[00:00:10]
SO THIS IS A LITTLE AMERICAN ALLIGATORS, NOT A CROCODILE.
HERE'S A COUPLE MORE, ONE OF THEM JUST FLU.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT MY JOB IS I GET TO BE OUTSIDE A LOT.
AND EVEN DURING THESE DAYS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING, I'M ABLE TO CARRY ON MY RESEARCH AND MY EXPLORATION OF LOCAL HABITATS THAT HAS BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET THE WHOLE TEAM TOGETHER, TO DO OUR TRADITIONAL FILMING.
SO WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO IS TO FILM A SERIES OF VIDEO FIELD NOTE SEGMENTS, AND THESE ARE SHOT ALMOST ENTIRELY ON A CELL PHONE.
IN THIS EPISODE, WE'RE GOING TO GET A CHANCE TO SEE SOME REALLY COOL ANIMALS AND CONTINUE OUR ECOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE LOW COUNTRY.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IS TO WALK DOWN A DIRT ROAD AND DISCOVER SOMETHING INTERESTING LIKE THIS.
AND IF YOU LOOK DOWN HERE, THERE'S A BUNCH OF LITTLE HYMAN OPT-INS BEES ARE WASHED BUZZING AROUND THESE LOOK LIKE BEES, AND I'LL BET YOU THEY'RE HIGH VISCOUS BEES.
UH, SOME OF THESE TUNNELS HAVE LITTLE COLLARS AROUND THEM.
AND I THINK THAT'S INDICATIVE OF THAT GROUP.
BOY, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF MEN HERE AND WHAT THESE GUYS ARE DOING, I THINK IS THEY'RE DIGGING HOLES IN THE GROUND, LITTLE CHAMBERS THEY'RE PUPIL CHAMBERS.
AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS COLLECTING A BALL OF POLLEN AND NECTAR.
AND THEY'RE STICKING THIS DOWN IN THE HOLE AND THEN THEY'RE LAYING AN EGG ON IT.
AND THEN WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS THE EGG CAN HATCH AND THE LARVA CAN THEN FEED ON THE POLLEN UNTIL IT GETS BIG ENOUGH TO PUPATE AND EMERGE REALLY, REALLY NEAT STUFF.
AND I LOVE THAT WONDERFUL BUZZING SOUND.
YOU CAN SEE ALL THE EXCAVATION HERE.
OF COURSE, THESE CHAMBERS WERE PRETTY DEEP.
SO WHAT THEY'RE HAVING TO DO IS BRING WATER.
SO I THINK WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS BRINGING WATER WITH THEM AND SOFTENING UP THE DIRT SO THAT THEY CAN DIG.
YEAH, THESE ARE PRETTY BIG BEES.
THEY LOOK ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SMALL BUMBLEBEE.
THEY'RE EVEN BIGGER THAN A HONEYBEE.
UH, PRETTY BIG FOR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE BURROWING BEES, BOY, THIS BE A BIG ONE THAT LIVES IN THAT HOLE.
THEY DON'T SEEM LIKE THEY'RE INTERESTED ME AT ALL.
I THINK I KNOW WHY THESE I BISCUITS BEES ARE HERE VERY CLOSE TO HERE IS SOMETHING I WANT YOU GUYS TO SEE.
SO I WALKED RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD AND INTO THE WOODS A LITTLE BIT INTO THIS LITTLE WETLAND AND MAN, LOOK AT THE HIGH BISCUITS FLOWERS.
OF COURSE WE FIND THE HIGH BISCUITS SPI, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE THE HIBISCUS B IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE NATIVE HIBISCUS PLANT THAT IT NEEDS FOR POLLEN.
I KNOW YOU GUYS THINK OF ME AS MORE OF AN ANIMAL GUY, BUT I LIKE PLANTS TOO.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE CARNIVOROUS GUYS, I'M HERE AT A REALLY NEAT SPOT IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE FRANCIS MARION NATIONAL FOREST.
AND I'M SURROUNDED BY PITCHER PLANTS.
AND FOR THAT MATTER, THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER CONCEPT CARNIVOROUS PLANTS AS WELL.
LET'S LOOK AROUND A LITTLE BIT SO I CAN SHOW YOU A TIER AND THESE ARE PITCHER PLANTS AND MEN.
