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Southeast
Coastal Network National Parks - March 2003
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After nearly a year working
on herp surveys of the Southeast Coastal Network National Parks by the
spring of 2003 I had found most of the common species and was concentrating
on finding particular, less-common species and surveying parks where
we had not spent much time. One group of herps that was lacking were
some of the secretive, explosive-breeding amphibians. The torrential
rains of February and March 2003 caused extensive flooding in the southeast
and gave me a window to find some good new species at some of the National
Parks. After a particularly heavy storm in mid-march I decided it was
time to hit the road for a serious road trip. First stop: Congaree Swamp
National Monument.
Striking out in the evening
with moderate rain, I hit the road with fellow SREL technician Peri
Mason. We arrived at Congaree just after dark and quickly turned up
a very chilly brown snake (Storeria dekayi). Although it soon
cooled off too much see snakes, amphibians were out in force. We drove
peripheral roads, stopping to pick up amphibians and listen for calling
frogs. We immediately heard large choruses of spring peepers (Pseudacris
crucifer), southern chorus frogs (Pseudacris nigrita), southern
toads (Bufo terrestris) and a few gray treefrogs (Hyla chrysoscelis).
Unfortunately we had already documented all these species. Then we heard
it. Off in the distance the distinct snore of spadefoot toads (Scaphiopus
hoolbrookii), a species we needed! We continued down the road, stopping
on a DOR mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum) and a few marbled
salamanders (Ambystoma opacum). Finally we saw the squat form
we were looking for in the headlights: a spadefoot! First new species
of the night!!!
We continued for another
hour or so, finding more of the usual suspects. The rain was stopping
and we were considering calling it a night when we heard a telltale
"tink, tink" from a ditch and slammed on the breaks. Ornate
chorus frogs (Pseudacris ornata).
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After capturing
and photoing one, we paused for a second, listening to the chorus frogs,
but something was different. Peri and I looked at eachother, those weren't
nigrita, those were brimleyi!!! A new species for me and
a one I was desperatly hoping to find on this trip!!! Brimley's Chorus
Frog (Pseudacris brimleyi)
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We turned in, counting the
night a major success, 4 new species for the park and a lifer for both
of us!!! The next day we began the long drive to Cape Hatteras National
Seashore hoping our luck would hold.
We arrived at Hatteras to
find sunny weather and temps in the 70's, perfect! We stopped at a roadside
ditch and promptly found a pair of mud turtles (Kinosternon subrubrum)
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Our first
stop was a wetland complex on Hatteras known as Buxton woods. Although
heavy flooding made going tough, we quickly found a racer (Coluber
constrictor) and a cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)
along the wetland edge.
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Moving on
I decided to hit some dune areas. I was hoping that flooding might have
concentrated snakes on the dunes and might produce a kingnsnake. Sure
enough the dunes were seriously flooded. We parked along the roadside
and walked into the dunes, quickly finding a DOR amphiuma (Amphiuma means)
in the water. A good find, with few records from the island.
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We waded out
towards islolated dunes that were not submerged and picked up a couple
of sliders (Trachemys scripta) from the knee-deep water. Can you
think of a cooler circumstance to catch turtles?
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We made it
out to high ground and sure enough, the snakes were there. We grabbed
six racers (Coluber constrictor) in the space of 30 minutes, and
saw a couple more escape down holes.
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This very
orange brown snake (Storeria dekayi) was found benieth a chunk
of drift-wood along with some narrowmouth toads (Gastrophryne carolinensis)
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Unfortunaltly
after only a couple of hours on Hatteras, our time was up and we had to
head out. Guess the kingsnakes will have to wait till next time. We made
a quick stop at the Wright Brothers Memorial to check it out and were
able to verify the presence of redbacked salamanders (Plethodon
cinereus) there. What a wierd place to find small terrestrial
salamanders.
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We hit the road again, heading
for Cape Lookout National Seashore. Apparently the rain and sun had
really gotten the turtles moving. The road was littered with AOR and
DOR turtles. Mud turtles were by far the most common, but with good
numbers of snappers, sliders, and painted turtles (Chrysemys picta).
The heartbreaker of the day was a fresh DOR spotted turtle (Clemmys
guttata). I would have loved to see that animal alive.
We arrived at Cape Lookout
for a half-day of herping around the ranger station. The habitat there
wasn't great but we did turn up a racer and some newly metamorphed spadefoot
toads (Scaphiopus holbrookii).
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And some green
treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) in flooded ditch
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With little
luck at the Ranger Station we decided to move on to our next stop, Moore's
Creek National Battlefield in hopes of finding some snakes. We arrived
to find extreme flooding, I was sure there would be plenty of snakes up
in the the trees in the flooded forest.
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Unfortunatly,
snakes weren't out in quite the numbers I had expected. We did turn up
a racer and this nice yellow rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta)
in a tree.
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And a pair
each of Eastern (Kinosternon subrubrum) and Striped Mud Turtles (Kinosternon
bauri).
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We did get
a couple of new park records during the day, a southern dusky salamander
(Desmognathus auriculatus), marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum),
and ornate chorus frog (Pseudacris ornata). The find of the day
though didn't come till the ride home. Driving back to the hotel with
light drizzle and temps in the 60's, we first stopped on a live but hit
banded watersnake (Nerodia fasicata). Frogs were all over the road
and I hadn't been stopping but for some reason I decided to stop on one
at a river crossing, probably just another bronze frog. I slowed and shone
my light out the window and to my surprise, a carpenter frog (Rana
virgatipes)!!! A lifer for me and a herp I had been wanting to
see for quite a while. What a cool frog!
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Continuing
on we made a final stop at Fort Moultrie in Charleston, South Carolina.
Although the habitat at the park is pitiful, we did turn up a few herps.
A lone spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus holbrookii) under a board.
And a trio of racers (Coluber constrictor) under tin on
the sand dunes.
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Although the
trip was a little short on snakes, I couldn't complain about the amphibians.
With two good lifers and a bunch of new park records I counted the trip
a success.
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Although not technically
part of the trip here are a few other lifers that spring rains of 2004
produced for me. Most were found on the Savannah River Site, Aiken Co,
South Carolina.
Eastern Tiger Salamander
(Ambystoma tigrinum)
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Carolina
Gopher Frog (Rana capito)
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Oak Toad
(Bufo quercicus)
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