# TomM's Nature Pictures



## TomM (Sep 20, 2012)

Hello everyone!  I've been going through a bunch of my older pictures and decided that I should share some with you.  I'll be posting images by geographic region.  Enjoy!

*MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK, CALIFORNIA (MARCH 2012)*
The lay of the land






Didn't even get a chance to leave the parking lot before seeing a Western Fence Lizard (_Sceloporus occidentalis_)






Western Skink (_Plestiodon skiltonianus_)






My favorite find: A juvenile Southern Pacific Rattle Snake (_Crotalus oreganus helleri_), the first rattlesnake I've seen in the wild





















---------- Post added 09-20-2012 at 12:36 PM ----------

*CHARLESTON LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK, ONTARIO, CANADA (MAY 2012)*
Northern Map Turtle (_Graptemys geographica_)











Eastern American Toad (_Bufo americanus americanus_)






A friendly Eastern Chipmunk (_Tamias striatus_)


----------



## PrettyHate (Sep 20, 2012)

Can I have the map turtle and the chipmunk, please?


----------



## TomM (Sep 20, 2012)

I would say yes but they are back where they belong.  But seriously, go to Charleston Lake.  Nicest chipmunks you'll ever meet, but the red squirrels are little @$$#*(&s and try to chase them away.


----------



## PrettyHate (Sep 20, 2012)

TomM said:


> I would say yes but they are back where they belong.  But seriously, go to Charleston Lake.  Nicest chipmunks you'll ever meet, but the red squirrels are little @$$#*(&s and try to chase them away.


The red squirrels around here are total jerks as well...
I may very well have to make a trip to Lake Charleston when I am back in Ontario  I could use some quality turtle/chipmunk time!


----------



## arachnofab (Sep 22, 2012)

How were you able to get a chippie on you?


----------



## TomM (Sep 22, 2012)

arachnofab said:


> How were you able to get a chippie on you?


I was eating cereal on the porch of the cabin I stay in on fishing trips when I see this little guy stirring about.  I got off the porch, sat down and put some cereal in front of me. Only took two seconds before the thing trusted me and hopped up on my lap begging for more.  Plus, people who stay at that camp usually throw peanuts to the chipmunks so they aren't really skittish around people.


----------



## TomM (Sep 25, 2012)

*Obx*

*THE OUTER BANKS, NORTH CAROLINA (MAY 2011)*

Caught this Rough Green Snake (_Opheodrys aestivus_) on the path from our rental house to the beach






The boardwalk leading through the wetlands to the docks where my brother, my friends, and I went crabbing






The light house and the gull






Close up of the Laughing Gull (_Leucophaeus atricilla_) in its mating plumage






Cancer the Crab :sarcasm: [The Ghost Crab (_Ocypode quadrata_)]






An Osprey (_Pandion haliaetus_) in flight






Right before it dove for a fish






This Common Grackle (_Quiscalus quiscula_) kept trying to steal our Sun Chips






A family of Canada Geese (_Branta canadensis_)











Sunset






A Gray Fox (_Urocyon cinereoargenteus_) came to investigate our haul of crabs [it was pretty dark by then and hard to get a good shot]






He came right up to us and sat down like a dog






The silhouette of people (_Homo sapiens_) hanging out in a tree after sundown near our crabbing spot 






A long exposure of a full moon, hidden by the clouds, over the Atlantic






After the moon got over its shyness

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## TomM (Sep 25, 2012)

*POOL WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, PENNSYLVANIA (AUGUST 2011)*

Two male Northern Green Frogs (_Rana clamitans melanota_) in the frog ponds











Two male American Goldfinch (_Spinus tristis tristis_) enjoying a bath in the stream






This doe popped up in the bushes right next to the trail [Virginia Whitetail Deer (_Odocoileus virginianus virginianus_)]






This fawn was is the clearing a few yards away from the doe






A long exposure of the mini waterfall in one of the frog ponds


----------



## Shrike (Sep 26, 2012)

Nice looking rattler!  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## stingray (Sep 26, 2012)

Looks like it was alot of fun. Thanks for posting the pics!


----------



## Louise E. Rothstein (Sep 26, 2012)

What a glorious grackle!!!


----------



## TomM (Sep 26, 2012)

Thanks everyone.  I'm going to keep posting as long as I can keep finding all of the pictures.  I should have a decent amount more to come.


----------



## Terry D (Sep 26, 2012)

Tom, Some great shots!! Nothing beats time afield-especially when you're getting good shots like these to remember it by. Sadly, I've invested very little time and expense behind the shutter but I enjoy every minute when able to be out there. Thanks for sharing.

Terry


----------



## RS4guy (Sep 27, 2012)

Great shots, nice spy's! Thanks for sharing man.


----------



## TomM (Oct 1, 2012)

*CHARLESTON LAKE, ONTARIO, CANADA (MAY 2008)*

Great Northern Loon (_Gavia immer_) sitting low in the water






An Eastern Box Turtle (_Terrapene carolina carolina_), probably female, peeking out of her shell






A Northern Ribbon Snake (_Thamnophis sauritus septentrionalis_)  that crossed the path in front of me






My brother next to some trees worked on by beavers (Castor canadensis)






My brother and family friend next to a big beaver dam (it's about 50% since this picture has been taken 4 years ago)


----------



## TomM (Feb 1, 2016)

I will be uploading more albums soon. (Possibly Maui, more Canada, Southeast U.S., and Michigan)


----------

