Doc Op

Happy New Years

2011-01-04T10:04:00.000-08:00

Not only did January 1st bring a new year (i.e. 2011), it also brought rain and a slight warm front...and I wasn't the only one watching weather.com. I meet up with a couple close herping buds (Kevin and Ross). It had been raining for quite sometime and the air temp stayed in the range of 58-65F until I departed (~12:30).

Ross and I beat Kevin to the spot and quickly spotted five individuals o

f our target species. Photographed a couple before seeing an additional 2 more upon release.

Ambystoma tigrinum

Head Shot

Ambystoma tigrinum

On the crawl, posed

Ambystoma tigrinum

Full body

Elaphe guttata

Kevin cruised this guy en route for the meet up, AOR on a dirt road.

Happy New Years and Happy Herping!

Rubies in the Headlights!

2010-09-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

We came all this way one for one thing, for a weekend of ole' fashion herpin' in the Old North State!! Our eyes were set for the coastal plain, home to an endemic form of the Carolina Pigmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus m. miliarius) - a form that is erythristic (high red pigmentation). Once Kevin and I reached Greenville (coming from West Virginia) we met up with Scott, and Ross the next morning. We spent two nights cruising and a day in the field trying to locate these secretive snakes. We ended up photographing two live specimens and found one DOR. The specimens were left in their habitats to prolong their species' survival.

Black and Gold I

2010-09-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

I descend the shallow slope from roadway into canyon to canyon bottom. Hills of golden grasses cover rocks sloped steeply up, up hundreds of feet. As I begin my journey, I think for a brief moment and take a couple calculated steps. The air is soft and cool, its still early enough I though. I climb a few more meters in elevation, finding open areas amidst the caotic placement of hardwood trees. But, there were several such places, spread out among the rocky canyon slope. I hike along the thermal side, as the sun danced along the grasses the air warmed slowly. Short on breath I found the elevation to be demanding but not cumbersome. Walking further up I made a short pass towards the canyon floor. On the way down I noticed a quite patch of open slope just ahead. Carefully and slowly as I processed the ground I made my way back up. Looking between rock and grass, and leaf litter and rock, I carefully searched for familiar shapes. My eyes tingled for a moment, I looked back. A couple coils of golden scales lay exposed at the base of grass; camouflaged to perfection, a wonder it caught my eye. As the whole image processed, a quiet assurance came over me. Black and Gold, this creature lie unaware of my presence. The head was protruding from atop of the grass clump, resting in the early morning sun - taking it all in, digesting progression. It was his season, the season of the monsoon. The air turned warmer, his tongue flickered but still, not the slightest of sound was made nor motion. A few minutes later an awareness of his observer was made, movement was stirred, he caught me; still not a sound was produced from his lovely rattle.

Another was spotted as I walked the rocky shallow cliff of the canyon's waterway. As I step over a missing boulder my eyes drop down, another splash of Black and Gold awakens them. Basking on a 8 foot ledge is another, in perfect coil as it spins out of it in response to my movements. Tongue flicks, and movement.

Crotalus molossus

Summer dazin'

2010-06-28T00:46:00.000-07:00

Summer is my time. My time to go out and play with creatures more entertaining than most people and I'm lucky it's been my job for the past year and some. These are the fruits of a summer thus far's labor.

Figure 1: Scaphiopus holbrookii

Figure 2: An attractive Plethodon nettingi specimen.

Figure 3: Plethodon nettingi in ambush position.

Figure 4: Plethodon nettingi found on a Red Maple leaf at night.

Figure 5: Young Lampropeltis t. triangulum found out basking, late morning.

Figure 6: Three young Aneides aeneus found on rocky boulders.

Figure 7: Large, attractively bright orange Cryptobranchus alleganiensis found out foraging at night.

Figure 8: Gorgeous black Crotalus horridus found coiled in vegetation.

Sandhills Cruising in the New Herper Whip

2010-06-01T09:30:00.001-07:00

2006 Subaru Forester feat. gravid female Elaphe obsoleta (Black Ratsnake)

LOST: the manifesto theory

2010-05-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

LOST: the manifesto theory

Live together, die alone
live together as one

It was all Jack's awareness and his coming to grip with his own death and the relationship between him and his father...the time changes were his fading consciousness. He never got up from the plane crash...he died right there, in the bamboo forest. The other characters were mechanisms for finding faith and peace in death.

There was no heaven, no hell, and there was no purgatory....just life and then death.

This all comes to fruition at the end, when none other than Christen Shepard exits the 'church' - a ode to Plato's cave allegory as the 'remaining' characters were staring at the back wall while the light cast behind them. These characters together at the end represent none other than parts of Jack. Characters developed in his consciousness to reconcile with his own life. All of the main characters Syide, Hugo, Kate, Sawyer, Sun, Jin, Locke, Claire, and Charlie (even Shannon and Boone sort of) had father issues - however, ultimately each of these characters were different parts of Jack coming to terms with his own father. Also, this comes to play in the flash side-ways as Jack has his own son. Christian in the last 5 minutes of the finale says that these people (the ones in the church) are the most important people to Jack's life - as a facet of different parts of Jack.

