I find jumping spiders delightful and they're always catching flies for which I'm grateful. They're not aggressive in the least and you can pick them up. Also, you can get them to chase a laser pointer. However, I absolutely loathe with a passion Huntsman spiders. They grow as big as your hand and have very prominent fangs.

Was not aware of that! That's cool!

[Lanthanotus]

However, I absolutely loathe with a passion Huntsman spiders. They grow as big as your hand and have very prominent fangs.

Such as this?



Will be in Australia over winter (well, your summer), but last time we didn't encounter many snakes and spiders, but as my main interest are goannas and other lizards, that's okay,..... hope for a Spencer's this time. Nice python you caught there, wouldn't mind to stumble upon one o' those.

[triceratops83]

Such as this?

Ugh, yep. You can tell by that picture how aggressive they can be - if you walk past one on the wall, they'll turn and face you off.

Will be in Australia over winter (well, your summer), but last time we didn't encounter many snakes and spiders, but as my main interest are goannas and other lizards, that's okay,..... hope for a Spencer's this time. Nice python you caught there, wouldn't mind to stumble upon one o' those.

Plenty of goannas around here but my favorite local lizards are the Frilled Lizard and the Eastern water Dragon, the latter of which you can find in most creeks and their young can run across water.

[Lanthanotus]

Unfortunately (somewhat) we will not make it to the northern part of Queensland (and Western Australia) this time, so probably will not encounter many frill necked lizards, but I once again hope for a good share of goannas. If you are interested, I uploaded some dragon photos here (no goanna pictures, as I used those for a print media).

[triceratops83]

Unfortunately (somewhat) we will not make it to the northern part of Queensland (and Western Australia) this time, so probably will not encounter many frill necked lizards, but I once again hope for a good share of goannas. If you are interested, I uploaded some dragon photos here (no goanna pictures, as I used those for a print media).

Thanks. If you're sticking to the southern states you should see plenty of Skinks.

[Doug Watson]

Wow, nothing here since November, since I just saw around ten Robins in my neighbour's apple tree I guess spring is in the air.
We recently returned from a vacation in the San Francisco / Monterey area. We went to the San Fran Zoo, Aquarium on the Bay, Monterey Aquarium and the California Academy of Science which also has an aquarium but I will limit this post to wild sightings. Once again unfortunately no snakes of any kind let alone my elusive first venomous snake. I was hoping again for a rattlesnake, one of their big Gopher Snakes or a California Red Sided Garter snake but butkus.

Highlight of the trip wildlife wise was my first sighting of a California Condor in this case a juvenile female near Big Sur. I contacted Pinnacles National Park that does the releases in the area and it turns out this was a wild hatch born in a Big Sur nest in 2015. There was some confusion when it was tagged and instead of getting the proper 87 (for 787) it got a "0". They say they hope to retag it this year. They also told me they have my Safari Ltd Condor hanging in their office, another thrill.



Another new species for me, a Steller's Jay at Big Sur.


Two more new species for me.
First a Western Gull a big gull at Alcatraz island.


A Heermann's Gull outside the Aquarium on the Bay.


While waiting for the ferry to Alcatraz I spotted this Western Grebe.


Brown Pelican in Monterey.


Pelagic Cormorant nesting outside the Monterey Bay Aquarium.


A black Phoebe on the Eco trail at the Presidio


As far as I can figure this is an immature Red-Tailed Hawk at Golden Gate Park.


Sea Lions and Cormorants on an island off of Alcatraz.


More Sea Lions at Pier 39 San Francisco. These guys were there when we last visited 20 years ago.


Western Gull and two Sea Otters Monterey.


Sea Otters in a kelp bed, Monterey.

While we were watching them the otters scattered and this Harbour Seal popped up where the otters had been.


Harbour Seals at Monterey.



This is either a really good shot of the Loch Ness Monster or a really bad shot of a pod of Grey Whales in Monterey Bay, your guess  . I was shooting through the distorted glass of our B & B that was built in 1911. I have seen porpoises and dolphins before but these were my first whales.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

They only things I've really noticed are the mosquitoes are back in force already.

Your work gets around bud! I know it feels great!

[Halichoeres]

Great pics, Doug! Didn't know Heermann's gulls were such lookers!

[Doug Watson]

Great pics, Doug! Didn't know Heermann's gulls were such lookers!

I know almost tern-like it its colours. I saw a few of these while we were there.