THERE ARE A BUNCH OF THEM HERE, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE TALL PITCHER PLANTS.
THIS IS I THINK SARAH SINIA FLAVOR AND THEY ARE REALLY BIG TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA.
HERE'S, I'M GOING TO COME UP A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AND THIS SHOWS YOU JUST HOW BIG THEY ACTUALLY ARE.
I MEAN, SOME OF THESE, I WOULD THINK ARE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, THREE FEET TALL OR SO THEY'RE QUITE DIG.
AND SO I THINK MOST OF US KNOW HOW THESE THINGS WORK.
THERE ARE THESE PITCHER TYPE, YOU KNOW, CYLINDERS, AND WHAT HAPPENS IS A FLY OR OTHER INSECT CRAWLS INSIDE HERE.
AND THEN IT GOES DOWN INSIDE THAT LITTLE PITCHER, AND THEN THERE ARE DOWNWARD FACING HAIRS AND THE ANIMAL HAS TROUBLE GETTING BACK OUT.
AND EVENTUALLY IT FALLS DOWN INTO THE BASE DOWN HERE AND THERE'S SOME LIQUID IN IT.
AND THAT LIQUID DIGESTS, THE INSECT.
NOW THESE GUYS LIVE IN NUTRIENT POOR BOGS, AND SO THEY NEED SOME EXTRA NUTRIENTS AND THAT'S HOW THEY GET IT.
AND HERE'S A NICE LITTLE GROVE OF HOODED
[00:05:01]
PITCHER PLANTS, AND THEY'RE UP A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AND DRIER THAN THOSE, THOSE OTHERS ARE.BUT ANYWAY, A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SHAPED VESSEL HERE.
AND YOU SEE THESE GUYS HAVE A LITTLE TOP ON THEM, SAME DEAL, INSECT CRAWLS IN IT'S KINDA CAUGHT INSIDE THIS VESSEL TRIES TO CLIMB BACK OUT THROUGH THOSE DOWNWARD FACING HAIRS.
THEY CAN'T GET OUT, THEY GET TIRED AND EVENTUALLY THEY FALL INTO THE LIQUID AND ARE SLOWLY DIGEST BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I LOVE ROTTEN LOGS BECAUSE IT GIVES ME A CHANCE TO LOOK FOR BEETLES AND BEETLE LARVAE AND ALL KINDS OF COOL STUFF.
BUT I WAS GOING THROUGH THIS LOG LOOKING FOR A PARTICULAR TYPE OF BEETLE AND LOOK WHAT I FOUND.
SO I'M GOING TO VERY CAREFULLY TURN THIS OVER.
LOOK, WHAT'S UNDERNEATH EGGS IN THESE ARE SKINCARE THINGS AND I CAN TELL BY THEIR SIZE.
AND ALSO TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I JUST SAW A MOTHER SKANK RUNOFF.
SO THAT'S A DEAD GIVEAWAY TOO.
AND SKIN KEGS ARE VERY, VERY SMALL.
YOU CAN SEE HOW TINY THEY ARE COMPARED TO MY FINGER.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MOVING SKINCARE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT LIKE SNAKE EGGS.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO REMAIN IN ONE POSITION LIKE A TURTLE EGG OR A SNAKE EGGS.
SO THE MOTHER WILL ACTUALLY MOVE THEM AROUND AND BROOD THE EGGS, WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING, PROTECT THEM FROM ALL KINDS OF PREDATORS.
AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF THEM IN HERE.
I THINK THIS CLUTCH PROBABLY HAS ABOUT 20 OR SO.
WELL, I'M GOING TO LEAVE THESE EGGS RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE, BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME OTHERS THAT ARE BACK AT THE HOUSE INCUBATING THAT YOU GUYS MIGHT GET A REAL KICK OUT OF THESE LITTLE SKINKS.
LOOK AT THAT HEAD STICKING OUT.
SO THESE ARE GETTING READY TO HATCH FROM THEIR EGGS LOOKS LIKE TWO OR OUT HERE'S THE OTHER ONE.
AND THE REST OF THEM ARE STILL INCUBATING AND SHOULD HATCH ANYTIME.