Now, the island - what do we make of this? The island represents the creation story and this is where the Darma Initiative comes into play. They were Jack's consciousness of science trying to disprove faith. The 'others' are actually characters that were never developed, because they did not need to be. The magnetic field represents a deity (or perhaps a force) controlling (compass bearing, etc.) and creating, one only Jack could interact with. It was Jack's idea to set off the atom bomb, this was Jack coming to terms with faith. But Jack's acceptance of faith came when he came back to the island.

Now, what about the smoke monster...Smokey, or as I called him Eli (would have been a fitting name eh)? Well, we see the smoke monster as Jack's father at first, well before it turned into John Locke. Both though, counter-view points to Jack's own. The smoke monster had to be John Locke representing the counter to Jack's life of science, faith. And as Jack went on he found that John was right, the climax Jack's realization that he must kill the smoke monster.

Wait a minute...what about Jacob and the candidates? Jack had to the Jacobs successor, it was his story of reckoning. This is also why Jacob did not choose, Jack had to choose.

Kate had to be Jack's love interest because in Jack's real life his love interest was lost to another man. In this consciousness this would have been Sawyer. Hugo existed so that Jack could fully learn to trust others - it represents Jack after his acceptance of faith. The ancillary characters were never fully developed. Their development was centered around a single facet of human personality. This speaks to their simply being facets of Jacks personality or psyche. Kate represented the urge to escape from responsibilities and repercussions. Sawyer was the bitter child still stuck in his own disillusioned childhood unable to let go of the past. The only time the characters weren't at odds with each other was in some way or another was the finale this symbolized Jacks fragmented psyche finally uniting and being able to "let go". Further support for this theory is illustrated by Jacob and "Eli". They represented the good and evil in Jack's own psyche. This is indicated by their having the same mother (the same source) and all being part of Jack.

To add creditability to his theory is in the flashbacks. In every character's flashbacks there are references or images of other characters - except for Jack. Jack's flash backs were his real life, at odds with his father and with faith. The character that appears in a Jack flash back was Desmond, who was not on the plane and this examples why Desmond is on the island. Also, Jacob did not appear in a Jack flash back instead Jack appeared in Jacob's when he aided Jack in obtaining the candy bar.

The eye is the key to this theory and to lost, we begin the pilot with Jack opening his eye and awakening and we end in the finale with Jack closing his eye. In the moments between Jack's eye opening and closing, the island life with all the mythical creations and spiritual metaphors is just Jack's reckoning, his awareness, his ability to let go and move on...leave. Die.

Good bye.

Lost represents life and death, science and faith.

Lost is literature for those that do not read fiction.

With no heaven, hell, or purgatory we have a conclusion of science and faith, life and death - without religious repercussions.

To note: the entirety of lost was an ode to Charles Dickens. The book for which Desmond saved until the end was entitled, "Are Mutual Friend". The character development and the writing style of the writers was in homage to Charles Dickens. The series finale was a nod to Dickens, as it ended giving viewers two ways to view it; a more palette ending for those that wanted a good cheerful ending and a bitter one, in that all those lovable characters were not real but rather part of Jack and it was just about Jack dying and letting go.

This theory was constructed by Nathan Shepard and Adrian Yirka

Marshall Website

2010-03-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

As a graduate student I have to launch and maintain a personal website for Marshall University. Now I admit I'm not the most creative web designer but I did create this all from hand coding, which was rusted some in the absence of practice. Take a look if you want to know more about my research, if you just want to read more about my adventures, stay tuned.

http://www.marshall.edu/herp/Grad_Students/Nathan%20Shepard/nathan.html

Not everything is up and running, but hopefully will be soon. I have a newer, revised version I will upload soon enough with my CV and a couple other research topics.

Light Room 3 beta

2010-02-06T14:48:00.000-08:00

Light Room 3 beta public is out and I downloaded a copy last night. So far its everything I've needed in one nice clean package. The ability to edit from RAW files is great and not only to batch convert to jpg but to resize, watermark, and add a custom title all my edited photographs in one big batch is great! Not only that but I can the upload them all to flickr right from LR. Its everything a photographer needs, unlike to the full versions of photoshop, which are designed with broader aims. I can't believe it took me this long to actually try Light Room. Sweetness. Below are some try outs (decent photographs that needed a touch up).

cirrigera vs. bislineata

2009-12-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

The variable life of Eurycea.......

vs.

Thamnophis sirtalis

2009-12-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

I believe no one argues that the Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is the most common snake in West Virginia. At least if they do, I've got a post for them. These all are from 2009.

Mountain Top One:

Mountain Range Two:

Mountain Range Three:

(in-situ)

Mountain Range Four:

Mountain Range Five (my favorite specimen, only one captured at this location.)

