I've been working like a dog.
I decided it was time for a little down time today.
It wasn't especially sunny, so the the lizards I was looking for wouldn't necessarily be out anyway.
I spent some time mist-netting with my new bird friends before breakfast.
Thraupis episcopus (Blue-gray Tanager) We caught some other cool birds too. It felt goood to relax first thing in the morning.
If things don't bite, I'm learning their best defense is to just poo all over you.
Mmmm, bird crap before breakfast, now I'm really hungry.
After some food I decided to go on a nice little walk and enjoy the jungle.
Not the best panoramic, but you get the idea.
When I first arrived I was scarred sh*tless by probably one of the most harmless animals in the jungle.
I did happen to find a new species I haven't seen yet.
Leptophis depressirostris (Satiny Parrotsnake) These snakes are supposedly pretty common at La Selva. I'm glad I finally got the chance to see one. They're rear-fanged venomous and eat frogs. Apparently they're pretty aggressive and will swing their heads to slash you with their fangs. They have an anti-coagulant in their venom so you'll end up bleeding for a long time after being bitten.
So of course I had to grab it!
I was reaching for it though when it made a quick strike at what I thought was my hand.
Turns out!
Froggie lunch! And that was my signal to go get some food too.
The afternoon was spent with a little more down time.
Steven needed the livers of 20 Cane Toads for a research project and I was more than willing to oblige. I ended up finding 64 lung parasites and thousands in the stomach.
No idea what they are. But you better believe I'm bringing 'em home to figure it out!
After dinner I recruited a fellow REU, Mitch (the baby-caiman wrangler), to help me catch some geckos to see if I could find enough to use them in my study.
A few hours later.
Nineteen.
BOOM!
Since he helped me, it was only proper that I walk around the swamp with him for a few hours to help him find some snakes.
It was going to be a long night.
jk
We found 6 snakes in 30 minutes!
This night was, hands-down, the best herping night I've had of the whole trip.
3 - Imantodes inornatus (Yellow Blunt-headed Vinesnake). 2 - Sibon nebulatus (Cloudy Slugeater). 1 - Leptodeira septentrionalis (Northern Cat-eyed Snake). All awesome snakes! Of course we had to have a ridiculous photo shoot with them. Trying to wrangle in 6 snakes is interesting, to say the least. Look at that smile, clearly miserable. What a blast!
Tomorrow it's back to work work work.
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