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Washups are fascinating! You can have a nearly empty beach one day, and next morning there are thousands of one kind of jelly lying on the sand, for miles. It almost feels like something landed from outer space.
It's great exercise too. Walking 1-2 miles on sand gives your legs a good work out.
I only walk 5 miles a day in the mountains at 7,000 to 10,000 feet. Sometimes I'll see a deer partially consumed by coyotes or a mountain lion. Not the same I know.
Saw a mama bear and her cubs this morning. I kept my distance and slowly backed away.
Turtle patrol is something I want to do, as do many others, so there is a waiting list.
Yesterday I was out with the dog while DH was making dinner. We were out near a saw palmetto where I had been pulling air potato vines the day before. The dog and I heard a rustling sound, followed by a long buzzing sound that ended with a flourish that made the dog jump back. I never saw it, but believe we had a close encounter with a dusky Pygmy rattle Snake. I went inside and found some YouTube videos with Pygmy rattlers and heard the same buzzing sounds on the videos.
90% of snake bites in FL are from this snake. They are 15 +/- inches long and you have to be really close to hear their “buzzing rattler sound”. Their venom isn’t much since they are a small snake, but still hurts and requires a hospital visit. I was back out this morning digging air potato vines out from around another saw palmetto. If I hear that buzzing sound again, I’m not going to stand in the same place listening to it. Duh! Live and learn, no matter how old.
I only walk 5 miles a day in the mountains at 7,000 to 10,000 feet. Sometimes I'll see a deer partially consumed by coyotes or a mountain lion. Not the same I know.
Saw a mama bear and her cubs this morning. I kept my distance and slowly backed away.
We went to New Mexico one summer...Red River in August and went hiking. When we saw the deer leg right in the middle of the path I looked around (for bears) and said.."ok, time to start heading back to town" .
Turtle patrol is something I want to do, as do many others, so there is a waiting list.
Yesterday I was out with the dog while DH was making dinner. We were out near a saw palmetto where I had been pulling air potato vines the day before. The dog and I heard a rustling g sound, followed by a long buzzing sound that ended with a flourish that made the dog jump back.
I never saw it, but believe we had a close encounter with a dusky Pygmy rattle Snake. 90% of snake bites in FL are from this snake. They are 15 +/- inches long and you have to be really close to hear their “buzzing rattler sound”. Their venom isn’t much since they are a small snake, but still hurts and requires a hospital visit. I was back out this morning digging air potato vines out from around another saw palmetto. If I hear a buzzing sound again, I’m not going to stand in the same place listening to it. Duh! Live and learn, no matter how old.
When I lived in Texas I traipsed all around my property..the woods, around the ponds, etc. in the winter.
But come late spring when the snakes came out of hibernation I cut my wanderings back big time to flat, mowed grass. Rat snakes don't bother me but there were a lot of copperheads as well and I didn't want to take aany chances.
When I lived in Texas I traipsed all around my property..the woods, around the ponds, etc. in the winter.
But come late spring when the snakes came out of hibernation I cut my wanderings back big time to flat, mowed grass. Rat snakes don't bother me but there were a lot of copperheads as well and I didn't want to take aany chances.
I found a rat snake curled up inside an empty terra-cotta pot I had outside. I had (past tense!) a flexible water hose stored in there. When I pulled the hose out, I did a double take and saw the snake in there. They are really good snakes to have around and are slow to get riled up enough to strike. I let it leave and put the pot away after it left.
There is a black racer that I see sunning out under another saw palmetto quite often. Two were doing a mating dance around the front water spigot last year. They are around.
I went on an eco-walk earlier this year and the guide pointed out a large Eastern diamondback rattle snake a few feet off the path. Like the Pygmy, they are gray/black and patterned to blend into the leaf litter. It was early morning and cold (for here) and it wasn’t moving, but the sun was getting higher, so we didn’t hang around.
Snakes don’t bother me, but I’d do have respect for them and keep my distance...when I see them. I’ve been pretty casual about pulling vines and being waist deep into heavy brush lately, a reminder was due.
Living in VT snakes are not much of an issue. Little green ones in the garden under the black plastic, we scared each other. But once I saw a big brown snake curled up near the foundation and of course I had to get my nose real close to it so I could admire its coloring. Looked it up later, copperhead. Yikes. Never saw one before or since.
Living in VT snakes are not much of an issue. Little green ones in the garden under the black plastic, we scared each other. But once I saw a big brown snake curled up near the foundation and of course I had to get my nose real close to it so I could admire its coloring. Looked it up later, copperhead. Yikes. Never saw one before or since.
Yikes is right, we have copperheads here in NC. I've never seen one, but my neighbor across the street, years ago living in a different area was bit and was in the hospital!
Found a black snake in my garage a couple years ago, no one was home that I could have come over. Called my Dad 89 at the time and he told me to pick it up and put it in the forest I did, it took a while, they are strong. It was scary, but know I could do it without freaking out
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Their venom isn’t much since they are a small snake, but still hurts and requires a hospital visit. I was back out this morning digging air potato vines out from around another saw palmetto. If I hear that buzzing sound again, I’m not going to stand in the same place listening to it. Duh! Live and learn, no matter how old.
I did, it took a while, they are strong. It was scary, but know I could do it without freaking out
