Field Hunting Western Hognose

[Sheri]

Manitoba is home to Spruce Woods Provincial Park, a desert-like region that also boasts deep forests but most importantly, the Western Hognose (Heterodon nasicus) snake!

Lelle found three in the same spot, 1 female and 2 males courting her!

Amaxing snakes, I have liked them for awhile now, but seeing them wild was incredible.

Lelle with the big female and one of the males (the third escaped)

One of the males;

Courtship rituals;

Triumphant Lelle;

Tyler ready for his first "hardcore" herping trip;

One of the views from the sand dunes;

Bald Eagle (it actually seemed much closer in person)

Turkey Vulture - Amazing find, quite rare here. Beautiful animals, I like them more and more it seems;

 

[Crotalus]

Heres my pictures:

A view of the typical hogmnose habitat:

A closer look on where the snakes were found:

1.1 Heterodon nasicus:

The female:

Closeup of the female:

The male:

The second male:

Sheri and Tyler:

There is cactus in this area aswell, Escobaria vivipara, pincushion cactus:

/Lelle

 

[Gigas]

I have a Nasicus XD beautiful, foul tempered beasties

 

[Overmenneske]

Wow, looks interesting. Love that foreign-looking landscape.
Great pics of the snakes, Lelle.

Do you know the scientific name of the eagle, Sheri?

 

[Bedlam]

I saw LOTS of Turkey Vultures last summer working in Mississauga (just outside Toronto). I spent about 3 hours a day filming from a skylift and had those things dive at me more than once, although they didn't get me. Eventually, I just started bringing one of the football helmets up with me and wearing that if I saw them lurking around the field. Pretty neat animals.

How far from Winnipeg is that park?

 

[Overmenneske]

Could the eagle be Haliaeetus leucocephalus?

As you might remember I like to call myself a hobby ornithologist, so I just wonder if you got a chance to study some of its hunting techniques? Does it dive? What was the approximate wingspan of the specimen you saw? Are they common in the area? What was its behaviour like? Just sailing?

 

[GQ.]

Sweet! I miss being able to just head out for the evening to track a few hognose snakes. Night hiking with a fluorescent light is one of my favorite methods for finding them. As you probably know, they have a very distinctive track. Spotting the tracks and following them typically reveals a nice hoggy out foraging for lizard eggs or toads. Seeing a western hognose always makes me homesick for a night of herping in New Mexico. There is nothing quite like finding Heterodon, Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi, Crotalus atrox, and Crotalus viridis viridis all in the same night! Dang, now you have me reminiscing. Heheh. Thanks for sharing the excellent trip report Lelle, Sheri, and Tyler!

 

[Sheri]

Could the eagle be Haliaeetus leucocephalus?

As you might remember I like to call myself a hobby-ornithologist, so I just wonder if you got a chance to study some of its hunting techniques? Does it dive? What was the approximate wingspan of the specimen you saw?

Yes, Haliaeetus leucocephalus.

This one was pretty big, they are so far above you, it's really hard to tell wingspan with any accuracy when there is nothing but blue sky for comparison.

You would love it here, we have this species everywhere!

Those two shots, there were about 12 in one locale, and we are uncertain if they were all juvenile Haliaeetus leucocephalus (the adult white head was not present in any of them) of if these might possibly have been migrating Aquila chrysaetos canadensis. Very tough to ID from these pics, and even by eye when we saw them.

Here is a track in relation to my hand;

We have several birds of prey here, though the two eagles, of course, are the largest and most impressive.

Mostly, when we see them they are circling high, presumably hunting. On a few rare and exciting occasions, we've seen them swoop down, and have seen them scavenging many times.

There is a migratory stop here in the fall, in an hour's drive, we were able to observe at least 24 specimens.

 

[Sheri]

How far from Winnipeg is that park?

A little less than two hours, obeying speed limits.

Awesome about the vulture shots! If you have stills, I'd love to see them posted!

 

[Overmenneske]

Those two shots, there were about 12 in one locale, and we are uncertain if they were all juvenile Haliaeetus leucocephalus (the adult white head was not present in any of them) of if these might possibly have been migrating Aquila chrysaetos canadensis. Very tough to ID from these pics, and even by eye when we saw them.

