Gene's notes

Week ending 04-27-03

Monday morning (04-21-03), I saw a DOR adult Cornsnake leftover from the preceding night. On my way home in late afternoon, I saw my first Eastern Box Turtle of the year tall-stepping across the road.

Tuesday morning (04-22-03), I found a large dog in the trap in the backyard. At the end of last week, we found three stray dogs hanging around the woods near home. I saw one half-heartedly chase one of the very young calves, so we called the county animal control. They set the trap on Monday. We had not seen the other two dogs for a couple of days, so we thought the problem was now solved. The animal control took the dog and the trap away.

We were wrong about the other dogs. In the wee hours of Wednesday morning (04-23-03), one of the other dogs woke us howling and searching for the captured dog. The animal control brought the trap back. I set it with a ham bone left from Easter dinner.

Thursday (04-24-03), the dog trap was still set, but the ham bone was gone! I drove to Bethune, SC and back on business. It was a beautiful day and I expected to see some snakes on the road. I drove nearly 400 miles, most on backroads, and saw only one snake, a DOR Black Racer. Apparently, the snakes are still staying close to cover. Perhaps the reason is that our nights have been on the cool side. This morning the low temperature was 36 deg F at home. At home, before dark, I reset the dog trap with some more leftover ham scraps. I checked it before going to bed and found it still set, but with the bait gone. I suspected that something other than a dog was stealing the bait, so I scattered dry dog food pellets on the ground within the trap.

Friday morning (04-25-03), I found two Raccoons in the dog trap. After letting them cool their heels for a few more hours, I released the Raccoons. I guess I will find out next week whether they learned from their experience.

Saturday morning (04-26-03), I flipped a few boards at home and found an Eastern Worm Snake in pre-shed condition and an Eastern Narrowmouth Toad. Later in the day I flushed a young water snake (N. sipedon) basking at the pool below one of the springs. In the driveway, I snapped some pictures of butterflies: Spicebush Swallowtail and Zebra Swallowtail.

Gene Ott

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Joey's notes

Week ending 04-27-03

This has been a beautiful week. One cannot look far without spotting a butterfly, dragonfly, lizard, or toad. Around open areas, Tiger Beetles, Cicindela sexguttata, abound. Near water, turtles are no problem to find, but still difficult to approach! It is a great time of year!

Wednesday (4-23-03), I had some time after work to ramble. Drove some dirt roads in some National Forest lands in Laurens County. I bothered some Tiger Beetles, Cicindela tranquebarica, in Newberry County, but did not collect any. I cruised some nice areas in lower Union County. Then, as I worked myself back into lower Spartanburg County, my local stomping grounds, I stopped by the pond and found a Southern Ringneck Snake, an Eastern Worm Snake, and a young Eastern Kingsnake. Pumped up, I checked my tin here at home and found another Eastern Worm Snake.

Thursday (4-24-03), At work, we flipped tin and boards, finding a Southern Ringneck Snake and an Eastern Worm Snake. They may seem like small game, but really are noble creatures and worthy of attention and respect.

Sunday (4-27-03), I went over into the edge of Anderson County. It is a county that I felt I should devote a bit more attention to. Objectives: snake (any species) and a Tiger Beetle, Cicindela sexguttata. Well, I found the snakes easy enough... a Black Racer, as I walked a dirt road and another Black Racer as I drove along a country road. Lastly, I found a Black Racer under tin by an old barn. All three Racers were large, all three were fast, and all three escaped my efforts! I did get my Tiger Beetle! I also picked up a Stinkpot (Common Musk Turtle), Eastern River Cooter, and a small Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell Turtle (All neat species). Of course, I found various frogs and lizards also. Oh well. I will return in the near future to do better, and will soon be able to add Anderson to the list of counties where I have caught snakes!

Joey Holmes

Gene's notes

Week ending 04-20-03

The first four days of the week were warm and sunny. The last three were wet and cool. While commutting to to work, I saw a couple of DOR Black Racers on the road .

While cruising local roads Wednesday night (04-16-03), I found a Northern Brown Snake, freshly injured. On my patio, I collected an American Toad. Likely to be the last I see hopping about this year.

