Gene's notes

Week ending 03-30-03

I forgot to mention in last week's notes that on Sunday (03-23-03)I heard Gray Tree Frogs singing in the trees for the first time this year.

Wednesday (03-26-03) evening after dark we had a gentle rain and temperatures hovered in the low 60s F. I drove around local roads. There were many frogs and toads hopping about. Most of the toads were Fowlers. The frogs were mostly Green Tree and Upland Chorus, and a few Gray Tree Frogs. I found 2 Northern Brown Snakes, one D.O.R. and one A.O.R. I also found a Slimy Salamander alive on the road.

On Friday (03-28-03) I journeyed to Columbia to assist at the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Exhibit (ARC) at the Palmetto Sportsmen's Classic (PSC). The PSC is a large annual hunting, fishing and outdoors show sponsored by SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and other organizations and businesses. I understand that the wonderful herpetologists at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) started the ARC exhibit and sponsored it alone for many preceeding years. With budgets being what they are now, the SREL needed help. Steve Bennett of SCDNR organized herpetologists from throughout the state to help with this year's exhibit. The exhibit contained many live specimens from SREL, DNR, and other organizations. The exhibit was a great way to encourage herpetological education and conservation. I assisted by helping staff the exhibit for the day. During a rest break, I attended a very interesting and entertaining lecture/performance by Okefenokee Joe on recognizing our venomous snake species and the conservation ethic.

Saturday (03-29-03) was a beautiful, warm day. I lifted a few boards near my house and found 3 Eastern Worm Snakes. In the evening, I heard Fowlers Toads calling for the first time this year.

Sunday (3-30-03) was cool and rainy. Frost and freeze was forecast for the next morning.

Gene Ott

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Joey's notes

Week ending 03-30-03

Spring is here in force. Fields, lawns, pastures are vibrant green. Trees are blooming with white, rust, yellow, and purple. Dogwoods are blooming. Seldom do you have to look far for a Tiger Swallowtail. Skinks, Green Anoles, and Fence Lizards seem to be everywhere. It is all VERY nice.

Monday (3-24-03), I had my students outside a bit and they were thrilled with their first Six-spotted Tiger Beetles, Cicindela sexguttata. I had told them they were bright green, but I guess they had to see it for themselves. We also found some C. tranquebarica and C. repanda. We found an Eastern Worm Snake under some tin on campus.

Tuesday (3-25-03), The Eastern Worm Snake was still under his tin. We found two others in the woods near the classroom. The Tiger Beetles were everywhere on campus.

Wednesday (3-26-03), Feeding in the classroom, again the Glossy Crayfish Snake accepts a pinky mouse scented with crayfish.

Thursday (3-27-03), We found our first Fowlers Toad of the year, under a log on campus.

Friday (3-28-03), Pretty day. No time outdoors

Saturday (3-29-03), Destination; Columbia. The State Fairgrounds hosts a huge hunting/fishing show every year called the Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic. This year, Steve Bennett called on various folks from around the state to help set up a display/booth of South Carolina Reptiles and Amphibians. I went, and helped at the booth. Lots of neat animals on display. Lots of people came through. Lots of questions to answer. Lots of good friends working to booth to talk to. Prior to my time at the PSC, it ventured into parts of Lexington and Calhoun Counties and found a Six-lined Racerunner and several nice Tiger Beetles, C. scutellaris. Would have been a great day to spend afield, but I had fun anyway.

Sunday (3-30-03), Cold, rainy and no time outdoors.

I can almost smell a road trip coming up.

Joey Holmes

Gene's notes

Week ending 03-23-03

Monday (03-17-03) my wife and I left for vacation during school Spring break. The day was gray and rainy. We traveled to Summerville where we booked a motel room and then went sight-seeing and shopping.

