|
FLORIDA
|
December 2002
|
|
Click on any
photo to see a larger version
1 of 3 
|
Was once again down in Miami to visit family over the holidays, so
Ron and I took advantage of some warm, humid weather to get out into the
field. Spent time in the vicinity of Lake Okeechobee plus bits of a few other days in the Everglades.
Our first stop was an
irrigation canal choked with water hyacinth. We quickly spotted four Brown
Water Snakes and one Florida Water Snake basking among the weeds.
|
|
|
|
|
Brown Water Snake
Nerodia taxispilota
|
|
|
|
|
Florida Water Snake
Nerodia fasciata
pictiventris
|
Next stop was an
abandoned building that was formerly filled with all kinds of trash. We were
surprised to find it had been cleared out and was now broom clean except for
a few snake sheds hanging from the rafters. However, we got an even greater
surprise when we looked inside an empty room and discovered this 5' beauty
crawling right out in the open. The orange
coloration and red tongue indicate that it's an Everglades Yellow Rat Snake
rather than the more common Yellow Rat Snake, Elaphe obsoleta
quadrivittata.
|
Everglades
Yellow Rat Snake
Elaphe
obsoleta rossalleni
|
We
proceeded to a nearby pump house where I found a young intergrade Florida
Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulas getulas
x L. g. floridana) hiding under a long strip of black rubber. While Ron went back for his camera I
slipped the snake into my cargo pocket and continued walking along the
canal. Suddenly I spot an Everglades
Racer gliding through the bushes several feet above the ground, so I make a
lunge but the shrubs interfere and it’s gone.
For that matter so was the Kingsnake, having crawled out of my pocket
unnoticed. So I was left standing
there having found and lost two snakes within two minutes, and not even a
picture.
Ron returned and joined me in a curse, then
the two of us separated while we explored in opposite directions. Eventually I was waiting by the car ready
to leave when Ron calls out from across the canal that he’s just seen a tail
disappearing into the brush at the same place where the Racer had gotten
away. He searches a few minutes, gets
ready to go, then spots the Racer a bit farther up as it taunts him by coming
out to the road then sliding back into the bushes. He moves to that spot, searches some more,
gives up, then gets another glimpse ten feet ahead as the snake plays
reptilian cat & mouse with him (to taxonomically mix a metaphor). At this point it has become a matter of
family pride, so I return to combine forces and join in the hunt. Expecting the snake to continue its
advance, I strategically place myself in ambush position along the bushes
that line the edge of the road (as if that was really going to work). But then I see a section of something dark,
smooth, and scaly glide past my feet, and in a moment the elusive tease is
finally in hand!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Me
with Everglades Racer
Coluber constrictor paludicola
|
|
|