AND I'M A ZERO IN ON THIS GUY RIGHT HERE.
AND I THINK HE'S GOING TO CRAWL OUT HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
SO THEY TYPICALLY STICK THEIR HEAD OUT JUST BRIEFLY.
AND THEN THEY COME THE REST OF THE WAY UP AND HERE COMES ONE.
NOW IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S CRAWLING OUT.
SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF SKIN TO GO IN THAT, THAT EGG, THEN IT LOOKS LIKE HE JUST KEEPS COMING OUT.
SO THESE ARE A LITTLE BROAD BROADHEAD SCHEMES.
SO THESE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BLUE TAILS AND AS THEY GET BIGGER, THE MALES DEVELOP KIND OF AN ORANGE HEAD AND HE'S OUT LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL TAIL.
SO OF COURSE WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE, THEY HAVE BRIGHT, BRIGHT BLUE TAILS.
AND THAT'S WHAT PROBABLY PROTECTS THEM AGAINST CERTAIN PREDATORS.
THAT BLUE TAIL IS A WARNING THAT THEY'RE TOXIC AND POTENTIALLY THE TASTES BETTER IN THE CASE OF A BABY.
SKANKS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY POISONOUS, NOT VENOMOUS BUT POISONOUS.
SO IF YOU WERE TO INGEST A SCAN CURVE, CERTAIN PREDATORS INGEST THEM, UM, THEY GET SICK FROM IT ANYWAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ONE ON THE RIGHT TO GET READY TO GO HERE JUST A SECOND TOO.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYBODY'S HATCHED, BUT THERE'S A BUNCH OF SKINKS IN HERE.
SO I THINK IT'S TIME TO TAKE THESE GUYS OUT AND LET THEM GO, OKAY, I'M GOING TO RELEASE THESE LITTLE SKANKS AND THE EGGS WERE FOUND VERY, VERY CLOSE TO HERE, BUT THIS LOOKS LIKE A PARTICULARLY GOOD SPOT.
YOU SEE THIS BIG LIVE OAK TREE AND BROUGHT HIS KINKS, LOVED LIVE OAK TREES.
AND THEN THERE'S STILL A LITTLE MOUND OF DEBRIS AND STUFF RIGHT HERE.
SO I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE ABOUT PERFECT FOR THESE GUYS.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW I'M GOING TO DO THIS BECAUSE THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO REALLY WANT TO SCAMPER OUT.
MOST OF THEM ARE UNDERNEATH ALL DIFFERENT, MAKE YOUR LIGHTS.
I THINK WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS JUST KIND OF FISH THROUGH HERE.
THERE, THEY ALL ARE JUST LIKE, MAYBE IF I JUST KIND OF SCARE, SOME OF THEM WOULD GO RIGHT THERE WENT ONE.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OVER THE SIDE.
SO YOU CAN HELP HIM ACROSS OFF.
I'M GOING TO GRAB ONE OF HIM AND PUT HIM JUST LIKE RIGHT HERE.
WELL, THESE ARE, THESE GUYS HAVE A LOT OF GROWING TO DO.
THIS SIZE, OF COURSE, THAT BRIGHT BLUE TAIL IN THEIR TOXIC SECRETIONS PROBABLY PROTECT HIM REAL WELL.
YEAH, I THINK THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO BE REALLY, REALLY HAPPY HERE DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE SMALLER STUFF THAT LIVES AROUND US, BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GET REALLY CLOSE TO SEE WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON.
NOW I KNOW IT'S A MILLIPEDE BECAUSE IT HAS TWO PAIRS OF LEGS PER SEGMENT.
[00:10:01]
CENTIPEDE WOULD ONLY HAVE ONE PAIR OF BLAKE'S PER SEGMENT.I HAPPENED TO KNOW, I COUNTED THEM ONE TIME.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE I HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON MY HANDS, BUT THIS IS ONE CALLED I THINK CALLED NURSEY, S N A R C E U S, BUT ONE OTHER ROUND MILLIPEDES.
AND WE, IF WE LOOK AT THIS GUY, GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, YOU CAN SEE IT'S GOT LOTS AND LOTS OF SEGMENTS, AND YOU'LL HEAR PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, MILLIPEDES HAVE A THOUSAND LEGS OR A HUNDRED LEGS.
