A hotchpotch of recent photos

[numpty]

Just a bit of a mixed bag of photos here, the result of a few different trips over the past month.

First up, a trip to the always-rewarding Toroko Gorge National Park, the second largest park in Taiwan. This particular excursion was a quick night visit to try and see Moltrecht's tree frog. This species is uncommon around Taipei, so it was a first for me. Cute little things, with their red breeches.

Rhacophorus moltrechti.



Also in attendance that rainy night ...

The robust Buerger's frog, Buergeria robusta.


Buergeria japonica.


And a host of snakes. It was a rainy night, so the bamboo vipers were staking out the bushes in huge numbers looking for frogs. It was actually tricky getting to the frogs in some places, so many vipers were there in the trees. They don't move either, just sit there and let you bump into them before striking ... not that I let that happen.

Trimeresurus stejnegeri.



And a red banded snake, Dinodon rufozonatum, a beast with a most unpleasant disposition, apparently, though I didn't get a chance to experience it first hand, or indeed take a decent picture.



Next, a spot nearer at hand for me ... Xindian, in New Taipei City (i.e. the outskirts of the city proper). Always worth visiting, but especially in May when the "plum rains" hit the island. This brings out waves of summer breeders, like the Chinese tree frog, Hyla chinensis. This particular spot was teeming with them, and almost deafeningly loud with their trilling chirps.

Hyla chinensis.



The always cute Microhyla fissipes was also at this same spot in large numbers, adding its rasping snore to the general rowdiness.

Microhyla fissipes.



Thanks for looking!

EDIT: Oh, I forgot ... another pic of Hyla chinensis, from Yangmingshan National Park this time, just up the road from my apartment.



And once again, thanks for looking!

[UncleChester]

I am constantly thankful that the only snakes near me with any sort of venom are extremely shy and very difficult to provoke, and also constantly envious of the treefrog diversity the rest of the world has.

Thanks for braving the snakes in the darkness and sharing the results!

[Mentat]

Thanks for sharing great photos and information . Vipers look nice; but don't want them anywhere near me .

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

Great Pictures. The red banded snake kinda looks like the hognosed snake that is prevalent in the southeastern united stated.
But it isn't poisonous and will play dead if startled.

[numpty]

I am constantly thankful that the only snakes near me with any sort of venom are extremely shy and very difficult to provoke, and also constantly envious of the treefrog diversity the rest of the world has.

Aww, Canada does all right for itself. I'm constantly envious of the abundance of salamanders in your neck o' the woods! (Not to mention bears, wolves, etc.)

Great Pictures. The red banded snake kinda looks like the hognosed snake that is prevalent in the southeastern united stated.
But it isn't poisonous and will play dead if startled.

Actually, this one isn't venomous either, but it is bad-tempered - so I've heard - and will gnash readily.

Thanks for the comments!

[MyfrogGatsby]

gorgeous pictures! What sort of camera do you use?