Bonus: Individual from OH, just over the river from WV.

Though the most common snake in WV, this species is quite variable. From range to range and individual to individual variation is high.

Blue Ridge Caudata Post

2009-10-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

Recently posted a long overdue quick overview of my trip last (2008) September to the mountains of North Carolina. Goals were Plethodon jordani and P. yonahlossee and we were successful in that pursuit. Hands-down the best find of the trip was a Pseudotriton montanus from Avery Co., the second specimen found within that county and an attractive specimen. Enjoy, link to post below.

http://fieldherpforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=28269

Overview

2-3 Rana palustris (AOR)
1 Thamnophis sirtalis (habitat)
TMTC Desmognathus monticola (habitat)
several big D. quadramaculatus (habitat all at night)
several D. "ochrophaeus" (habitat)
1 Eurycea wilderae (habitat)
3-4 Plethodon cinereus (AOR, habitat)
1 P. richmondi (habitat) - lifer...no photographs
12+ P. cylindraceus (habitat)
40+ P. jordani (AOR, DOR, habitat) - lifer
25-35 P. yonahlossee (habitat) - lifer
1 Pseudotriton montanus (AOR) - lifer
2 P. ruber (AOR)

Plethodon yonahlossee

Desmognathus "ochrophaeus"

Pseudrotriton montanus

The Last Great Stand

2009-10-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

The fate of the long leaf has been a well documented decline. It symbolizes the wild south, while highlighting the state of our natural planet. Wilderness forests across America have perished due to our destructive ways, only patches or stands of properly managed forest exist. In the south, we have seen the eradication of the great long leaf forest, replaced with residential areas, roads, canals, shopping centers, churches, wal-marts, and ever expanding cities. Our wilderness expanses have been expended. Fire management is often suppressed for safety concerns, altering the state of these 'wild lands'. But alas, there are a few small parcels of land that resemble their wild cousins, long leaf still lives. These are the last great stands. And in North Carolina, the last great stand of long leaf...burns on...

"for every creature, balance is found between grass and fire"

Fall Festivities

2009-10-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

The word was out, simus are on the move! I cleared my schedule, jumped in the car with field hook and camera in hand and headed south. The goal was to spend Friday and Saturday snake hunting the sandhills and then move up north to Granville county to poke around for horridus Sunday morning.

Kevin and I arrived in the sandhills around midnight Thursday night and quickly set-up our campsite, complete with two sleeping bags laid out on a sandy bank overlooking a borrow pit where Hyla andersonii can be heard calling at the right time of the year, not the fall however. Sleep quickly found us and we awoke promptly at 9:00am to find our patner in crime Ross had just started getting ready to head down to meet us, about an hour drive for him.

The day started out slow, cruising a few roads on our way north to meet with Ross, finding nothing out and about. We checked a couple tin spots here and there with little success, not even skinks were seen under pieces. After meeting up with Ross, our success went from nothing to the holy grail of sandhills herping.

While taking a random road to short cut between two highways and eventually over to a suitable habitat for our target, I drove down a neighborhood road with a significant about of traffic.....

Pituophis melanoleucus

The day continued with varied success, where herps were absent, good times were still had. I had not seen or talked to Ross since early June, before he departed once again to the mecca of herps, Ecuador. As we cruised around on both paved and sand roads, we got caught up on life and how our respective summers have been.

Coluber constrictor (juvenile)

Heterodon platyrhinos (2009 hatchling)

Differences between (Right) Heterodon platyrhinos and (Left) Heterodon simus

Heterodon simus (2009 hatchling)

Heterodon simus (2009 hatchling)

The temperature started to cool and we found ourselves giving up cruising and opting for some mexican food. After dinner each of us (Kevin, Ross and I) grabbed a six pack and headed for Wade's. We tried each other's beer as Wade entertained us with images from this many trips out west. Images of corals, pink atrox, klaubs, and humor danced in front of us.

We awoke to the sound of rain, the had temperature dropped along side. Our morning was slow and we spent some time hanging out with Wade around his house before setting out. After a quick stop at pizza hut for some lunch, we made our way back north to the sandhills with 'watered' down hopes of more snakes warming in the road, but to no avial. Tin produced little...

Eumeces inexpectatus

Scincella lateralis

At our last tin site, Kevin flipped a pair of copperheads under a single sheet of tin, in the same area as a pair were flipped last year with the same coloration and markings....hmmm. The more attractive and smaller of which is pictured below.

Agkistrodon contortrix

After a photo session with the many critters we had stumbled upon we said farewell to the sandhills and started our trek north, up to Raleigh. Sunday morning Kevin and I made our way up to check out a spot I found a horridus shed at a couple weeks before, but it was too much to ask for. On the way out and towards the highway we managed to cruise an AOR box turtle, a DOR Rough Green snake, and seconds after I said, "Man, I have never seen a snake on this road", Kevin points out a snake I failed to see. After a little concern, we had a quick photo session. Seven hours of driving north lay in front us of, but behind, was a weekend well spent.