Thursday (04-17-03), on my way to work I saw a Yellowbelly Silder crossing the road. After dark, I heard the strumming of Bullfrogs in the farm pond for the first time this year.

Friday (04-18-03), we had very heavy rains which flooded the bottomlands, nearly overtopped my drive, and raised the level of the pond about 1.5 feet above full.

Sunday (04-20-03), I flipped the boards where I have been finding Worm Snakes recently. I found one.

Gene Ott

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Joey's notes

Week ending 04-20-03

Monday (4-14-03), At work, took the boys for a walk in the woods on campus. We found an Eastern Worm Snake under some tin and also caught a Black Racer. In the creek we placed some minnow traps to collect some feeder fish.

Tuesday (4-15-03), The traps were loaded with small minnows, crayfish, and tadpoles. One even had a small Northern Watersnake*.

Wednesday (4-16-03), Flipping tin on campus, we found another Eastern Worm Snake. Appeared to be the same one we found on 4-14-03. Same size. Same piece of tin.

Thursday (4-17-03), A co-worker and I took some of the boys off campus. Destination? Congaree Swamp National Monument in Richland County, SC. We split up, and six boys and I walked the boardwalks. We found various frogs, skinks and Green Anoles, an Eastern Box Turtle, Saw two (unidentified) Watersnakes, and an Eastern Cottonmouth (the boys got a real kick out of this). We also enjoyed the Dragonflies and stopped outside the monument to collect some Tiger Beetles (Cicindela sexguttata). It was nice to get off campus for a change.

Friday (4-18-03), Cool and rainy.

Saturday (4-19-03), Cool and rainy.

Sunday (4-20-03), Still somewhat cool and overcast, but we had a family/Easter gathering at the lake. I had no hopes of finding anything but got a big surprise when two of the nephews started yelling, "SNAKE!" I strolled over, and was again surprised to find that the snake was still there. I caught it. It was a fair-sized Northern Water Snake*. Pre-shed, and kind of crusty from hibernation. The kids were impressed, and the snake was released into the safety of the water. A nice Easter present.

* In this part of South Carolina, a Nerodia sipedon can look like a textbook Midland Watersnake or as a Northern Watersnake. You can even have both looks, in the same litter of babies. I will simply report them as what they look like the most.

Joey Holmes

Gene's notes

Week ending 04-13-03

Monday through Friday were cold and wet, no herps. On Thursday morning (04-10-03) I saw a pair of Mallard Ducks on the farm pond. Not unusual. I also saw a pair of Cormorants. Very Unusual.

The weekend was gorgeous! The Fowlers Toads are the loudest singers in the pond now. Spring Peepers are still vocal. I began hearing Cricket Frogs calling this week.

I continue to be able to flip a board or two behind the tractor shed and find a few Worm Snakes. I let my 2-year old granddaughter catch her first snake... a Worm Snake, of course. She surprised me by being able to catch butterflies in a net. I rolled some logs hoping to find other species of snakes, but to no avail. I saw 2 DOR Black Racers on Sunday (04-13-03).

Gene Ott

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Joey's notes

Week ending 04-13-03

Sorry to be late with this report, but with so little to mention, my enthusiasm was a bit down.

Monday (4-7-03), Cool and rainy.

Tuesday (4-8-03), Cool and rainy.

Wednesday (4-9-03), Cool and rainy.

Thursday (4-10-03), Cool and rainy.

Friday (4-11-03), Finally it warms up a bit!

Saturday (4-12-03), I seriously abused my allergies by spending 3 hours on the lawn-mower, trying to tame my yard. Then I went to the pond. There I caught a Black Racer, and enjoyed Green Darners, Whitetail Skimmers, Corporal Skimmers, Carolina Saddlebags, and some un-identified Clubtails. Damselflies were also present in good numbers. Mud Turtles and Painted Turtles were easily seen from shore. It was nice to get outdoors after a cool and rainy week.

Sunday (4-13-03), Stopping by the pond again, I saw (but did not chase or otherwise attempt to catch) a Black Racer. I knocked around a bit more and found nothing else of interest.

But it is getting better!