Tuesday (03-18-03) in late morning the rains stopped and the sun broke through. We drove to the Old Santee Canal Park at Moncks Corner. This is a beautiful state park, operated by the Santee-Cooper Authority, heralds the first canal constructed to provide planters and merchants a safe, efficient means of transporting goods to Charleston harbor by linking the tidal Cooper River estuary with the Santee River. The Santee River Basin includes the center of the state from the mountains to the sea. The park contains miles of easy, well-maintained trails and many natural interpretative areas. The Interpretative Center melds into the natural environment. There were many sliders basking on logs. One slider appeared to be a Red-eared Slider, a species which is not considered to be native to South Carolina. We saw 2 juvenile Alligators basking. We also saw 2 nests occupied by Ospreys and a Great Blue Heron on its nest. Many Green Anoles scurried about the boardwalks. I was really pleased to be able to photograph one Anole eating its skin as it was shed. The only snake I saw was an Eastern Cottonmouth basking on a root ball. I was on a boardwalk, 10 feet or more from the snake when I spotted it and it spotted me. The Cottonmouth immediately made a strike in my direction, extending its fore body high into the air. Then it resumed a watchful, coiled position.

Wednesday morning (03-19-03) before breakfast I spotted a juvenile Raccoon emerge from the salt marsh. Being wet and coated with dark silt, the raccoon looked like a large rat. Later, my wife and I toured Boone Hall Plantation. The fabulous “Avenue of Oaks” leading to the plantation was located just a short way down the road from the bed and breakfast where we stayed near Mt. Pleasant. Especially enjoyable was a motorized coach tour of the plantation. The plantation, with over 700 acres, is an active farming operation. Along the way, we had to wait for an adult female Alligator to move off the road. I was able to capture images of a Great Egret, a Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, and Anhinga. We also saw a Green Heron, Tricolored Heron, Kestrel, and Wood Ducks. There were many basking turtles, but I did not spot any snakes or lizards. The sky was very cloudy and a cool wind blew from the northeast. After enjoying a delicious lowcountry lunch in the plantation kitchen restaurant, we drove into Mt. Pleasant and did a little shopping. I took the opportunity to photo the Ring-billed Gulls and Laughing Gulls scavenging the parking lot.

Thursday (03-20-03) was very rainy. We spent the morning shopping and then visited with an old friend living in the area.

Friday (03-21-03) was a beautiful, warm Spring day. In the morning, we visited the SC Aquarium. What a great facility! In the saltmarsh exhibit, I was able to make pictures of a Little Blue Heron, Hooded Merganser, White Ibis, and Common Moorhen. Outside in the harbor, Eastern Double-crested Cormorants were fishing. A Porpoise also hunted by the dock. Later, we drove to St. George where we took a room for the night. I drove to the Edisto River for a quick look. Along the way I found a Spotted Turtle on the roadside. Its shell was intact, but the turtle's muscular response was slow and weak. I placed it in a roadside ditch.

Saturday (03-22-03)was a gorgeous, warm day. In the morning (03-22-03) we cruised roads in the area. A couple years before at this same approximate seasonal time, I had seen Brown Water Snakes exhibiting courtship behavior in pools below a couple of bridges. I was hoping to find the same bridges again and see some more Brown Water Snakes. Before going very far, I checked and found the Spotted Turtle from the evening before had not moved. Further along, I found another Spotted Turtle on the road. Fortunately this one was unhurt and healthy. We never did find the bridges I was searching for. The only snake I saw was a D.O.R. Black Rat Snake. As we travel toward home, we saw many D.O.R. mammals, including 2 Coyotes and 1 Bobcat. We stopped in Branchville and found the Olde School Barbeque Restaurant for some great lowcountry food. After lunch we visited the Ott Cemetary where I searched for some on my ancestors.

Sunday (03-23-03) was another beautiful day. Back home, we had a family gathering. At twilight, I cruised local roads. I found a baby Black Rat Snake on the road. It was alive, but injured. A group of 3 deer crossed the road, and later a Gray Fox darted across.

Gene Ott

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Joey's notes

Week ending 03-23-03

Monday (3-17-03), Spring break, off work, cold & rainy.

Tuesday (3-18-03), Spring break, off work, cold & rainy. Braving the elements, I went out back and checked my tin. Found several Slimy Salamanders, a Ground Skink, and Eastern Worm Snake.