Opheodrys aestivus

We made our way back up with a photo card full of photos each, more fond memories, and smiles on our faces! It was great to back in the south again! Till the next time...

Heterodon simus -- Peering from beneath, in search of spadefoots and other micro-adventures.

A fieldherpforum.com post review

2009-09-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

In order of date posted

A quick update from high -- As of late, I've moved to WV to start graduate school in the fall. I the mean time, I'm spending my summer doing field work. I love the fact my entire day is spent outside in the woodland flipping cover and walking night transects. A few lifers have been picked up here and there; Rana sylvatica, Gyrinophilus porphyriticus, Plethodon nettingi, Plethodon wehrlei, Plethodon glutinosus, and the one I've been searching for, Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum.

Good bye 2008, hello 2009 -- A post about the top three lifers (from the states) of 2008; Bog Turtle, Pine snake, and Southern Hognose. Hello 2009 - outline of my first herping trip to the sandhills of 2009. We skunked out on a Tiger salamander, however, found my first January snake ever, first snake of 2009 - Dekay snake. Also, we found A. mabeei, and many N. punctatus with Adrian and Matt by my side.

POST/PART 1: ECUADOR 2008 - WEEK 1 - Amazonia -- The account of my first week in the Ecuador. Located in the Napo Province, this post follows Ross and I day by day in an account of our adventures while in the Amazon. Highlights include - Bolitoglossa perviana, Bolitoglossa ecuatoriana, Oreobates quixensis, Drepanoides anomalus, Imantodes cenchoa, Imantodes lentiferus, and Micrurus leminiscatus helleri.

Carolina Update -- A very short post only containing two photographs - my first Pituophis melanoleucus, and a fuzzy out of focus but neat shot of a Sistrusus m. miliarius strike.

Most Carolina Movement!!!! Spring has ... sorta sprung! -- Was a very broad post reviewing the first quarter of 2008 (Jan, Feb, and March). Highlights include finding Tiger Salamanders, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes, Okeetee Corn snake, herping around Raleigh, first mud snake of the year, lots of spring stump hunting, and a little piedmont and sandhills NC movement.

A 2007 year end review of the carolinas -- My first primary post on fieldherpforum.com, a long winded tribute to herping the carolinas in 2007. My first Tantilla, 81 inch Coachwhip, first mudsnakes, pigmys, scarlets, scarlet kings, canebrakes, first redbelly water, eastern kings, red pygmys, NC mudsnake, onslow county pygmy, and some simus. -- Plus many, many other things, too many to list.

New Addition: Porthidium lansbergi hutmanni

2009-08-21T16:48:00.000-07:00

On the way back for a recent trip to Arizona, I picked up something new along the way. I've been wanting to start up my own Porthidium collection for some time and never thought I'd have the chance to get an Isle Margarita specimen! Well, its a hell of a way to start my Porthidium collection. I picked the little guy up in Houston, Texas as we were on our final days of traveling.

The individual now lives in a small sweater box that has locking clamps on either side ($1.99 at Target, I love these small things). I'm keeping him on a mix of cypress mulch and orchard moss (avaible at Lowe's Hardware for about $4 a small bag). Along with the substrate he is has two small shallow water dishes and is misted once daily. Usually on days when I fed I mist him about 30 minutes before feeding and heavier than on other days, seems to put him into a feeding mode. He quickly goes into a feeding response when food is offered, striking rapidly. It takes a few hits until he finally holds onto the prey. As of now he is eating pinky parts (mainly snouts).

Porthidium lansbergi hutmanni

Isla Margarita Hognosed Viper. CB 2009.

A quick trip down south

2009-08-09T13:04:00.001-07:00

Recently I joined Kevin Messenger on a quick trip down to some old familiar stomping grounds down in South Carolina. Quick into our trip Kevin and I stumbled Cottonmouth crossing a dirt stretch of road near Kevins old study site. After a few photographs, the snake was saftely moved off the road. Sunset soon found us and the game began. The moon was not in our favor of producing a high quantity of snakes this night, but fate was not far away. Within an hour of sunset we drove right up on a Carolina Pigmy, soaking up warmth on a quite paved patch of road winding through some of the best long leaf sandhills habitat left in the state. It was a rather contrastly individual for this locale, but nothing phemnomenal, except it was the first pigmy of the year for both of us.

Further down the road we met up with Matt Nordgren who had just seen a scarlet snake, which he bagged for us to photograph. A little while later after unsuccessfully finding anything else we met up with Matt to photograph the scarlet snake and found he we had seen a garter also. Though the night was less than ideal for productivity we were contident with our pigmy find. For us it was a nice piece of the annual herping pie, one that this year we almost missed entirely out on.

"...some of the best long leaf sandhills habitat left in the state."

