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Index of Subjects Greetings: Speaking of snakes, I had an interesting sighting on Thursday, Aug 17. While doing some censusing of odonates in Belchers Pond, just west of Parkland Drive at Heathside Cres. in Clayton Park West (Halifax), I noted a snake swimming across the Pond taking full advantage of the numerous lilypads on the water surface. I got a picture of it which I will try to post. It was at least 60-70 cm long, a beautiful orange-brown colour with richly patterned sides. Sounds like a Common Garter Snake? In this same pond earlier in the day we found a couple of ~15 cm fish which the students we were with thought were trout. I will try to post pics of these as well so that the fishers can have a look and possibly help to ID. We were rather surprised to see fish this size in this tiny pond which was full of algae but perhaps the pond is not in as bad shape as we originally believed. We (our local trails group) have started some environmental monitoring of the water here but need some values against which to compare our data. Osprey and Great Blue Heron do frequent the nearby Belchers Marsh several hundred metres south of the above-mentioned pond and on the east side of Parkland so there are fish in there. Both Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers were seen on Thursday on either one of these wetlands. Anyone in the HRM metro area and visitors with an hour or so to spare would be well advised to check out the natural history these two aquatic habitats and the stream which connect them has to offer. Trails totalling 2.5 km circle the wetlands and connect them, and a brochure prepared by the trails group (Halifax North West Trails Association) is now available. The Wild Flora Society has carried out several field trips here and has found at least 100 flowering plants, ferns and trees. It is not rich in bird life but there are lots of odonates including: Ruby and/or Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (I cannot distinquish these even in the hand..... Any suggestions?) Zillions of these!! Twelve-spotted Skimmer - a few Four-spotted Skimmer - a few Canada Darner - several Common and Emerald Spreadwing - many Eastern Forktail - a few Powdered Dancer - a few Bluets (still working on the id of these) - several species Ebony Jewelwing - common, just now I have some pics of some of these as well. For further info on any of the above, please contact me off-line. Regards, Bob McDonald Halifax bobathome@hfx.eastlink.ca ----- Original Message ----- From: "David & Alison Webster" <dwebster@glinx.com> To: <NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca> Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2006 5:01 PM Subject: [NatureNS] Snakes in the woodpile > Dear All, Aug 19, 2006 > For 25 years I have cut firewood to 14" length and piled it, in the > woods or nearby clearings, covered with two layers of 22" wide > polyethylene held down by a layer of wood. I number of small animals take > advantage of these shelters. > > For the first decade or so almost every pile, when hauled, had one or > more snake skins. As coyote sign became more abundant, snakes became > sparse and finding a skin was an event. Snakes are now making a comeback > in these woods and this year I have seen many skins And perhaps because I > hauled wood earlier than usual I have also seen many snakes. > > For example today, while loading 1/2 cord of wood cut in 2002, I found > 9 snakes; all different snakes because I went out early so they were cold > and easily caught and moved away from the pile. > > Almost all of the 30 or so snakes that I have seen while hauling wood > this year have been Common Garter, displaying a stunning diversity of > color variation but today there were two SMOOTH GREEN, looking like jade > carvings, and perhaps a Northern Redbelly. I noticed today that one had a > red-orange belly and marveled at the variation of Garter but on checking, > I see that Garter does not ever have reddish bellies. > > Yours truly, Dave Webster, Kentville
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