Wow, amazing tracks and beautiful birds!
I seldomly see raptors here, probably because their breeding grounds are constantly terminated.

Do you know how their numbers are affecting other, smaller birds?
Scavenging is perhaps indicating lack of food, I would say.

Wouldn't the juvenile leucocephalus have some white feathers here and there, contrary to the Aquila chrysaetos canadensis, or was it impossible to see?

 

[Sheri]

Do you know how their numbers are affecting other, smaller birds?
Scavenging is perhaps indicating lack of food, I would say.

As far as I know, this is natural behaviour and they are a scavenger bird of prey that also hunts.

Our raptor population is strong - with exception of Athene cunicularia (burrowing owl), Buteo regalis (Ferruginous Hawk), Falco peregrinus (Peregrine Falcon) as a result of the use of DDT and Falco columbarius (Merlin).

Songbirds, I have no idea... I have little interest in them. Crows and Ravens also everywhere.

Wouldn't the juvenile leucocephalus have some white feathers here and there, contrary to the Aquila chrysaetos canadensis, or was it impossible to see?

Well, looking at pics of juvie Aquila chrysaetos canadensis, it can de pretty tough as they will also have whiteish feathers in addition to the large white spots that they are notorius for.

I have looked at so many pictures at all stages of life... but at the distance we were, it was impossible. If we had really good binoculars, we could tell for certain by the leg feathering on Aquila chrysaetos canadensis.

Edit: I should add that although I have always appreciated and loved raptors (including having the opportunity to observe in detail a pair of red tailed hawks for three years on my property) I haven't studied them in very much depth at all. I'm just kinda learning as I go, so if one of my names is incorrect, or outdated, please forgive me.)

 

[Overmenneske]

Well, looking at pics of juvie Aquila chrysaetos canadensis, it can de pretty tough as they will also have whiteish feathers in addition to the large white spots that they are notorius for.

Very interesting.

Are the white spots/feathers on the canadensis as pronounced as on the leucocephalus?
I've never seen either, but I've always had an interest for Haliaeetus.

And as far as I know, if the Haliaeetus' can choose, they'll go for live prey. That goes for all of them (most of them go for the sea, actually).

Songbirds, I have no idea... I have little interest in them.

What is summer without them?
(Not to mention the bugs.....)

 

[Randolph XX()]

any Crotalus found there?

 

[Sheri]

any Crotalus found there?

No.

C. viridis is found about 5 hours south/west of us in North Dakota, and beginning 7 hours west of us in Saskatchewan.

 

[Sheri]

Very interesting.

Are the white spots/feathers on the canadensis as pronounced as on the leucocephalus?
I've never seen either, but I've always had an interest for Haliaeetus.

And as far as I know, if the Haliaeetus' can choose, they'll go for live prey. That goes for all of them (most of them go for the sea, actually).

See here for a picture of the juvie canadensis spots.


As far as I know, our Haliaeetus has always fed on carrion, and that they are naturally oportunistic feeders. I'll ask the local govt raptor expert though to make sure for you. Perhaps this species is different in this environment.

 

[Overmenneske]

See here for a picture of the juvie canadensis spots.

The white is perhaps a bit more pronounced here, no?

One of my thoughts is that juvie canadensis' hanging out with adult leucocephalus' seems kind of implausible. If it was the case, you'd also see lots of adult canadensises.

I'll ask the local govt raptor expert though to make sure for you. Perhaps this species is different in this environment.

That would be fab.

Ask him if, presented with a choice, they are prone to sometimes choose carrion.
If so; why, does he think?

 

[Sheri]

The white is perhaps a bit more pronounced here, no?

One of my thoughts is that juvie canadensis' hanging out with adult leucocephalus' seems kind of implausible. If it was the case, you'd also see lots of adult canadensises.

Oh no, I thought that they might all be canadensis! Some juvie and some adult.

I will let you know for sure what he says.

 

[skinheaddave]

Looks like a lot of fun. For Turkey vultures, you should check out my neck of the woods -- or at least my new neck of the woods. If I weren't still young enough to consider myself invincible, I'd worry about the fact that there are always vultures overhead.

Cheers,
Dave