WELL, IT VARIES BETWEEN SPECIES AND TYPICALLY MILLIPEDES HAVE MORE LEGS THAN CENTIPEDES DO.
THE OTHER THING IS MILLIPEDES MOVES SLOWLY AND DON'T BITE CENTIPEDE TO MOVE QUICKLY AND DO BITE.
SO I'M OUT HERE AT THE GREAT SALT POND.
I MET THIS LITTLE BORROW PIT AND I SET A TRAP.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IT RIGHT THROUGH THERE.
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS CHECK THIS AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING YET.
AND SURE ENOUGH LOOKS LIKE THERE'S I BAITED THIS AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S SOME CRAYFISH IN THERE.
SO I HAVE THIS A PART IN THE BUNCH OF LITTLE CRAYFISH IN HERE.
AND I'M TRYING TO THINK WHEN I'M GOING TO PUT THESE INTO, YOU CAN SEE THEM.
THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF THAT I HAVE IS THE CONTAINER THAT I PUT MY, I BROUGHT MY LUNCH IN, I GUESS THAT'LL WORK.
YOU SEE, SO I'M SET UP ON THE TAILGATE OF THE TRUCK HERE AND I'M JUST GOING TO PUT, SO THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF THESE, BUT I JUST HOLD ON A COUPLE OF THEM IN.
SO LOOKING AT THESE, I'M PRETTY SURE THERE ARE PRO CANBERRA.
AND THAT'S A COMMON GENUS OF CRAYFISH AND JUST THE SHAPE OF THE CLAWS AND ALSO THE, THE SHAPE OF THE BODY AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A PRO CANBERRA OF SOME SORT.
ANYWAY, THIS IS A DECK APART AND DECA PODS HAVE 10 LEGS AND CRABS SHRIMP LOBSTERS ARE ALL DECA PODS.
AND SO THIS FITS IN GRIP, BUT WOW, THIS HAS GOT A PRETTY GOOD PINCH.
YOU KNOW, THEY USE THOSE CLAWS TO TEAR APART ALL KINDS OF DEAD FISH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
OH, AND THEY'RE GUESSING NOW THAT'S THE WORST SPOT IS RIGHT ON THE RHINO MANAGER.
MY FINGERNAIL THERE, I'M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN GET IT BACK.
ANYWAY, THIS ISN'T WORKING OUT QUITE THE WAY I HAD PLANNED.
BUT ANYWAY, THE IDEA FOR COLLECTING THESE IS TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE.
THE TOUGH THING ABOUT CRAYFISH IS YOU GOT TO HAVE A FIRST FORM MAIL AND YOU REALLY GOT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO IDENTIFY THEM.
SO I'M GOING TO SEND THESE TO A FRIEND OF MINE IN FLORIDA, AND HOPEFULLY HE WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE.
AT LEAST BE ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT.
JUST TRAPPING LIVE A WETLAND LIKE THIS AND SEEING WHAT'S IN IT, CHECK OUT THIS NEAT PEDAL THAT I FOUND.
IN FACT, IT'S CALLED AN ID IT LATER, AND YOU NOTICE SUCH WONDERFUL HIGH SPOTS AND THOSE HIGH SPOTS PROBABLY CONFUSE PREDATORS AND PROBABLY HELP TO PROTECT THAT CLICK BEETLE.
AND BOY, THEY'RE REALLY NEAT LOOKING AND I'M GOING TO REACH IN AND SEE IF I CAN GRAB THIS LITTLE GUY AND I KNOW WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO.
SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY TYPICALLY WILL POP THEIR BODY.
THE OTHER THING I'VE NOTICED IS IF THE CLICKING DOESN'T WORK, THEY HAVE REALLY STRONG JAWS AND THEY DO HAVE A TENDENCY TO BITE.
NOT DANGEROUS, BUT ANOTHER GOOD DEFENSE.
NOW, A WHILE BACK, I WAS TALKING TO YOU GUYS ABOUT AN EGG AND BABY BOX TURTLE THAT I FOUND IN THE YARD.
AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY COOL.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, EVEN NEATER.