Joey Holmes

Gene's notes

Week ending 04-06-03

The Monday (03-31-03) morning temperature at my home in the valley was 24 deg F. Tuesday (04-01-03) morning was a little warmer, 27 deg F. The freeze killed or stunted many of the tender new leaves on the trees. The gorgeous Redbud Trees were dulled and the early Yellow Jessamine blooms were browned. The afternoon temperatures warmed considerably. I saw a D.O.R. Black Rat Snake.

Wednesday (04-02-03) was a very pleasant day. I flipped the board under which I had found 2 Worm Snakes on the preceding Saturday. There were 2 more Worm Snake under it. I know they were different ones because I had collected the previous two for a school exhibit. The wet soils must have brought these snakes to the surface. These were very encouraging finds to me since such small snakes had been scarce during the drought years.

Friday (04-04-03) I turned over the same board and found a single Worm Snake. On my way to work, I moved a Mud Turtle off the road.

Saturday (04-05-03) I headed southeast for a special outing at Hellhole Bay in the Francis Marion National Forest in Berkeley County. Jeff Holmes, Joey's brother, arranged "Under a Low Country Moon: The Hellhole Swamp Tour '03 and Moonlight Serenade." Jeff works for The Nature Conservancy by day and is vocalist/guitarist with The Floating Men band out of Nashville by night.

When I left home about 7 a.m., the sky was partially overcast. On the way down, I travelled backroads after passing I-95. I saw an AOR Black Racer, a DOR Black Racer, and a DOR Eastern Kingsnake. When I reached the motel in Moncks Corner where I would spend the night, the day was warm and the sky nearly cloudless. I called home and was told it was pouring rain! I crossed my fingers that the rain would not follow me.

My son and daughter-in-law, Win and Hope, had come down the day before. I found them at the Old Santee Canal State Park. They had seen plenty of gators, basking turtles, anoles and skinks, but no snakes.

About 2 p.m., we joined up with Jeff and a half dozen others who were down for the gathering. At the campground in Hellhole, we found Joey and about a dozen other persons. In all, we had about 22 persons participating in the swamp nature walk. Unfortunately, the clouds had also joined us and temperatures dropped into the 60s. Nevertheless, we all seemed to have a great time looking at nature. Some of the group caught glimpsies of a Cottonmouth and a Mud Snake. The ditches were teaming with very dark Crayfish with very narrow pinchers. Millipeds crossed the road about every 10 to 20 feet. Palamedes Swallowtail Butterflies flitted about. We found some very large spiders under logs.

The rain held off and the sky cleared. About sunset, a communal campfire was set and suppers were cooked. Then, as the highlight of the weekend, Jeff serenaded us under a South Carolina crescent moon. He was joined by singer, songwriter Eva Hunter. They are each extremely talented and everyone enjoyed the performance. Thank you very much, Jeff and Eva.

It was a perfect evening. Well, at least it was until Win and Hope found their van had a flat tire. Apparently something had punctured the sidewall. With the help of friends he got the tire changed and the spare "doughnut" tire installed. There were no tire repair services available in Moncks Corner on Saturday night and Sunday, so they decided to stay until Monday.

Sunday morning (04-06-03) we returned to Hellhole for more nature walking and searching. We made several interesting finds, including two Cottonmouths. Win pointed out an area of bubbles boiling to the surface of the roadside waterway. The peculiar thing was that the area moved slowly. Thinking it was some sizeable creature rooting in the mud, Win used the dip net. To our surprise, he pulled up a net full of fingerling catfish.

The gathering broke up about lunch time. I headed back home via the backroads. I saw a DOR Cornsnake and a DOR Hognose Snake (black). By the time I reached home, it was raining and cool. But that did not matter, the weekend had been great!

Gene Ott

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Joey's notes

Week ending 04-06-03

Been quite a week. I even went got to take a little road trip.

Monday (3-31-03), Getting my class outdoors a bit, we flipped tin and looked about. Found a Southern Ringneck Snake, Fowlers Toads, Slimy Salamanders. Later, at home, I checked my tin and found an Eastern Wormsnake. Starting the week off right!

