The View From Frog Pond Holler

Garter Snake

Common garter snake (Thamnophus sirtalis), June 8, 2013 [Photo credit: Cathie Bird]

A Skink in the Bucket

I figured it was safe to get some flowers for my planters this week, and today I got out to transplant. I found a southeastern 5-lined skink (Eumeces inexpectatus) in one of the containers. I love the symbology of this skink's species designator -- when I lifted the pot out of the bucket, to find a skink there was distinctly "inexpected":

                                                                                                    [Photo by Cathie Bird]

The object next to the skink's head is a snail that was also in the container. I saw a millipede, some roly-poly bugs and a larger beetle, too, while planting, but didn't get their pictures.

About a month ago, I took this photo of a broad-headed skink (Eumeces laticeps) near one of the planters. This is another image that I had to lean out my window with telephoto on max to get: