We’ll start today with a birth announcement: the bald eagles Desi and Lucy have produced at least one chick, and maybe more. We have proof from the photographer and chick’s godparent, Stephen Barnard from Idaho. Here is the bouncing ball of fluff:
This morning [JAC: yesterday] I took the first clear photo of a chick this season. They’re so ugly they’re cute. I can’t tell whether there are more than one.
Alex MacMillan sent a whole variety of pictures from a whole variety of taxa, all taken in southwest Ontario:
Blue-Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma laterale. This salamander is common at Rondeau Provincial Park. The ambystomatid salamanders are known to have a unique breeding strategy. Many populations are all female and engage in what some biologists refer to as kleptogenesis in which the females mate with males from other species but only express the female genes, that is they ‘steal’ the males sperm. This complex consists of five different ambystomatid species and the individuals are all degrees of polyploid.
Coyote, Canis latrans. A coyote watches me from the middle of a farm field in early winter.
Eastern Fox Snake, Pantherophis gloydi. This is a large snake that is found near marshes along the great lakes. This particular snake I found at Hillman Marsh and was close to a meter long. I was alerted to its presence by the sound of angry Red-Winged Blackbirds mobbing it. This species does prey on birds, particularly nestlings. It also has a display in which it mimics a rattlesnake by rearing up and vibrating its tail.
Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes. A Red Fox at the side of the road as we drove through the country. A moment later it ducked under the fence and was gone.
Eastern Hog-Nosed Snake, Heterodon platirhinos. Picture taken at Komoka Park. Hog-Nosed Snakes have an upturned nose which they use to dig out their favourite prey, toads. They are known for their impressive displays. This one is flattening its head and neck as well as hissing and curling its tail. If that doesn’t work it will play dead. There are several different scale patterns in this species. It is also a rear-fanged venomous species; however, no human deaths have been recorded to my knowledge.
Eastern Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis. This is a melanistic garter snake at Long Point Provincial Park. These melanistic garter snakes are common around Lake Erie.
Queen Snake, Regina septemvittata. Queen snakes are very specialized and feed almost exclusively on newly molted crayfish. This individual was found at the Ausable River. I had been reading a book in which a biologist described finding Queen Snakes in abundance at a particular spot on the Ausable in the 1960’s. I went to check it out and sure enough around 50 years later I found several Queen Snakes in the exact same place.
Red-Headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus. I am a big fan of Picids so I was very pleased to get a good shot of this Red-Headed Woodpecker at Rondeau.
Ring-Necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus. This small snake is a rear fanged venomous species, however I have never heard of one envenomating a human. This picture was taken at Inverhuron Provincial Park on Lake Huron.
Spiny Softshell Turtle, Apalone spinifera. Usually I only see the adult softshell turtles so when I saw this young turtle in the Thames River I scooped it up for a quick picture before letting it go. As soon as I put it back in the water it buried itself in the sand with just a bit of its head showing.
What a great collection of fauna today 🙂
I think the question for Idaho is — will this be “Little Rickie”?
Really great pictures today.
Great bunch of photos. Love the reptiles and amphibians from Ontario, thanks for sharing, everyone!
Nice to see pictures of reptiles! The Diadophis punctatus – I think it is hard to see how it could get its jaws on you to bite, it is so tiny!
Ya, I don’t think I was in much danger. Interestingly they do include other snakes as part of their diet.
Huh. I didn’t know that Diadophis punctatus was venomous. I looked these up on a UF website years ago because my kids were catching them and they were listed as non-venomous. Just checked the same site and still listed as non-venomous.
But, checking other sites I’ve found, “they also take small skinks, lizards and tiny frogs, which they immobilize with toxic saliva,” and “Although they are completely harmless to humans, ringnecks have weak venom in their saliva which they use to subdue their prey.”
I think UF should update/correct their website.
Ya, I think since they are not a threat to humans they get listed as non-venomous. I think they don’t want people to be afraid and possibly persecute the snakes. They are actually rear-fanged as well so even if bitten the fangs are so far back you couldn’t get envenomated.
To be fair it has been discovered that even common garter snake saliva is mildly venomous even though they are no threat to people even if you get bit, plus they have no fangs at all.
Makes sense. And they are beautiful snakes!
Belly colors range from cream to bright yellows and oranges around here. And, being Diadophis punctatus punctatus, they have the contrasting dark grey to black half-moon scales running single file down the center of their undersides.
And they release a rather pungent odor if unduly disturbed.
this is the perfect example of why this site is great. I’ve been catching D. puncatus ever since I can remember, they’re ubiquitous little buggers where I grew up (Cass and Jackson co, Mo) but I still find them to be the most beautiful local snakes. I never knew they were mildly venomous! Not that they could bite a person, even if they wanted to, being about as big around as a pencil. I still get the same rush whenever I spy that bright red-orange belly and neck ring hiding in the detritus.
I too love the little ring-necked snakes!
