I'm a Herper at heart, but with so few to photograph I became a Birder. Coming full circle, I can no longer carry a big lens so my bird photos aren't as good, so now I'm carrying a bridge camera and photographing herps instead. I usually do not post gators, brown anoles and gopher tortoises,

With age, I take only photographs and leave only footprints. I try not to disturb them.

I've caught others as a kid in the mid 60s and early 70s, but those places are long gone. I released all of them.

4/28/2019 - Argentine Black-and-white Tegu was reported at Weedon Island. It was east of the bump out in the trail between the 2 oak stands on the now restricted maintenance area. It ran north into the palmettos. It was about 2.5 ft long. I thought it was a squirrel and then it ran off as a monitor lizard runs with a very noticeable tail and back legs. It was very dark, it wasn't a green iguana. I heard a few weeks later that one was captured and removed

1972-74 - Eastern Kingsnake - Southern woods on 22nd St and 13th Ave N. There was a driving range west of the creek we called Red-eared Creek on 22nd St. The driving range is now Booker Creek Park. To the east of the creek was a big open field with an oiled dirt track and woods to the south along the creek is where I found the snake.

Eastern Garter Snake - Several in the creek between the Midcity Par 3 and Driving Range and the SP Times printing plant on 34th St and 13th Ave N. Midcity is now the retention pond

Florida Brownsnake - Found under something behind what was the Steak and Shake, but now a McDonalds, on 34th St and 10th Ave N. I kept it for awhile and it had babies which sadly became stuck in the tape I had holding the aquarium together.

Diamondback Terrapin - A baby in the creek that ran parallel to the Pasadena Golf Course. And a juvenile in the tidal marsh that was east of the Gulfport Pier.

Florida Chicken Turtle - I caught a baby next to the island in the lake next to Jorgensen Lake on, 40th St and 14th Ave N. We called Jorgensen Lake, Texas Lake as kids and later The Library Lake. I also had an adult that I can't remember where I found it.

Loggerhead Musk Turtle - In the lake that used to be in front of the SP Times printing plant. The lake was filled in probably around 2019.

Narrow Mouthed Toad - Found under the old appliance boxes behind the GE appliance store on 34th St N and 17th Ave N. The location is now a quick oil change. The boxes would get wet and you would find them there occasionally.

Glass Snake aka Eastern Glass Lizard - I remember finding them on occasion. In the last 20 years or so I found one at Sawgrass and a roadkill in my Crescent Heights neighborhood.

Little Brown Skink - We used to find them in leaf litter in the fields behind where we lived on 34th St and 13th Ave N.

Most photos are on Flickr... https://www.flickr.com/photos/dsnell/albums and bird only are on eBird...https://ebird.org/profile/MTA2MDE0MQ/world

To iNaturalist admins/curators and all who outlive me: Please never delete my iNaturalist account. In the event of my passing I would like all of my observations, IDs, and comments to remain on the site in perpetuity (just like specimens in a herbarium or museum). (Credit to Jim Morefield for this "epitaph"). And credit to Chris Thawley for this paragraph on his profile.

Projects I curate:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/herps-of-pinellas-county-fl
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/amphibians-of-pinellas-county-fl