Tuesday (4-1-03), Limited on time, my class checked some tin on campus and found an Eastern Wormsnake.

Wednesday (4-2-03), Feeding in the classroom took a fair bit of our time, but most of the animals are doing well.

Thursday (4-3-03), First Luna Moth of the year under a big light at work. Found yet another Eastern Wormsnake.

Friday (4-4-03), My brother had arranged to have a concert (unplugged of course) and nature tour with the attendees in the national forest near Charleston. I was in on it, and ready for anything. I rambled a bit as I traveled. Making stops in Lexington, Orangeburg, and Berkley Counties. Saw a couple of Black Racers in Orangeburg, but I did not try very hard to catch them. I did get a nice Cicindela sexguttata at one stop in Berkeley county. I arrived at the camping area shortly after lunch. There was nobody there, although a pop-up camper stood at the far end. I ventured out in search of wildlife. Less than two miles from the camping area I found an Eastern Kingsnake crawling across the road. I took a look, then eased it onto the grassy shoulder. Another two miles and there was an adult Banded Watersnake on the road. Faster than the King, this one escaped into the dark water that fills the roadside ditch. I rambled a bit more, and collected a few Tiger Beetles. C. sexguttata in Georgetown County, and some C. repandas in Williamsburg and Berkley Counties.

There seemed to be no more reptile action, so I returned to the camping area and set up my (somewhat elaborate) camp. While there, a fellow in a pickup truck pulled in. He tinkered around over at the pop-up camper for 45 minutes or so, then left without saying a word. I did not see him again. With camp established, I had time to get out of camp and herp a bit more. Nothing was moving, but in passing the camp area later I found some of the folks had arrived for the camping and concert. They set up their camp, and agreed to join me out in the swamp looking for reptiles. We found nothing. Heard a few frogs calling, but no snakes. Time for sleep.

Saturday (4-5-03), After a morning cup of coffee, my new friends and I went out again. We found a Corn Snake hiding under some rubbish. Venturing over into Georgetown County, we spotted a Banded Watersnake under a bridge, which I caught and released. It was a good score. I had been wanting to add Georgetown to the list of counties where I had caught snakes, and was finally happy to do so. So it went, we saw turtles, chased Tiger Beetles, collected some Dragonflies, and were back at camp by lunch.

Not content to sit in camp I rambled more and found less, but soon my brother (Jeff) and his people arrived (my wife and son included) and it was time for action. With groups split up and sent into various areas, we covered a good bit of ground. A Banded Watersnakes, a Mud Snake and a Cottonmouth were seen but nothing was caught. I enjoyed pointing out Dragonflies, Slider Turtles and Tiger Beetles. I think the folks in my group had fun. Then it was time for supper and the show. We grilled our meals and enjoyed the fire. Jeff and Eva Hunter (another talented singer/songwriter) played and sang under the moon and stars. Jeff’s songs were carefully selected. Some were fun songs (great around a campfire). Some were flavored with South Carolina and the outdoors. The audience was small, but represented NC, SC, Ga, Fl, Va, and Tn, After the show we visited and talked for a bit enjoying the evening as the fire slowly died.

Sunday (4-6-03), The morning brought more field time. We found two Cottonmouths, and heard various frogs (Southern Cricket Frogs, Carpenter Frogs).

Time came to break camp and scatter. Ten minutes after leaving us, Jeff returned to show us a beautiful baby Timber Rattlesnake he had found crossing the road. Cool animal. He left again and would release the snake where it had been found. Soon the others left too, and again I was alone in camp. The pop-up camper was still there, still unattended. I somehow found Jeff again, in the forest, and we hunted together for a bit, with no luck. Less than a minute after splitting up (for the last time) I found an Eastern Ribbon Snake on the road but it darted away into the grass and was gone. Then, about a minute after that, there was another Ribbon Snake on the road. This one held still and I was able to pick it up and admire its beauty. I have always liked these and felt fortunate to be lucky enough to spend a minute or two with him.

But, isn’t that the way it is with us? We spend a few minutes together, and then part ways, leaving a lasting impression of times, faces, and places past.

I had a great time, Thanks to all who attended!

Joey Holmes