Second Donnelley Cottonmouth last spring (2012)

Another small water moccasin crossing a road between swamps April 28, 2012, close to the one below which was seen a few weeks earlier on April 2. This one was employing the typical defensive posture, displaying a wide open mouth - the origin of the common name "cottonmouth" for this snake. The folded fangs were visible also.

Cape Fear Odyssey

(an item of personal interest)

http://theborderlife.com/Caper-Fear-Odyssey.php  (an essay by Riverdave)

Copperhead Bite and Sassafras

(an item of far-too-up-close-and-personal interest) 

http://theborderlife.com/Copperhead-Bite--and--Sassafras.php

An essay by Riverdave that appeared in Explore Magazine (a Duke University publication), Spring 1992.

A Naturalist Guide Explores Piedmont North Carolina in the Tradition of Thoreau. 

snakes, birds and gators are enjoying the early spring

A very young cottonmouth (water moccasin) crossing the road between two swamps at Donnelley WMA, and an American Avocet feeding at Bear Island WMA, April 1, 2012

Record High Temperatures for SC south coast April 2

Gusty northwest winds this afternoon ahead of an approaching back door cold front suppressed any possibility of a sea breeze even at the coast today, and may have added a slight touch of compressional (adiabatic) warming to help push readings a little higher than was expected. The Charleston airport reached 91 degrees - which broke the record for April 2 of 90 degrees set just six years ago. The temperature reached 94 degrees around 3:30 pm EDT today at Edisto Island, and the Charleston Executive Airport (Johns Island) also recorded a high of 94. . 

On March 29th we came close to 90 degrees for the first time this year - with a high of 89 at Edisto Island. The 87 degrees at Charleston tied the record for that date, set in 1985.

Keep in mind that the area near the coast from just south of Charleston to the Savannah River (which includes Edisto Island) remains in "extreme" drought status, down from "exceptional" at the first of March. but still above "severe.". Even though March ended up above normal with over 6 inches of rain, all but an inch and a half of that fell by the 4th day of the month. Only 2.5 inches fell in January and February, which followed the 36.5 inches for the entire year of 2011 (75% of normal). Little surface moisture remains from the last heavy rains of a month ago to help hold down temperatures on a day like today when everything else is favorable...hence the record highs.

Drought conditions eased a little by heavy rains this weekend...

The frontal system that pushed through the area Saturday night brought a total of just over 4 inches of rainfall to Edisto Island between noon yesterday (Saturday, March 3) and 8 a.m. this morning. This basically doubled what we'd had so far this year through the end of February. It was nicely distributed over a 20-hour period, and was more than 10 percent of the total 2011 rainfall here (36.5 inches).

Below, the picture of the orange-stained alligator reflects one effect of the ongoing severe drought conditions in the region. I photographed this specimen in early February in the nearby 8,000-acre Donnelley Wildlife Management Area in Colleton County, in part of the ACE Basin. The water levels in area swamps and fresh-water impoundments have dropped drastically, leaving large areas dry. Widespread areas of an orange-colored "scum" have been noted on mud flats and on top of very shallow water -.areas where the water is usually deeper. Iron-rich ground water seeps up and leaves rust-colored deposits on the surfaces when exposed to the air. This gator had been burrowed in the stuff for a while before coming out to bask in 78-degree temperatures on February 5th.

"Orange" Gator