Wednesday (3-19-03), Spring break, off work, cold & rainy.

Thursday (3-20-03), Spring break, off work, cold & rainy.

Friday (3-21-03), Spring break, off work, Warm and sunny. In spite of many other obligations, I ventured as far as the minnow pond. Green Darners were flying, Eastern Painted Turtles and Eastern Mud Turtles were basking Azures and Falcate Orangetips fluttered about, and I caught my first Cicindela sexguttata (Tiger Beetle) of the year. I even saw Ground Skinks, Green Anoles, Slimy Salamanders and scorpions under debris by the road. Great weather. Great time for a spring walk.

Saturday (3-22-03), Warm and sunny. I had lots of obligations. I did see a Green Darner zoom over the yard.

Sunday (3-23-03), Took my sister and her son, age 7, to the minnow pond for a walk. We saw the first Tiger Swallowtails of the year, as well as Spring Azures, Falcate Orangetips, and (Cabbage?) Whites. Reptiles included Eastern Mud Turtles, Eastern Painted Turtles, and Ground Skinks. We saw Green Darners. We caught some Tiger Beetles (Cicindela sexguttata). Several frogs jumped into the water as we passed, and the shallows teemed with tadpoles. My nephew caught a couple of Cricket Frogs. We caught and smelled some Whirligig Beetles. Good to spend some time outdoors with them. Even better was my second trip to the pond, a solo trip, after dark. I needed to collect some Spring Peepers as feeder items. This was easily done, and I also put a Cricket Frog in the bag. Bullfrogs and Southern Leopard Frogs were seen, but I had no need of them. Insects were real attention-getters. Several Ground Beetle (Carabid) species were scrambling about, including Bombardier Beetles (Brachinus) as well as some stunning green Chlaenius. I found a nice spot of clear water about waist-deep with a large number of Bullfrog tadpoles. Last year’s crop, and they were huge. In and out of the area went several Diving Beetles. Fascinating to watch, I stood and shined the light for several minutes, just staring into the water. A Barred Owl hooted in the distance. The Spring Peepers sang with all their hearts. It made it possible to forget, if for just a short while, what is going on in the deserts of Iraq.

God Bless America!

Joey Holmes

Gene's notes

Week ending 03-16-03

Thursday evening (03-13-03), just after sundown, I found my first snake of 2003. My wife and I were traveling to the nearby school where she is the media specialist. We have been making a display for the school to remember our soldiers at this time of peril. Creatures were active on the roadway. An American Toad hopped across our driveway; further on, three deer crossed the road; a pair of feral cats were courting on the roadside; a Screech Owl darted across the road; and a couple of Cottontail Rabbits ran zigzag paths along the road. Then I spotted a baby Redbelly Watersnake in the middle of the road.

Gene Ott

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Joey's notes

Week ending 03-16-03

This week has been one of seasonal changes. Sure, we have had cool, wet days (like today) but we have had some beautiful sunny weather as well. The lawns and fields are turning green, but the forest is still gray. Some of the trees are starting to bloom. Ornamental Pears are particularly pretty.

Tuesday (3-11-03), At work, I had my students look for crayfish in the creek on campus. We found one, but instead of feeding it to our Glossy Crayfish Snake, we put it into a small container with a little water and a pinky mouse. We let them sit for about 30 minutes. Then we poured all the water from the container into the tank that houses the Crayfish Snake. Instantly, the little snake was aroused. prowling and sniffing for food. When we dropped in the pinky, we got the reaction we wanted. The Glossy Crayfish Snake ate the pinky! This was the second time we have fed him pinkies. We also fed some Spring Peepers to a group of baby Corn Snakes that have had trouble feeding on pinkies.