My Hogg Island Boa litter is here...

2009-08-09T12:55:00.000-07:00

I awoke late on the morning of June 27th, 2009 to the sight of 14 live young healthy boas. A total litter of 17, with 1 stillborn and two slugs. Average weight was 52.31 grams. Not too bad of a first liter for the nearly 8 year old girl. Anyway, they are now for sale. $100 each (male or female) and $170 a pair. As of August 8th six have eaten.

$100 each (male or female) and $170 a pair.

POST/PART 1: ECUADOR 2008 – WEEK 1 – Amazonia

2009-04-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this off and on...as of late (the past couple of nights), I've been sending a lot of time editing photos and getting this ready. This is to be the first in a segment of six total posts outlining my visit to Ecuador this past summer. It only took me 7 months to get this first post done...next up post 2.....

http://fieldherpforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=24040

This posts takes you day by day for the first week while I was down in the Amazon. Enjoy...

Frogs: The Thin Green Line

2009-04-04T19:16:00.000-07:00

Check it out PBS is showing a Documentary calling, "Frogs: The Thin Green Line", 8:00pm EST Sunday, April 5th. See the website and preview video...

Website - Preview

Behind the scenes

Agriculture's Effect on Frogs

Its been a busy month...

2009-03-31T17:08:00.000-07:00

Let me start with saying I have loads of photos to edit and upload, loads! I'm seriously backlogged now. I can't even keep up with 2009 alone... So far 2009 has kicked 2008s ass! Anyways, in addition to more photos I've got coming, I've got several articles/essays I've been writing recently. I'm going to start writing a few things for the NC Herp Society's newsletter, both as the husbandry chair (articles relevant to husbandry) and as a naturalist. Anyway, blog I haven't forgotten about you...

My female Hogg Island Boa looks to be cooking some young ones, hopefully. And I think my cal kings are in copulation as I write this...

Here is to 2009!

Cover Shot

2009-03-04T19:33:00.000-08:00

A relatively exciting thing occurred in the past week. Penn State Outreach magazine contacted me about using one of my Bog Turtle images in their magazine. Of course I gave them permission and sent them a high res version. Low and behold, I did not know until they sent me this, that my image as going to be used as their cover. I thought that was pretty cool. They are giving credit inside and next to my name is a link to my flickr and all my photos and a link to the NC Herpetological Society's Project Bog Turtle website. Hopefully, they will use more photos of mine in the future.

South Florida Winter Trip 2008 Post

2009-02-20T18:42:00.000-08:00

Kevin and I just posted our 2008 south florida winter trip on fieldherpforum. Kevin posted a nice trip wrap up with some photos and nice cometary, I added a few more of my photos to the mix.

Link below...enjoy.

http://fieldherpforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22955

To view the rest of my photographs...

http://flickr.com/photos/nathanphotography/

Largest snake 'as long as a bus'

2009-02-09T20:01:00.000-08:00

Similar in habitat and habits to an Anaconda this ancestor to the Boa constrictor could achieve a total length of nearly 45 feet, thus being the biggest and longest snake to ever exist on earth.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7868588.stm

I must confess my love for Pilsener!

2009-01-25T17:06:00.000-08:00

Upon my leaving Ecuador in July of 2008, I packed in my check bag two six packs of Pilsener. I had to share the love that is Pilsener with friends back home, as well as, reminisce on all those fine nights snake hunting down in Ecuador.

-- A Pilsener sponsered football game in Guayaquil. Though this image sums up the popularity of this beer in Ecuador.

Pilsener is one of those unique beers, where you need to drink and experience it in Ecuador before you love it. At a cheap price of $1 for 24oz, it is easliy the cheapest beer I've ever had. At bars and resaturants I would pay as much as 1.50 for a 24oz, you just can not beat that anywhere else. Even in Namibia drinking beers we'd pay more per oz.

As I was browsing for the companies website, to see mainly, if you can infact import this beer in to the states, I found out that only one bar in the states serves this wonderful beer. A bar in New York City charges 4.25 for a 12oz bottle...not nearly as cheap as it was in Ecudor, but nonetheless, if I'm in New York I might pop in for a little reminiscing. In my search, I also uncovered a couple Pilsener advertisments on youtube.

I enjoyed the second advertisement more. Anyway, as I drink my Pilsener I will reflect on how awesome Ecuador was...and probably still is...

Annual South Florida Winter Trip Photos Up!

2009-01-15T20:17:00.001-08:00

Check em' out. I've got 98% of the 2008 Winter Trip photos online. Only a few more to upload. The trip post will be up sometime this weekend on fieldherpforum.com, as well as my 'so far 2009' post. Check em' out.

http://flickr.com/photos/nathanphotography/

Raise them high, this is to 2008!