HERE'S ONE, THAT'S NOT A BABY, NOT AN ADULT.
I THINK THIS IS A THREE OR FOUR YEAR OLD.
AND SO I JUST WALKED OUT IN THE BACKYARD AND HERE IT WAS, I'M GOING TO PICK IT UP SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT SIZE IT IS.
SO YOU CAN SEE BEAUTIFUL HUMP SHELL.
YOU KNOW, THE BABIES ARE FLAT LIKE A SLIDER TURTLE, BUT THIS HAS ALREADY DEVELOPED AT BOX TURTLE SHAPE.
AND WHAT I CAN DO IS FLIP IT OVER AND LOOK AT THOSE GROWTH RINGS ARE ANNUALLY AND IT LOOKS LIKE ONE, TWO.
IT LOOKS LIKE A THREE-YEAR-OLD.
NOT ONLY WE HAVE ADULTS AND BABIES, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONES THAT ARE GROWING UP AND GONNA REACH ADULT SIZE.
AND JUST A FEW MORE YEARS, OF COURSE, THIS IS SPECIES THAT WE KNOW CAN LIVE A HUNDRED YEARS OR MORE.
ANYTIME I'M OUT DRIVING AROUND, I'M ALWAYS KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR ANIMALS BECAUSE OF CONDITIONS ARE JUST RIGHT.
YOU MIGHT JUST HIT A SNACK, CROSS THE ROAD, OKAY.
AND I'M GOING TO JUMP OUT AND SURE ENOUGH, THERE'S A CORN SNAKE SITTING, RIGHT.
IT LOOKS LIKE A CORN SNAKE SITTING RIGHT BELOW THE ROAD.
I DROVE UP TO HIM REAL SLOWLY AND YOU CAN SEE THEM VIBRATING HIS TAIL.
AND BOY THEY'RE JUST GORGEOUS CORN SNAKE, BUT HE WOULD PROBABLY STRIKE IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.
[00:15:01]
LEAVE THAT TAIL BY BREAD.YOU CAN SEE WHY PEOPLE SOMETIMES THINK THEY'RE COPPERHEADS.
UH, CAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, HE'S TACT AND PRETTY FIERCE FOR SURE.
BUT NON VENOMOUS, CORN SNAKE REALLY, REALLY NEAT SNAKE.
OF COURSE IT'S RAINED A BUNCH.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST A GOOD TIME TO BE OUT AND MOVING AROUND.
IF YOU'RE A SNAKE COMING TO KIND OF SHOO HIM OFF THE ROAD VERY CAREFULLY BECAUSE I DON'T SEE IF I CAN TAKE THAT FOOT.
THIS LOOKS LIKE HE'S GOING TO DO IT KIND OF ON HIS OWN TERMS. HE GOES, OKAY, HERE'S ANOTHER NEAT ONE.
AND THIS ONE HAS COILED UP AND IS READY TO FIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY SOMETIMES DO.
THEY FEEL CORNERED THIS PARTICULAR ONE, THIS PARTICULAR ONE LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE A COTTON MOUTH, BUT WHAT IT IS, HE'S ABANDONED WATER, SNAKE, AND BOY THERE A FEISTY SUPER FEISTY, BUT AGAIN, NON VENOMOUS.
AND HE'S JUST TRYING TO PROTECT HIMSELF.
SO THIS ANIMAL LOOKED LIKE IT WAS CROSSING THE ROAD AND MAYBE STOP JUST TO WARM UP A LITTLE BIT.
AND I'M GOING TO LET IT JUST CROSS THE ROAD, LEAVE IT ALONE.
DOES IT JUST JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AND I MANAGED TO TRACK THIS GUY DOWN AND LOOK RIGHT HERE.
SO THIS IS A HOGNOSE SNAKE AND IT WAS CROSSING THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME AND I MANAGED TO CATCH IT JUST AS IT CROSSED THE ROAD.
SO NOW IT'S GOING TO TRY A DIFFERENT DEFENSIVE STRATEGY.
IT CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM ME LIKE A BLACK RACER.
SO WHAT IT'S DOING IS SPREADING ITS HEAD OUT LIKE A COBRA, SORRY.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO HEAR OVER THE CAR RUNNING IN IT ANYWAY.