Thursday (3-13-03), Took advantage of the pretty day by spending a bit of it outdoors. We found Question Marks, Spring Azures, and Mourning Cloaks (Butterflies) as well as Skinks, Fence Lizards, and Anoles. After work I stopped off at the pond and walked for just a few minutes before seeing my first Dragonfly of the season, a large fellow, I suspect was a Green Darner. Plenty of Peepers were calling and Southern Leopard Frog eggs filled the shallows. I also saw my first Falcate Orangetip (Butterfly) of the year.

Enjoying Spring,

Joey Holmes

Gene's notes

Week ending 03-09-03

On Tuesday night (03-04-03) the frogs were singing vigorously at the farm pond. For the first time this year, I noticed Pickerel Frogs calling their snoring sounds. I grabbed my spotlight and camera and walked about the pond. Almost immediately I spotted a Southern Leopard Frog perched on grass at the pond edge. Later, I spied a Spring Peeper at the headwater end of the pond. Finding a Pickerel Frog was another matter. Although they were the most active singers this night, I searched and searched in the flooded grass at the pond edge but could not spot any. By sound location, I determined that the Pickerels were on the bank under the thick layer of dead grass.

Wednesday night (03-05-03) and Thursday morning (03-06-03) we received very heavy rains. My driveway crosses a small branch. I have a 5-foot diameter culvert under the drive. The rain had come so fast that the waters impounded and threated to overflow the driveway. When I droveout Thursday morning, there was only 4 inches of freeboard remaining. Fortunately, the rains slowed and the drive was not breached; the level had dropped about 2 feet by afternoon. That night after a light shower wet the roads, I walked down my favorite road strecth hoping to find some salamanders. I found 1 DOR newt and several live Green Tree Frogs. Despite a very wet Fall and Winter, I have found almost no salamanders this year.

Saturday (03-08-03) was a beautiful Spring day. Pear trees were blossoming. I saw the first turtle basking (Slider) on the water covered peak of the rock in the farm pond. A juvenile Green Anole Lizard scurried on the patio. Sunday (03-09-03) was even more beautiful and warmer (73 deg F). I spent a pleasant day with family. In the pasture, a calf was born. Upland Chorus Frogs, Spring Peepers, Southern Leopard Frogs, American Toads, and Pickerel Frogs seranaded the night.

Gene Ott

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Joey's notes

Week ending 03-09-03

This week has been pleasantly warm, and had its share of rains. Things are starting to happen.

Tuesday (3-4-03), A gorgeous day. Wild Turkeys gobbled and strolled through campus in the quiet time (7-7:30AM) before we woke the boys up. I had my class outside as much as possible and we were treated to some great animals. Ground Skinks, Fence Lizards, and Green Anoles were easily found, but we also saw Butterflies (Mourning Cloak and Spring Azures). Best of all, we found Tiger Beetles! Cicindela tranquebarica! Right behind the office! Cool! After work, another staff and the boys would find a Brown Snake on campus. They caught it, put it in a container, in my classroom (we would ID and release it the next morning).

Wednesday (3-5-03), I visited the pond after a warm and humid day. The Spring Peepers were calling so loudly that I doubt I could have heard the cell phone in my pocket, should it ring. Southern Leopard Frogs also called a bit, and American Toads were present, but quiet. I collected a few toads and peepers as feeder items.

Friday (3-7-03), 7-7:30 AM on campus, again the Wild Turkeys were fun to watch. The males pace and strut, occasionally bumping into one another. Putting and gobbling sounds fill the morning air. Nice.

Saturday (3-8-03), Beautiful, sunny day. I spent a little time in the pasture by the river. The only herptiles I saw were a few Eastern River Cooters that were basking. I did enjoy more Spring Azures and Mourning Cloaks (butterflies). Honey Bees buzzed actively around their hole in an old oak tree. This, I choose not to get too close to. Enjoyed it from a distance.

Sunday (3-9-03), Back to the pond. This time during daylight. Scaup and Geese flew away as I approached. Peepers called. Leopard Frogs called. Upland Chorus Frogs called. A few American Toads tumbled and swam in the shallows. An Eastern Mud Turtle slid off his basking perch. Still no Dragonflies. I had a pleasant time anyway.

I love this time of year!

Joey Holmes