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FLORIDA
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December 2001
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Click on any
photo to see a larger version
 2 of 2
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Southwest of Lake Okeechobee we explored some scattered pine and
palmetto mixed with scrub oak and cabbage palm. Ron saw someone bulldozing a clearing in
the woods, so he walked over to ask for suggested sites that might turn up
snakes. As he approached, a snake did
indeed turn up ¾ well, at least part of a snake ¾ among the debris being pushed aside by the
big machine. We wondered how many more
snakes and other animals were unable to escape, not to mention those driven
out for good. Ah, progress. Well, at least the bulldozer driver was not
unsympathetic. Turns out he liked
snakes and knew something about them, and said he tries to avoid killing them
when possible. Why, just the day
before he waited while a bunch of Yellow Rat Snakes made their escape when
some trees were brought down. Also
directed us to a water impoundment area where, he said, we’d be sure to see
Water Moccasins.
We climbed the
embankment and started flipping some trash, which turned up yet another
unexpected species. Didn’t notice it
at first because of all the large ants beneath the board, which usually means
no snakes. But I suppose ants were the
reason why this Glass Lizard was
there in the first place, half-buried in the soil, foraging for his dinner.
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Island
Glass Lizard
Ophisaurus compressus
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A trail
surrounded the swampy impoundment so we headed off to look for our Water
Moccasin. Didn’t have to go far. Making a great spot, Ron stops suddenly and
points his snake hook to a Moccasin beautifully blending in with the brush by
the side of the trail. Most of the
mocs we’ve seen in south Florida
are very dark, nearly black, but this one was a lighter shade of brown with
some distinct pattern visible, like those more commonly found further
north. The snake didn’t put up much
resistance as we lifted him for photos, and its thin appearance made us
wonder if it was weak from lack of food, perhaps because of the ongoing
drought.
Florida Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti
Nearby we stumbled upon a promising looking
junkyard which promptly rewarded us with a handful of Ringneck Snakes and a
very young, very cryptic, Pygmy Rattlesnake.
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Dusky
Pygmy Rattlesnake
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri
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Southern
Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus punctatus
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Scattered
throughout the day was the usual assortment of south Florida regulars and
TMTCs: Brown Anoles, Green Anoles, Bark Anoles, Mediterranean and
Indo-Pacific House Geckos, Five-lined Skinks, Southern Leopard Frogs,
Squirrel Frogs, Green Tree Frogs, Greenhouse Frogs, Pig Frogs, Southern
Toads, Florida Red Belly Turtles and Cooters, Softshell Turtles, and, of
course, Alligators.
We finished up
that evening standing in the Big
Cypress Swamp,
taking in the full moon and catching a rising chorus of ricocheting frog
calls.
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Squirrel
Treefrog
Hyla squirella
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