FABULOUS, FABULOUS ANIMAL SPREADS ITS HEAD.
IT LOOKS LIKE I'M TRYING TO LOOK LIKE A COBRA.
JUST TRYING TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK BIGGER, MISSING IN ALL THIS LOOKS PRETTY, PRETTY SERIOUS, BUT THIS SNAKE ISN'T GOING TO HURT ANYBODY.
I'M GOING TO REACH IN AND MOVE THIS GUY.
NO, SHE USED SOME OTHER KIND OF NEAT THINGS THAT IT DOES.
SO EASTERN HOGNOSE SNAKE AND IT GETS THAT NAME.
THE NEXT STEP IS THEY DO THIS, WHICH IS ROLLOVER IN PLAY DEAD.
ALTHOUGH THIS ONE REALLY LOOKED LIKE HE'S GOING TO PLAY DEAD.
THIS ONE SEEMS TO PLAY DEAD FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN IT KIND OF CRAWLS OFF.
BUT THIS DEATH FEIGNING BEHAVIOR IS SOMETHING THAT MUST WORK ON CERTAIN PREDATORS BECAUSE THEY SURE DO IT.
BUT SHE LOOKS LIKE HE'S COMPLETELY DEAD.
THIS IS JUST AN ATTEMPT TO SCARE AWAY A PREDATOR OR MAYBE HOPE THAT THE PREDATOR JUST KIND OF CALLS OFF.
LOOK AT HIM, TURN IT OVER TO GOING TO TURN OVER AND JUST CRAWL OFF TUG.
SO WE HAVE A REAL TREAT TODAY.
WE HAVE A PEREGRINE FALCON AND YOU CAN SEE THE CONTAINER SHAKING A LITTLE BIT.
SO THIS IS A PEREGRINE FALCON THAT'S READY FOR RELEASE, BUT JUST REAL QUICK, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS ALL HAPPENED.
THIS IS MARY WHITEMAN AND MARY ACTUALLY FOUND THIS BIRD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND RESCUED IT DURING DRIVING RAIN AND A LOT OF TRAFFIC.
SO SHE BROUGHT IT TO US AT THE NATURE CENTER.
AND WE'LL YOU KNEW WHAT TO DO.
WE CONTACTED THE CENTER FOR BIRDS OF PREY AND THEY GOT US IN TOUCH WITH BARBARA HOLMES.
AND BARBARA IS, DOES DEALS WITH THESE BIRDS ARE QUITE A BIT AND WAS WILLING TO TAKE THE BIRD TO THE CLINIC IN ALL-IN-ALL FROM BUFORD.
IT'S BEEN ABOUT TWO WEEKS OR SO, AND IT IS READY TO IT'S BACK AND WE'RE READY TO RELEASE IT.
SO I GUESS I, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING.
YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE A NETWORK OF TRANSPORT VOLUNTEERS OF ABOUT 200 PEOPLE AND WE ALL GET THE MESSAGE WHEN AN INJURED BIRD HAS BEEN FOUND AND MAYBE EVEN NEEDS TO BE CAPTURED.
AND THEN WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO GET THE BIRD TO THE CLINICS SO THAT IT CAN BE TREATED.
I'M JUST GLAD THAT MARY WAS, SHE WAS ACTUALLY HEADED HOME FROM WORK ON SPRING ISLAND, FOUND IT AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO US.
SO, OKAY, SO WE'RE GOING TO LET THIS BIRD GO.
IN FACT, THE BIRD WAS FOUND, RIGHT? THAT WAY A WAYS.
AND SO FALCONS CAN COVER A LOT OF DISTANCE VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
SO I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO GET UP, FIGURE OUT WHERE IT IS AND OFF IT'LL GO IF YOU WANT TO.
HEY GUYS, THIS IS SO I, I, THE FIRST TIME I EVER HANDLED THE PEREGRINE FALCONS
[00:20:01]
WAS WHEN THIS ONE CAME IN TWO WEEKS AGO.SO WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE.
I MEAN, WE KNOW WE WANT TO GET THE BIRD BACK OUT THERE, BUT JUST SEE EXACTLY HOW THIS WORKS.
