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We have had some very hot weather this month. Fortunately, the rains have occurred frequently enough to keep
things from drying up. However, the heat has taken a toll on many plants.
On the first day of July, a new colleague from work visited us at the farm. In the morning, they caught a nice
stringer of bream and bass from the farm pond. After lunching at a local BBQ restaurant, Win invited them to see
a few snakes that he is keeping. As I brought up the rear while entering the snake room, I noticed what I thought
was a Black Racer on the walk about 25 feet away. I called the others out. Win asked me if we should capture it.
I said that I would just snap a picture and then let it be on its way. As we approached, we realized that it was
not a Racer but a black-phase Eastern Hognose. I told our visitors they were in for a very special treat. Win cornered
the snake. It went through its entire act from threat display to fouling itself to seizure to feigning death. The dead
snake impression was especially good.
This month things returned to normal with local Copperheads. The past two years Copperheads were very hard to find on
the local roads. This month I found three young Copperheads, each approximately 20 inches long. One was
unusually marked
by many of the darker back markings not meeting.
Young Cottontail Rabbits are seen frequently around the farm and local roads. Win and I found a DOR adult River Otter
while locally cruising one day. Win reports seeing DOR and AOR Armadillos just across the border in Georgia. Several AORs
were juveniles. Turkeys are seen frequently.
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Young Cottontail Rabbits are seen frequently around the farm and local roads. Win and I found a DOR adult River Otter
while locally cruising one day. Win reports seeing DOR and AOR Armadillos just across the border in Georgia. Several AORs
were juveniles. Turkeys are seen frequently.
Gene Ott
Hope's Notes:
While working at Buzzard's Roost, the area of the Saluda River directly below Lake Greenwood, on 7-15-06,
I heard an insistent squeaking noise that sounded like a baby bird in distress. As I got closer to the sound,
I could tell that it was off the walk-way to the left. I stepped into the grass and saw a slight movement among
the blades. As I looked closer, I noticed a distinct shiny black ribbon hidden among the dry weeds.
On my next step, it took off - a three foot black racer with a screaming mouse in its mouth. He rocketed away
from me with about the first 2/3's of his body off the ground. I was awed at his ability to move so fast with
so little of his body actually touching the ground -- an amazing animal!
Hope Ott
Win's Notes:
On 07/15/06, my job took me to several streams in Greenwood County where we
surveyed the aquatic life. We found the usual fish: chubs, shiners, hogsuckers, and darters. One interesting
fish that is only found in the Savannah River drainage is the Christmas Darter. We found
four of these splendid fish. Both streams were perfect habitat for queen snakes and I was looking forward to
spotting one. These beautiful serpents are noted for their highly selective diet. They eat only crayfish that are
still soft shelled after molting. Unfortunately, I saw no snakes that day. Several of my co-workers did spot small
watersnakes fleeing into holes in the bank. By their descriptions I believe they were midlands watersnakes.
On Friday I was boating up Little River in Georgia. This is a scenic arm of Lake Thurmond and is a great
place to look for bald eagles. I saw several adults that day. I was hoping to spy some brown watersnakes but
I suppose it was just too hot.
Saturday found me near the dam of Lake Thurmond. This is big water and not a good herping area. Mainly I
dodged jetboats and waterskiiers. I did spot a lone loon cruising the open water. Loons are common here in
the winter but I was surprised to see one this time of year. When I got home from work that night I found a
Northern Brown Snake crawling across my welcome mat. It appeared to be a gravid female. Soon she will give birth
to a litter of tiny babies.
Win Ott
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