2009-01-10T10:09:00.001-08:00

As we all pass over to 2009 I wanted to take a literal minute to thank 2008 for being all it was. I obtained many life goals and experienced things I had only dreamed of. Not only was my adventure in Ecuador with Ross amazing but also, my field season here in NC has been very refreshing. I had a great season last year and I don't believe I'll have a better one for sometime, if ever again. I hit what I call a grand-slam last year in NC...here is what I mean.

My first Northern Pine snake

My first Bog Turtle

My first Southern Hognose

All in one season nonetheless! Thanks to everyone that made 2008 what it was possible, that includes Jeff Beane, Ross Maynard, Kevin Messenger, Adrain Yirka, Greg Vigil, Mike Martin, Joe Flowers, Wade Kalinowsky, Jayme Waldron, Dave Cooper, Phil Bradley, Peyton Hale, Zach Barfield, and many, many others. See you sometime in 2009.

Stalking Tigers in the Swamp

2009-01-09T17:35:00.000-08:00

This is a 'rough draft' of the night I found my first tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum). I wrote this up about 10 months ago. It has 'rough' parts that are unneeded or are in need of different wording, but whatever, thought I'd share...

Even though I sit here with a cup of hot tea, some tissues, and antibiotics by my side, I can still say it’s better to be stalking tigers in the swamp, than the contrary; Tigers stalking you in the swamp! With that said I can too say that spotting and catching an Eastern Tiger salamander is worth the runny nose, fever, and use of legal medical drugs; if the cold and wet weather did indeed sicken me or at least had a part in the reason why I’m sick.

The Eastern Tiger salamander, scientifically known as Ambystoma tigrinum, is the walking, burrowing, arthropod munching beast of the terrestrial salamanders. It is a rather large species as far as terrestrial salamanders go and is the largest in its group of salamanders, the Ambystomid salamanders. This group includes the well known Spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) and the Marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum). The Eastern Tiger salamander is one of six subspecies, others include; the Gray Tiger salamander (A. t. diaboli), the Barred Tiger salamander (A. t. mavortium), the Blotched Tiger salamander (A. t. melanostictum), the Arizona Tiger salamander (A. t. nebulosum), and the Sonoran Tiger salamander (A. t. stebbinsi) (Crother 2000). Within the southeast we only have the Eastern Tiger salamander subspecies, but this species ranges throughout much of the US (Conant 1991).

It had been a long time coming, so to speak. I had read of this species since back when I was a youngster, I can hear the ole’ grumpy herper laughs, or rather gasps! I had caught two of its sister species when I was a young boy, probably around the age of 12, flipping logs in a wet area at the Piedmont Environmental Center, Marbled and Spotted salamanders. I had long dreamed of the day when I could hold in my hand a wild Tiger, the crown jewel of North Carolinian Ambystoma salamanders.

One damp, wet night in early January I decided to have a go at finding a Tiger salamander. I had heard of a friend of mine’s recent success in the same areas I was about to search. I called up a few herpin’ buddies, Ross and Kevin, and we were off to stalk tigers in the swamp!

The first area was made up of two small burrow pits. I pulled up my hip waders, Ross put on his knee boots, and Kevin searched from the bank. It was sometime later, when morale was low and we were about to announce to each other that we should migrate to another searching area, when my eyes found him. He was just sitting so still in the water. I must have stared at him a few moments before alerting my search partners of his presents. My nose was starting to run and I made a wiping motion with the back side of the hand under my nose to wipe away the endlessly flowing snot. Then, I got ready, with both hands on the handle of the dip-net. It was then, when I alerted everyone, “Here’s one! I’ve got a Tiger!!!” At least something to that degree was yelled over the otherwise calm landscape. And with one big motion I threw the dip net over him. After bringing the dip net up and inspecting it, I again yelled, “I got one, my first Tiger! Holy ____!”, and that’s probably the edited version of my language then.

Kevin and Ross came over and I walked out of the pool and over to the car for a trophy photograph (pictured; taken by Kevin). Man, what excitement! We took a few minutes find a proper place to photograph him and continued to photograph him for several on several minutes more. After which, he was placed back in the pool and we went on to our next spot.

Our next spot was an aestically better spot from the human point of view. A wet ephemeral meadow pool with its long grass and shallow waters was home to many species of herps, mainly frogs. I had kept my hip waders on and everyone fully geared up literally and mentally, after finding the first of the night. We each entered the pond from slightly different areas to maximize our search efforts. The first thing to be noted was the egg masses. They were covering much of the pool and they greatly inhibited us from searching the whole area, our purpose is conservation first, so no damage was to be done to any future offspring.

Again, I found my nose running and I let it run and often it trickled out of my nose as I searched. I was focused, in having found my search image. Slowly, quietly, and systematically, I made my way through the pond. After 5 minutes into my search I spotted my second of the night. This one though, I was going to catch by hand. I yelled to everyone, “Tiger!” At the same time Kevin yelled out, “Tiger!” I rolled up my sleeve and plunged my hand into the icy cold water. It was a surprisingly easy catch, probably having to do with the cool water temperature slowing the Tiger’s movements and reaction time. I yelled again, “I got it!!! Anyone want photographs of this one!?” The reply was no, so this Tiger, brighter than the other one earlier and of Kevin’s, was let go, back into his pond. I wished him luck with his amphibious future and continued my search.

