Ugh...

Well, I finally did it.  I'm on Facebook.  Not a personal profile or anything...just business.  Still, it feels wrong.  Those of you who know me will know how much this hurts me.  Be kind with your mocking. :)

If you would like to see my Facebook page, you can go here.  And while you're there, you should like it or give it a thumbs-up or whatever it is that people do on Facebook.

I suppose I'll get used to this eventually...

Kyle

Website Revamped!

Hello all,

If you visit my website these days, you will notice that it looks a little different!  I have made some major changes, both aesthetically and to the content.  I am offering some new trips and workshops, so have a look at those if it's something you may be interested in!  All feedback and criticism on the new site is more than welcome, so don't be shy!

Cheers!
Kyle

Pelee Again

On another trip to Pelee last weekend I was really able to showcase my outstanding forethought and preparation - by completely forgetting the majority of my camera gear.  With one lens and a nearly-dead battery, my photography options were running low.  In the end, I only took 5 photos the entire weekend, and all of them were of this dirty turtle:

Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata)

Nonetheless it was a solid weekend and we saw some great birds, including Kentucky Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler (and 19 other species of warbler), Black Tern, Northern Mockingbird, Red-headed Woodpecker and some other cool stuff that I don't currently remember.

:)
Kyle

More Amphibians!

Decided to take a stroll for salamanders last night.  Here are some results:

Redback Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)

Redback Salamander - Leadback Phase (Plethodon cinereus)

Blue-spotted (type) Salamander (Ambystoma sp.)

Red-spotted Newt - Eft (Notophthalmus viridescens)

I'm still in search of that elusive first snake of the year - it seems I am always the last to find one.  I can't believe it's mid-May and I am still without!  My eyes are peeled.

Happy herping!
Kyle

That Magical Place

Took an impromptu trip to the most magical place on earth (or something like that) with a couple of friends this weekend.  We were mostly birding, but in addition to seeing plenty of birds (though nothing of exceptional note), I took the opportunity to photograph a couple of tricky reptiles (and one common one).  I also discovered that my Therm-a-rest has a hole in it, and stays inflated just long enough for me to fall asleep before losing all of its air and becoming completely ineffectual.  I am sore.  Here are the reptiles!

First, the common one:

Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata)

Lovely, but not that exciting.  On to the less common (and typically more challenging to photograph).  Northern Map Turtles are among our most skittish turtles, and are usually difficult to get close to.  Nonetheless I managed to find a few obliging ones, like this big female (whose scutes are peeling off).

Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)

And speaking of tough to photograph, Ontario's only lizard is freakin' fast!

Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus)

Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus)

And one token bird photo, just to show there are other types of creature in this world:

American Coot (Fulica americana)

That's all for now!  Go outside!

Kyle

A Springtime Reminder

Found my first roadkilled turtle of the season today:

This is an excellent reminder that turtles are now active, and are coming into contact with people in a very negative way.  Female turtles often wander in search of egg-laying sites, and get run over in the process.  This is one of the primary risk factor for all turtle species in Ontario.

So, what should you do?

1. Watch carefully for turtles (and other critters) crossing the road, especially when driving near suitable habitat.

2. Give them a hand!  It is vital that we all help move turtles across the road.  Be sure to keep them going the direction they were already traveling.

So get out there and save those turtles!  On a more positive note, I did come across this more lively individual a few minutes later, which I safely escorted off the road.

Not too happy about being moved, but better than being crushed!

That is all,
Kyle

Photos taken on my phone, sorry for the quality.