We’ve only found one on our property in the 30 years we’ve lived here–such a thrill.
Great photos, as always. Stephen, congratulations on your newest “bouncing baby!”
Alex, the herp photos are very good. Snakes can be difficult to photograph. The snake photos made my herpetologist’s heart particularly happy…! Thank you!!
You’re welcome! I have always liked snakes as far back as I can remember.
I think the Spiny Softshell Turtle is what we used to call the Rubber Backed Turtle when I lived in MI. They were quite common, along with The painted turtle and snappers.
I’ve heard “pancake” turtle but not rubber, makes sense though.
Here they are a species at risk although they can be locally abundant.
Nice reptile photos.
Such interesting pictures!
Will there be any interest in naming the eagle chick(s)?
I did not know that the hognosed snake was venomous, nor the little ring neck snake. I had caught a few of the later.
The fox snake — is that also called the ‘bull snake’? It does look like it. I used to catch these in Iowa, and they sure did put on a big show by buzzing their tail and curling up to strike, much like a rattler. But every time I had the nerve to go in for a grab they just ‘gave up’, and became tame.
Saw this oddity while out for a drive this weekend.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45195000/jpg/_45195878_-9.jpg
Sorry, couldn’t resist the juxtaposition of subjects.
Funny how plesiosaur pictures from the 1930s’ look like how they (incorrectly) depicted plesiosaurs from that time. If someone had a picture of live dinosaur from that time it would be standing erect in a swamp with its head held up and tail on the ground.
Yeah, funny that.
I’m wondering if the behavior of the Fox Snake is truly mimicry of a rattlesnake? I’ve seen black rat snakes do this (at least the tail vibrations), and I’m wondering if it is common snake behavior that the rattlesnakes have taken one step further?
The black rat snake that I saw do this was in a cardboard box, and the sound of the tail vibrations against the sides of the box WAS pretty convincing!
That is an interesting question. I think the tail vibrating in rattlesnakes must have come first as the rattle just amplifies the sound of the vibrating tail.
However I think non-venomous species probably started the behaviour after the rattlers where doing it, also the pattern on fox snakes is similar to rattlesnakes as well as the way they coil there bodies, rear up and bluff strike while they are ‘rattling’
I would like to know if Eurasian and African snakes vibrate their tails as there are no rattlesnakes outside of the Americas.
This is indeed an interesting idea since the rattlesnake rattle is supposed to call attention to them so they do not get stepped on. So even ~ convergent evolution of this behavior would make sense.
I lean toward it being mimicry because of the other bluff behavior that they do, but it is still an idea well worth keeping in mind.
What would help the case is if the tail vibrating behavior was seen in snakes in other parts of the world where rattlesnakes are not found.
Tail-vibration is indeed used as a defensive threat by numerous Old World snakes, and also (ahem) has various other functions.
I’ve heard the tail vibrations by a black rat snake (Elaphe) in dry leaves as well!
What cool observations! I was surprised to find a Pinker citation in there. 🙂
Thanks so much for open-access!
Hei,
I wanted to bright forth something that I think may be of interested, not only to Jerry but to other people that frequent this blog (especially those who comment).
JAC: Post truncated because a. too long and b. irrelevant to the thread.
I am truncating this post as you put it where it doesn’t belong, and it’s also a personal dilemma and not of general interest. Please don’t post where it isn’t relevant.
It’s also WAY TOO LONG.
Sorry.
I had a feeling it was.
Tom
Just a couple hour drive from where I’m at yet I have never seen three-quarters of these species! It is time for a little drive, me thinks.
Hog nosed snakes are adorable!
Exceptional group of photos today. I’ve never heard of most of the snakes- all are amazing, especially the Ring-neck. I had a Spiny Softshell when I was a kid. It didn’t last very long, so I never got another one as I felt they were too fragile. I would love to find one in the wild.
Is there any known advantage to a kleptogenesis (great name) species? Males- who needs ’em! 🙂
Lastly, that is one ugly/cute bit of feathery fluff.
Every day I am impressed with the photographic skills of Jerry’s readers. Kudos Alex for today’s!
Today, was a bit of a nostalgia trip. The first salamander I ever saw in the wild was a Blue-spotted one.
More importantly, TIL that the Massasauga Rattler is not the only poisonous snake in Ontario, but I’m not too worried about the Ring-Necked Snake.
“They’re so ugly they’re cute.”
Oh, no, Stephen, eaglets start out cute! Have you ever seen baby parrots?
http://www.xoticbirds.co.uk/uploads/images/2Galahandlesser.jpg
😀
Cute shot, looking forward to following the progress of this family. 🙂
And that last sentence was referring to Lucy & Desi’s family. I see that wasn’t all that clear…
Alex, great shots of a terrific assortment of animals!
I really appreciated the added commentary as well, especially this:
Fascinating!
That is a really cute looking turtle and the salamander is a real treat (they are common but not all that easy to find where I am).