Another update from NC! Lucky for me, I have 5 surveys to go! Unluckily for me, I can’t do them all in a row! Surveys are every other day, and right now I’m looking to run my last on October 14th (dependent on weather). I have to finish by the 15th. The 16th will involve taking data equipment down, packing, and I’m looking to be driving back to Tennessee on the 17th.
Also unluckily for me, the time is going by incredibly slowly and I’m anxious to be back in Tennessee. Jay has moved in to the new house in Sevierville , and I’m excited to get back and get everything settled. On days I’m not surveying, it’s really very boring. There is nothing to do here in Elizabeth City, and even if there was I probably wouldn’t do it since I’m trying to save money.
I’ve read about 7 books since I’ve been here, and I’m nearing the end of the biggest one I decided to tackle…Gone with the Wind. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the movie, and I’ve I found the book to be an easy read, albeit a long one. It’s been interesting reading a different take on the Civil War and reconstruction in Georgia, and I’ve enjoyed it. I’m more than 600 pages in and I’ve got about another 100 or so to go.
A cold front recently came through and drove all of the pesky mosquitoes out for a few days! But it’s been really cold! The fields I’m out in to survey are so large, the wind just whips across it. The other morning it was in the lowers 40s!
Endless soybean fields
Before the cold front came through, I had a pretty interesting few days on the site. Firstly, I’ve been seeing a lot of bears! I saw about 4 different bears last week! Also, I found a dead timber rattlesnake. Now, I hadn’t seen a venomous snake on the site at all until last week. I knew they were around and I was anxious to see one. I was really bummed that the first one I found had been run over and it’s rattle removed. I was even more bummed that I found it on an extremely rural road where I rarely see anyone.
A few hours later I was running my afternoon survey in one of the few forested regions that’s part of the site, I was thinking about how much it stunk that the first venomous snake I saw was a dead one, when….ta da! A beautiful timber rattlesnake was stretched in the road before me!
Timber rattlesnake #1
Timber rattlesnake #1
Naturally, I got out and took pictures. This snake looked great; about 4ft in length and nice and fat. He didn’t rattle, didn’t coil up; in fact, he didn’t move an inch. He sat perfectly still and let me take my pictures. And when I moved back to the car to take the coordinates, he quietly moved off to the woods. It was an awesome experience and I’m super excited I got such a close look!
The next day, I was equally surprised to see…another timber rattlesnake!
Timber rattlesnake #2
Timber rattlesnake #2
This snake was about 3.5 feet, but looked great as well! And just like the first rattler, this one didn’t move an inch while I took pictures. Two rattlesnakes in two days; not bad at all!
A few days later, I was conducting my afternoon survey and found another snake! This one was a little different. I was on the same road as I saw the first timber rattlesnake, and this snake was so small that I didn’t see it until it was right in front of me. I thought I ran it over! I jumped out and ran up to it, it was about 8 inches long and stretched out in the road and didn’t move. I thought for sure I killed it. I moved a little closer, and all of a sudden it coiled up, started to hiss and looked very menacing!
It was then that I realized I was looking at the non-venomous Eastern Hognose snake! This is one of the coolest snakes around!
Eastern Hognose!
The hognose is named for its upturned snout. It’s a small snake, feeds mostly on frogs and toads. And its a very unique snake. First, when threatened it can flatten it’s head (like in the picture) and make it’s self look very cobra like! If the threat remains, it will throw up its previous meals. And finally, if that doesn’t work, it will play dead! Literally, it rolls over, and sticks its tongue out of its mouth and emits an odor that will make you think it’s dead! And the best part, this snake rarely ever bites, even though it puts on a great show!
I was so excited to see it, I didn’t know hognoses lived in NC. We had one at the Sanctuary that I’d use on occasion for my education programs, but I’ve never seen one in the wild.
I didn’t pester this one to the point where he wanted to play dead, but I did take a few pictures and after I backed off, he went on his way. My roommates and every other wildlife guru I’ve told about this snake have been extremely jealous, as I would be!
Needless to say, the snake and bear sightings recently have been a real treat!
I can’t believe the hognose snake was only 8″! I was having a lazy Saturday morning, with the boys all gone, and the first thing I did was check FB. The first thing I saw was that snake. Needless to say I don’t share your enthusiasm of snakes. But I did have to research about it after I saw your amazing picture. That is one ugly snake. Still can’t get over how little it is.
By: Janice on October 6, 2011
at 11:47 am