Every summer our yards hosts a number of toads.
Soaking Up The Sun
A great time of day to spot turtles in the river is at dawn.
Since they are cold blooded the turtles need the warm of the sun to really get moving. Rocks in the middle of the river provide a great opportunity to soak up the sun’s energy in a place where they won’t likely be disturbed.
When I found this Eastern River Cooter warming on the rocks the sun’s rays had just made their way over the trees on the river bank.
Home At Last
Despite the rough surf and rocks of Panalu’u Bay, Hawaii the beach is frequented by Green Sea Turtles. These two were taking a well deserved rest on the black sand after braving the conditions to make it to the beach.
Gold Dust Day Gecko, I
This Gold Dust Day Gecko was sunning itself on the trunk of a tree, probably hoping a tasty insect would wander by, when I noticed it.
What are you looking at?
This Southern Toad lives among the ferns and Hostas in my yard. On a recent evening it was hanging out on the patio waiting for the lights to draw dinner in.
Eastern River Cooter
This small Eastern River Cooter was basking on a sunny log in the Rappahannock River as a paddled my canoe past it last July. I don’t know much about the turtles of Virginia so I may have misidentified this one.
Brown Anole On A Tree
My Grandmother used to call these brown anoles “tiny dinosaurs”. It’s easy to see why. I photographed this one on the side of a tree in Florida last winter.
Rat Snake Hunting in the Trees
This Rat Snake had no problem making its way through the trees when I encountered it on a hike in Central Virginia.
Brown Anole Cave
This brown anole was basking in the sun on the rocks. There was a large gap in the rocks, a cave relative to the size of the lizard. It never strayed too far from the safety of its hideout there.
Rat Snake Resting on a Branch
The Rat Snake is quite a capable climber. This individual took to the trees when we met each other on a lakeside trail in Central Virginia. It seemed to be just as happy making its way through the branches as it was winding across the forest floor.