Comments for Hiking Nature

Comment on About Nashville’s HikingNature Blog by Coleen

Coleen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:11:16 +0000

I live on the edge of small town. I saw a snapping turtle yesterday the size of a quarter watching me from the edge of a water hole/stream that runs through a neighbor’s yard. Very cute.

Today saw an eastern small mouthed toad for the first time. I would not have known what it was but for an interest I took in Frogwatch a couple of years back. (NWF and USGS joint venture). The toad was hiding in tall grass that had taken over my iris bed – I decided to let the grass stay – since the toad apparently liked it.

From your blog, I thought you might enjoy hearing that.

Comment on Northern Water Snake at Ellington Agricultural Center by Rob

Rob — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 04:35:22 +0000

……….um, to correct my above post, the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail is 6miles one-way, 4 of which are paved…. haha my bad!

Comment on Northern Water Snake at Ellington Agricultural Center by Rob

Rob — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 04:31:29 +0000

This place sounds great! A pretty well-kept secret too…I thought I’d researched every trail within 30min of downtown Nashville, but I’ve never heard of this one!

Speaking of snakes, have you been to the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail in Ashland City? It’s about a half hour or so outside of downtown Nashville, and the best snake-hunting site I’ve seen in the state. The trail is 12miles one-way. 8miles of this are paved. Cottonmouths are especially abundant; I had no idea they lived so close to Nashville.

I highly recommend you visit there if you haven’t yet.
Always interesting to read your posts.
-Rob

Comment on Hiking Fiery Gizzard: the Northern Fence Lizard by Carolyn

Carolyn — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:35:15 +0000

I had one of these as a pet. Caught it and it laid eggs sadly it died somehow after living with me for a month. Kujo, my lizard, was about 3-4 in. tip to tip.

Comment on Baby Box Turtle on South Cove Trail at Radnor Lake by sam

sam — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:00:35 +0000

it is me again if there is please email me at diliberp@gmail.com
thanks alot

Comment on Baby Box Turtle on South Cove Trail at Radnor Lake by sam

sam — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:58:24 +0000

is there anywhere to find box turtles in louisiana

Comment on Nashville Bird Feeders: First Visitors by Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:39:18 +0000

Lovely post.. I have made some beautiful bird feeders out of Paracord and the natrual colours blend nicely with surroundings. I have managed to make some real heavy ones due to the fact that it has a high textile strength. Let me know if the woodpeckers arrive

Comment on Alligator Snapping Turtle: Nashville Resident? by Jay Edwards

Jay Edwards — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:21:12 +0000

I discovered an alligator snapping turtle in the bend of the creek that flows behind my home in Meridian, MS– a creek.
I was camcording the minnows hit the bait I had tossed in at the bend ( maybe 3 foot deep, max,below a tree whose root system must be home for the monster )– when I saw this wiggling worm…. I pulled back on the zoom.. and immediately saw it was attached to the tongue of a giant turtle.
He is indeed active by day… the creek is about 12 feet down… and.. if I walk up normally, I never see him… but if I creep up quietly, I often do– its as if he can “hear” my footsteps..
I left some eggs on the bed of the creek for the racoons– and– I walked out the next day to see the turtle on the bare creek bed eating away
The look he gave me was unforgettable, even peering down from 10 feet up–he quickly disappeared into the bend–

This is a very shallow creek– that barely supports minnows– nothing larger. After culverts were installed to control flooding 20 odd years ago, I would guess the average depth cannot be more than 6 inches, except during a rainfall…. the crrek empties into Sowashee Creek, which must eventually empty into the Gulf.

Comment on Is This a Mink or a River Otter? by Tom Digio

Tom Digio — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:15:20 +0000

I have a short video of an otter or is it a mink. I saw it June 11th , 2010 in the Jones Falls Stream just a mile or so in side the city line , Im not sure what it isbut it had a cray fish in its mouth, and disappeared quickly,agin I have the video to prove that hey are here in Baltimore’s streams, can any one suggest a way to learn more ?

Comment on Is This a Mink or a River Otter? by briganduk

briganduk — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 02:33:17 +0000

I have looked at the clip, Mink or Otter a number of times. I would stake my reputation on it being a Mink, ‘mustela vision’. Although with Stoat, Weasel,Polecat domesticated Ferret, they are members of the ‘mustela family’ The animal on film has a very bendy spine, more pronounced than the Otter, it is also nearly black. I have watched Mink in my local woods by the Canal, have also watched Otters when fishing on the Canal. “Well thats my Two Penath in the pot”.