11.24.2010

Non-herp animal encounters






Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)

My friend Lori set up an opportunity to capture and band these fantastic little owls while we were up in Virginia. I had assisted in this (mostly as a tourist) in Indiana one year, but this was my first time removing the owls from the nets and banding and measuring them myself.



American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

This robin just looked stuffed beneath an American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) tree that had dropped a lot of ripe fruit. I partook of some of the fruit and then photographed this bird that may have been too full to be very concerned with my proximity!



Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Even though these animals look like oversized rats, I really enjoy seeing them. Interestingly, they are the only marsupial that occurs in the U.S.





Unknown fungus. I just liked how these looked.

11.16.2010

Catching up on some fall photos


male Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)





adult male Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma bishopi)





gravid female Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander





Rusty Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus floridanus)



Rusty Mud Salamander larva



Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea cirrigera)



Dwarf Salamander (Eurycea cf. quadridigitata)



Apalachicola Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus apalachicolae)



Central Newt eft (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis)



juvenile Two-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma means)







Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis)



habitat





Japanese Giant Salamander (Andrias japonicus) in National Zoo in Washington, DC in the same salamander family (cryptobranchidae) as hellbender







Carolina Gopher Frog (Lithobates capito)





Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)



River Frog (Lithobates heckscheri) and Bronze Frog (Lithobates clamitans clamitans) on left and right, respectively



Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans)



juvenile Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)









juvenile Southern Hognose Snake (Heterodon simus)




Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi)


All photos are of animals found in Florida except for the hellbender, giant salamander, and indigo snake.