CAN, I'M GOING TO GRAB THE WINGS AND KIND OF TOUCH THE, THERE WE GO.
JUST FOR A MINUTE, LET'S TAKE JUST A MINUTE TO LOOK AT THIS INCREDIBLE BIRD BOY.
AREN'T THEY? THIS, THIS BIRD IS REALLY READY TO GO.
YOU CAN TELL TREMENDOUS VISION FAST.
PROBABLY CERTAINLY ONE OF THE FASTEST BIRDS IN THE WORLD'S MAYBE THE FASTEST BIRD IN THE WORLD.
UH, TALON SPEED THAT IT USES FOR KNOCKING BIRDS OUT OF THE AIR.
AND YOU SAID YOU THINK THIS ONE'S ON ITS WAY SOUTH? PROBABLY.
WELL, I'M GOING TO TURN AROUND AND RELEASE THIS.
AND AS THEY SAY AT THE CENTER FOR BIRDS OF PREY, WE NEED TO WISH THEM WELL OR WISH HER WELL.
AND, UM, MARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WILLING TO STOP AND HELP THAT BIRD.
AND YOU SAID THERE WAS ANOTHER GUY THAT HELPED YOU, THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE HIS NAME.
I NEVER GOT HIS NAME, BUT WELL, THANK YOU.
AND BARBARA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR NOT ONLY HELPING THIS BIRD, BUT HELPING ALL THESE BIRDS.
TIP THE CENTER FOR BIRDS OF PREY AS WELL FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO AS PART OF OUR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WE OFTEN HATCH OUT A BUNCH OF REPTILE EGGS.
THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD YEAR FOR BABY SNAKES.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR CORN SNAKES FROM THE NATURE CENTER IN THIS LATE IN AGE.
AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GONNA LAY A BUNCH MORE OF LESS A LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T WANT TO DISTURB HER TOO MUCH.
HERE IS A SCARLET KING SNAKE THAT IS LAYING.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE SHE'S LAID ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE EGGS AND HAS ANOTHER ONE IT'S ABOUT TO COME OUT.
SO HERE IS A PINE SNAKE AND YOU LISTENED TO THE HISSING.
AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY SHE'S HISSING LOOK RIGHT HERE.
NOW I PUT A DOLLAR BILL THERE TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW, HOW BIG THESE ACTUALLY ARE.
I JUST CAME IN TO CHECK UP ON THIS SNAKE AND LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SHE'S LAYING AN EGG RIGHT IN FRONT OF US AND TRYING NOT TO GET TOO CLOSE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SPOOK HER WHILE SHE'S LAYING BOY, THIS A BIG CLUTCH FOR A RELATIVELY SMALL FEMALE KING SNAKE.
SO GUYS I'M BACK AND IT LOOKS LIKE SHE'S LATE FIVE EGGS AND OH MY GOSH, HERE COMES ONE RIGHT NOW.
SO SHE'S ABOUT TO LAY AN EGG AND SHE'S KIND OF HAS CONTRACTIONS AND SHE'S JUST PUSHING THAT EGG OUT OF ONE OF HER OVERDUBS.
SO I'M BACK AND IT LOOKS LIKE SHE HAS LAID 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 EGGS.
ANYWAY, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA REACH DOWN AND GET THESE EGGS.
I'M GOING TO PUT THEM IN THIS FOR MICKEY LIGHT.
REMEMBER WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS COVER HIM UP.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO PUT IN A WARM SPOT AND WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A COOKING SHOW.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE'LL LET THEM COOK IT ABOUT 80 DEGREES FOR TWO MONTHS AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND WATCH THEM HATCH.
SO WE'RE BACK TO CHECK ON OUR KINGSNAKES.
I BROUGHT THEM OUTSIDE AND THEY'VE BEEN COOKING.
SO TO SPEAK FOR ABOUT 55 DAYS.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME MOVEMENT THERE.
MY HEAD TO SEE HOW THE NOSE IS KIND OF UPTURNED.
[00:25:02]
THAT'S WHERE THEY GET THE NAME HOG NOSE.BOY, THAT HEAD IS HUGE FOR THE EGG IN THERE.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WHOLE LITTLE HOGNOSE SNAKE FITS IN THAT LITTLE TINY EGG LOOKS LIKE WE GOT ONE.
