C&O Canal in Maryland, Just across the river from Shepherdstown, WV

Went walking down along the C & O canal today. The weather was nice, and the sun was out, but there wasn't too much moving on the trails (besides the bikers and walkers). I heard a Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) croaking in a vernal pool.

Pinkish Wood Frog photographed a couple of years ago in Sleepy Creek WMA.

There was also what I think were Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) floating around in the Potomac River. A cormorant of some make or model flew over at some point as well. They have such a characteristic shape in flight. It's hard to mistake them for anything else.

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)

Do these pixels resemble birds?

I'll probably need to invest in a better camera to do justice to the birds on the river.

On the topic of Corn Snakes (Pantherophis g. guttatus) in West Virginia....

A corny friend of mine.

Pantherophis guttatus guttatus
An attractive snake and one of the most common snakes kept in captivity. They're a dime of dozen animal, a normal hatchling can be purchased at a show for $15 or in wholesale lots for $3-4 each. In some parts of their range they are thick on the ground, much like Black Ratsnakes are in the Eastern Panahandle of WV. 
There are a grand total of 3 records for corn snakes in this WV. All of them in Morgan county, and all of them in the same general portion of the county. I've been roaming around the back roads of Morgan county at night for years, flipping stones along power line right of ways, and wading through dump sites, flipping mattresses and old lumber.  And I have yet to find the 4th record.
The corn snake is my white whale...

Don't let your eyes deceive you. This is a corn snake.

I've been publicly shamed for my failings when it comes to finding (or failing to find) this species of snake (Thanks, Dr. Pauley). I think this year might be my year. I' have a particular Nature Conservancy Park in mind that should be the jumping off point for my efforts. 

If anyone out there is reading this and has seen corn snakes in WV please email or comment.

Flaskback to 2005 herp survey...

You would have never though that those stupid things work did you. DOR Black Ratsnake.



Goofy chart from my West Virginia Academy of Sciences presentation comparing expected vs total species that I found in that survey.

My points from the 2005 survey. Not many... I think 59 points at 46 sites...

Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia - In context of the whole state.

There's a baby on his back.

Genus Enyaliodes.

Look at it's ambient deliciousness. The article goes on to talk about it being lunglesss. Also it might be classified in with Bolitoglossa. And I have no idea who exactly that genus is.

Remember velociraptor!

Pictures all belong to Nat Geo! Not me I use them with love.

There's also some sweet bug pictures at this link as well.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/photogalleries/ecuador-new-species-pictures/index.html