After Kevin finished taking photographs of his Tiger, he let his go and I made my way back to the shore. Ross was still searching intent on finding a Tiger of his own, but unfortunately tonight was not his night and he came back frustrated but all the happy he was at least outside searching for Tigers. We then made our way to our third spot; Kevin alerted me that this was his 26 or so hour awake. After trying to find our way into spot number three of the night and not succeeding to find it, we called it a night. My nose was running like blood out of a cut artery and the cold was creeping in on everybody. Kevin took off to go stump hunting in southern South Carolina and Ross and I made our way back to Raleigh. Ross and I had to wake up early-ish and help out at the Museum’s Ground Hog Day festivities and our table, “Snakes in the winter”.

Although I do favor hunting herps during the warmer times of the year, it was nice to get out into the field and catch such an impressive salamander, a Tiger salamander! Lifers are always remembered and this one will especially be.

Literature Cited

Conant, R. and J. T. Collins. 1991. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. Xviii + 450.

Crother, B.I. 2000. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Herpetol. Circ. 29:1–82.

New Music

2009-01-08T19:23:00.000-08:00

I've been hearing about this kid for a minute or two. Meant to post this a month or so ago but anyway, go hear listen and download or download and listen...or even listen, download, and listen to this dude Asher Roth. Dude is fresh as hell and we'll probably get sick of his new single 'College' but the end of 2009. By the way, happy 2009! Whatever...

[LINK]

Video from Asher Roth: The Greenhouse mixtape...

Now, check this shit! His bassist aided in capturing a "terrorist" (otherwise known as a crazy that said he has a bomb but whatever, shits crazy.)

Asher Roth subdued bomb scare at LAX

Today he was interviewed and spoke of the event

On another note while searching for endless bullshit on youtube and procastinating on not doing my Ecuador posts for fieldherpforum.com, I stumbled on this dude, which is surprising since I haven't heard of him before. This video is rather neat and the dude has flow...

word....

yum.....

2009-01-08T19:02:00.002-08:00

...visiting my past vacation through food and photography can be fun but it also makes me feel a bit hungry...

I present the hogfish sandwich! Since June of 2007 we haven't been able to visit the Keys and not eat one.

Stella complements it very well...

"Our annual south Florida trip has turned into our annual quest of the hogfish sandwich. Gotta show some love for the keys. Key Largo, FL. 14-Dec-2008."

The Magnificent Bog Turtle

2008-12-04T17:46:00.000-08:00

It all started in grade school, when I first saw a photograph of a Bog Turtle. Immediately, it became my favorite species and one I have admired for its beauty since. After fifteen years I got to see one in the wild...I got to find my first bog turtles.

The day began at 5:30am, a time that I usually don't see. But on this day I had to meet the rest of my camp at the research lab by 6:30am. I had gotten all my gear ready...as all of it was already in my car, a herper is always prepared you see. One never knows if they will have to slide a snake off the road or if they will hear that county record frog calling, which has to be retrieved. So, I hastily get-up and ready for the day. And find myself, briming with ancipation, arriving at the wet lad early, around 6am. No one else is there yet this early, so I double check my gear. Lunch (a sandwich, apple, and bottle water), my knee boots, and my camera gear (double check its all there).

At around 6:20am Mr. [=Dr.] Beane arrives at the lab. We greet each other and I load up my gear into the museum van and make conversation until the others start to arrive. Jeff Hall is the next and he loads up. At around 6:45am, most of the group points out 15 minutes late, Bob Davis arrives, not realizing he's late but thinking he was early. 6:50am we are on the road and rollin'.

We meet up with Gabriella at our first bog site. This site sits at the bottom of a hilly field. It is mostly dried up by this point in the season, but we give it a try and dip our sticks in the mud hoping for a chunk, chuck, which should indicate a turtle underneath. We give this bog a good effort for nearly 3 hours but our group has zero luck, as its dry, grown up and hard to see. We break for lunch and head to site number two.

At site two, we meet up with Tammy Sawyer and the group starts out strong with Tammy finding the first Bog Turtle of the day within 10 minutes of poking and searching.

-- The group searches on...

I continue searching...using two sticks at once. One in each hand and their movements are independent and quick. As a couple other find a few more turtles, I question my technique and my speed. Thirty of so minutes of search and I here the clunk, clunk...Could it be a submerged stick or log that I hit? I've stuck my hand in the mud many times today for those. No, its was different, more resonating when I made contact. I quickly but carefully push my hand down in the mud and over into a small pocket. I grab the object and immeditatly know what I have. I pull it out and shout something I've wanted to since my childhood..."I've got a Bog Turtle over here". I use a piece of pink ribbon and tie off the place of capture, so later after the specimen's data is worked up and he is mark, I can release him where he was exactly found...right in the same little pocket of mud.

