Search for the Painted Turtle: Part II

In a second attempt to spot the elusive painted turtle on Vancouver Island I headed to a farm close to where I'd gotten a tip off for painted turtles in the area. The only other wetland I new of north of Miracle Beach was behind a dairy-turned blackberry farm on Salmon Point. I didn't see any turtles, but I did find some very interesting creatures including this wandering garter snake. A sharp-shinned hawk also had a go at some starlings over my head. It's always super cool to see hawks in action like that. Thamnophis elegans vagrans. Salmon Point, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. July 18, 2009. Canon PowerShot A430. ISO 100, 5.4mm, 0 EV, f/2.8, 1/100.

This is a great example of the grey colour phase for the wandering garter snake, our own subspecies of the western terrestrial garter snake. Notice the almost checkered look to the spots and how large they are. It is usually only western terrestrials that have large, dark spots like this. I caught it in a sort of pond or slough behind the farm. Now, I don't want to go around making any grand claims, but I'm quite certain their are bullfrogs on this farm because one of the ranids I saw made a *peep* sound when it jumped into the water. It is usually only bullfrogs (and a few subtropical relatives) that do that, so I don't think it was a regular red-legged frog. If there are bullfrogs in this pond, it is the farthest north they've gotten yet, as far as anyone knows. I did find one just south at Saratoga Beach, but it was just one large male and I eradicated it once it was captured. Thamnophis elegans vagrans. Salmon Point, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. July 18, 2009. Canon PowerShot A430. ISO 100, 5.4mm, 0 EV, f/2.8, 1/400.