MAYBE COMING OUT, LOOK AT THAT.
HE'S HATCHING RIGHT IN FRONT OF US, RIGHT OUT OF THE EGG BOY.
HE PIPPED THE EGG AND HE'S COMPLETELY OUT FROM THAT'S REALLY COOL.
SO HERE ARE SOME SCARLET KINGS.
SHE CAN SEE A COUPLE OF THEM PIPPIN EGGS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE THAT ARE OUT ALREADY AND THEY'RE ALREADY CRAWLING AROUND.
THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE SNAKES.
LOOK AT HOW MANY CORN SAKES OF HATCH.
I THINK IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN I'M TRYING TO CRAWL OUT HERE.
NO, SOME SNAKES PIP THE EGG AND THEN SIT THERE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT HOGNOSE SNAKE SEEM TO JUST PIP IT AND COME OUT JUST AFTER A FEW HOURS.
IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYBODY'S OUT.
BOY, THIS HAS A NICE COLLECTION OF LITTLE SNAKES.
I GRABBED HIM AS HE WAS GROWING OUT OF THE CONTAINER, PUT HIM BACK IN AND HE'S PLAYING DEAD.
SO EVEN BABY HOGNOSE SNAKES WILL PLAY.
SO HE HATCHED IN THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENED IS HE PLAYED DEAD.
AND NOW HE'S STARTING TO TONGUE FLICK.
HE'S TURNING AROUND, LOOKING AROUND TO SEE THE COAST IS CLEAR.
NOW I THINK HE'S GOING TO GROW OFF.
LOOKS LIKE HE THINKS THE DANGER HAS PASSED, BUT LOOKS LIKE THESE GUYS ARE READY TO TAKE AND RELEASE.
WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE SOME SNAKES TODAY AND THE ADULTS THAT PRODUCE THESE SNAKES CAME FROM RIGHT HERE, BUT I'VE ENLISTED THE HELP OF THE MATTSON FAMILY AND THE LEWIS FAMILY.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO HELP LET THESE LITTLE GUYS GO, HEY GUYS, HOW'S IT GOING? SO WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SNAKES TO LOOK AT.
I'M GOING TO START WITH THIS ONE.
HERE ARE THE KING SNAKES AND LOOK AT THESE GUYS.
AREN'T THEY? SO THESE ARE GOING TO GROW THEY'RE LITTLE GUYS NOW, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO GROW TO BE ABOUT THIS LONG AND LOOK PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
LET'S SEE IF YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT THE NEXT ONES ARE.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF THESE AREN'T THERE.
YOU NOTICE LIKE MADDIE SAID, THESE GUYS HAVE PINK HEADS.
NOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO BE WHEN THEY'RE ADULTS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE SOLID, DARK GRAY OR BLACK.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE ALL THAT PRETTY COLOR THAT THEY HAVE ON THEIR BABIES.
LET ME SHOW YOU ONE MORE TIME.
WHAT IF YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT THESE ARE, THEY ARE CORN SNAKES AND LOOK HOW PRETTY SOME OF THESE GUYS ARE NOW AS ADULTS.
THESE ARE GOING TO BE BRIGHT ORANGE AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE A LOT BIGGER.
BUT REMEMBER WE'RE LETTING THEM GO HERE.
SO EVEN IF ONE GOT LOOSE, IT WOULDN'T BE THE END OF THE WORLD.
WHEN WE RELEASE THESE GUYS, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE LET THEM GO UNDERNEATH SOMETHING AS LONG AS THEY CRAWL.
MAYBE UNDER A LOG OR JUST KIND OF HINDER THE GRASS SOMEPLACE WHERE THEY CAN REAL QUICKLY HEIGHT.
SO WE RELEASED THESE SNAKES AS PART OF SOME RESEARCH WE'RE DOING.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S UP CONCERN IS CERTAIN SPECIES HAVE DECLINED THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THEIR RANGE.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THESE SNAKES WE WERE RELEASED ARE GOING TO GROW INTO BIG, BEAUTIFUL ADULTS LIKE THIS EASTERN KING SNAKE.
THANKS FOR JOINING US ON COASTAL KINGDOM.