This Past Week

So, I haven't posted anything in about a week. That doesn't mean at all that I have stopped cleaning up trash. Almost every day I remove at least a backpack full from different locations. Soon there will be more photos and larger pick-ups! I did run into a problem last week with getting rid of my plastic recyclables. My towns recycling containers had been full for about two weeks and every time I've tried to drop off, I haven't had any luck. Today I did finally unload all of my collected plastics, I again have empty bags to reuse and some storage space. River collecting is halted for awhile with the recent rains. I am going to be sticking to lake shores and mountaintops for now.

Here is an Eastern Hognose I got to see over the weekend. Eastern Hognose Snakes are non-venomous and are listed as a protected species in Pennsylvania. They are very picky about their diet and consume mostly toads. If you ever come across one out on a hike you may get to see some very odd behavior from it. The pictured individual below only put on half of a show. It fanned out its neck like a cobra and hissed. Almost all wild hognoses do this. Now, if that doesn't work and they are still feeling bothered a good number of them do play dead. Rolling on their back and sticking out their tongue. I have found several of these snakes over the years dead on trail sides. The sad thing was they weren't faking. People do kill them thinking they are dangerous, but they only make themselves look that way to frighten you away. I hope if you see a hognose in the wild you will respect it and leave it be.