-- My Lifer Bog Turtle (front two legs are missing but otherwise a healthy male)

I take him over for a few photographs. For one photo we placed Jeff Hall's fresh hatchling on top of my adult for a little size/lifestage reference image. As my eye is looking through the view finder, Jeff points out a snake making his way through the middle of the photo session. I then wonder how many herps go right on by without my detection while I photograph another herp, in this case two others.

-- The two age groups (Hatchling and adult)

-- Nerodia sipedon (the snake found itself in the middle of a photograph session).

I release my turtle right into the same muddy world I forced myself to take it from. I then wish him look luck and search on, round two. As I make my way up to Jeff Hall I hear another clunk this time Jeff's stick made the connection. It didn't seem like the same clunk my turtle made so I figured it was a log or something, but to his well trained bog turtle shell sensitive ears, he knew it was a bog turtle immediately. I marked his spot and searched on. Not five feet from where he pulled his turtle out I made contact with my second turtle of the day. I stuck my arm, this time farther, down into the cool mud and extracted out a gem of a bog turtle. Nearly perfect with a little shell injury as if something had tried to chew on it. This turtle was gorgeous.

-- One of my favorite finds in turn, makes one of my best photos. Winner of the 2008 Herpetological Society Photography contest, color images.

The day ended perfectly with a total of 17 turtles found, most new turtles for the population, and some BBQ on the way back home. This represents one of the most exciting and significant days in the field for me. This species was my highest life list goal. Check.

And here's to next season!

In a post-ecuadorian world

2008-11-29T15:56:00.000-08:00

Well, I made it home, though, home is now a busy place. I picked up some more hours at work and I've been busy doing that since I got back. But, its been nice to have some sort of decent amount of cash flow. The trip itself was phenomenal, way past any of our expectations. I've only had time to go through half of the first two days of photos! 3000 in total to go through.

For example, this was our first snake of the second night! And we ended up finding three specimens of this coral snake.

Anyway, I'll post more on the trip on later dates. Ecuador provided some of the best herping I've ever experienced. Our last night we went out and found several snakes...3 were species we had yet to see in 3 weeks of night hiking and the other species was our most common species of coral. It can't get better than that! Met a lot of really cool people from all over and I got to see some amazing places/things. One day I'll be back there...for now I just wish I was still there.

Ecuador 2008

2008-06-18T14:18:00.001-07:00

Ecuador 2008 I write this on the eve of my departure to Ecuador. A place rich in herpetofaunal diversity. My main goal on the trip is to see, observe, learn, and document as much as possible about the the places and creatures I'll be visiting. I hope to add a great many snakes, lizards, frogs, salamanders, birds, mammals, and fish, to my ever growing life list of life.

Photography, GPS, and daily journaling will be my formats of documentation on this trip. Mostly, I'll be recording the specimen and locality remarks for all reptiles and amphibians encountered. Other creatures of interest will be noted also. Currently, I have 12 Gbs of memory; so more than enough to capture everything I observe scurring on the forest floor or sliding along atop us in the limbs of the canopy.

I just purchased a new camera today, the 40D. It's been just shy of 5 years since I obtianed my last camera the 300D or otherwise known as the Digital Rebel (the first one). It was a nice and much needed upgrade. I got the kit that came with the 17-85mm IS lens. I'm looking forward to working with it and new photography subjects in the upcoming journey.

Packing and getting ready has been as stressful this time as any time before a trip. I'll be glad to be gone from all of it for a good long while. Upon my return I'll have two new snakes to care for. They are Bitis caudalis and my favoriate species of snake. I have extremely looking forward to obtaining them.

In just about 28 hours I'll be in Ecuador! I don't know what communication will be like. But I'll update everyone with e-mails when and if I can get access to the internet. I just want to thank Adrain, Peyton, and my room mates for watching over my stuff while I'm out of the states, thanks again.

Nathan Shepard

Updated flickr

2008-05-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

I updated by badly void of updates flickr account today! Mainly herp trip shots up from May, June, July of 2007. The rest of 2007 will be uploaded shorty, as time permits. Here are a couple 'best of' 's from this past update:

....How fun that time was when gas was only 2.49 a gallon!! Instead of every weekend or so, I've only gotten to herp there once this late spring! So, sad...

On another note, I've been trying to get everything ready for my trip to Ecuador this summer. Still have a few other things to get out of the way. Anyway enjoy, FLICKr

The aim of this blog

2008-05-19T14:05:00.001-07:00

The aim of this blog is simple...moments and things of interest out of my life or from the lives around me. This includes news articles, my current projects, trip reports, photographs, album reviews, and etc. The subject material is diverse (hip-hop, herps, photography, life, etc.).

Pictured below is the author with two of his favorite herpetological specimens.