Nature Walk- Hognose Snake, Moths and Dragonflies 6/7/23

     On Wednesday I went to walk and explore two local spots away from the beach to fill in some time until shorebirds return to  the area.  I headed over to Double Trouble State Park in Bayville (Berkeley Township) and the old cranberry bogs off of Dover Road in Beachwood, both only about a 15 minute drive from each other.  I walked over five miles combined at the two spots despite the worsening smoke haze coming from the Canadian wildfires.

My first stop was at the old cranberry bogs where I spent just a little over an hour and the birding was light, as I expected.  I did find a new moth and dragonfly for my other nature lists.  A small, but somewhat colorful moth caught my eye as it fluttered from one leafy plant to another.  It was a Pondside Crambid Moth, a common species that lives in aquatic habitats.  I spotted the new dragonfly nearby.  Its color pattern and size got my attention, and it turned out to be a Double-ringed Pennant, mostly a Pine Barrens species.  Two other dragonflies, ones not new to me, stood out from the others I saw there by their bolder appearances:  a Banded Pennant and the daintier Citrine Forktail.
Left, female double-ringed pennant.  Right, male citrine forktail.  © S. Weiss

Female banded pennant.  © S. Weiss

Along the walk I also noticed a few holes dug up along the sandy dirt path along the bogs.  A closer look revealed that some carnivorous creature had uncovered turtle nests and ravaged the eggs.  A few days earlier, while walking along the railroad tracks in Lakehurst, I came across a couple of Eastern Painted Turtles and a Northern Red-bellied Cooter laying eggs in the sandy dirt path.
Decimated turtle nest.  © S. Weiss

Over at Double Trouble State Park the birding was also light, but I did see and hear my first Acadian Flycatcher of the year.  Its loud, abrupt “Pizzat!” gave away its location.  Other than that, I was again looking for interesting creatures.  I did not add any new dragonflies from this location, although damselflies were very active along the water features.  One standout among the other smaller, delicate damsels was a larger Sparkling Jewelwing.
Left, female sparkling jewelwing (6/7/2023).  Right, male sparkling jewelwing (7/26/2022).
© S. Weiss

Along the walk I found two new moth/butterfly species and a new snake.  The new moth was an Eastern Grass-veneer; a small, slender moth often hidden in grass.  The new butterfly was a Swarthy Skipper, a small and rather plain-looking butterfly compared to the Least Skipper seen in the vicinity.
Left, least skipper.  Right, swarthy skipper.  © S. Weiss

Eastern grass-veneer.  © S. Weiss

The new snake came as a surprise as I almost stepped on it while walking along a trail.  It stopped briefly for me to get a photo before it slithered away into some brush.  I had no idea what it was, so I texted the picture to my sister’s boyfriend, John, who is a snake person.  Within minutes he called me, rather excitedly, to tell me I found an Eastern Hognose Snake.  It was a young one, under ten inches long.
Eastern hognose snake.  © S. Weiss

Along the rest of the way, I came across three other snakes: two Northern Watersnakes and an Eastern Ribbon Snake.  Except for the smokey air, it wasn’t a bad day outside.
Northern watersnakes.  © S. Weiss

Eastern ribbon snake.  © S. Weiss








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