# Stalking Tigers



## saratoga (Oct 4, 2008)

I know here are a few people on this forum that can't get enough of Tiger Snakes so here goes again!

This morning started off as a cool day in Melbourne after some nice rain yesterday and last night. I was going to head out for a walk but went outside and thought it was a bit cold and looked like rain so decided to stay in for the day and work. However the sun soon started poking through the clouds, the snakes were calling and I decided to head out along the Yarra River once again. On the way the radio announced it was 13 degrees heading for a top of 18. It seemed warmer and with the sun coming and going it now seemed like an ideal cool day for snakes to be basking.

A minute after arriving at the carpark I spotted my first snake....coiled up in the sun between some bushes right next to the main Yarra cycleway. It was a very nicely patterned Tiger Snake and reminded me of one I saw mating in Autumn very close to here.













Further along poking around a few "snakey" looking spots I spotted another young Tiger catching some sun.







I came across this big fella while just standing still and looking around...he wasn't too far in front of me...one of the bigger ones I have seen in the area. Rather dull looking without any obvious banding, you'll have to look hard in the photo to see it. After a couple of snaps he moved off. 3 tigers in the space of 20 minutes was pretty good going.







Went for a while without seeing any snakes and then had another good run. I did see this nice Night Heron.







This one was curled up catching some sun and let me approach quite closely.












Just a couple of steps further and another big Tiger in the grass in front of me.

















And finally only a few more steps further along I stopped for a look around with my binoculars and then looked down at the ground and saw this close to my foot. These 3 snakes I had seen in the space of about 20 metres.






I had been walking very quietly and slowly all morning("the snake walk")...it would have been very easy to miss a couple of the snakes and tread on them. The weather was ideal as all the snakes I saw were just basking rather than actively moving around; this made them much easier to find. I visited the same spot last weekend when it was much hotter and saw nothing....well I heard a snake in a grass tussock but that was it. It was nice to see a couple of big Tigers on this trip...not huge....but big by the standard of the ones I normally see around there.

There were only a couple of small skinks active otherwise.....never seem to see too many skinks at this spot but there is always a chorus of frogs and many small wrens which no doubt provide the snakes with plenty of food.

I was hoping to come across some snakes mating or combating....but I can't complain.....6 snakes...a few photos ..and had a great couple of hours........will just have to keep trying!


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## adelherper (Oct 4, 2008)

awesome i sure do love tigers


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## chrisso81 (Oct 4, 2008)

Not a bad result for a brief stroll! Gotta love Melbourne tigers!


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## Tim.Arm (Oct 4, 2008)

Great stuff mate. Awsome shoot's thank's for sharin.


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## leigh_97 (Oct 4, 2008)

thats a good find of animals on a walk


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## dodgie (Oct 4, 2008)

Awesome,thanks for sharing.


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## shane14 (Oct 4, 2008)

well done, geeze freaky about looking down and seeing one between your feet


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## jase75 (Oct 4, 2008)

Wow so many tigers !!!! great pics.


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## dougie210 (Oct 4, 2008)

Aww so now i know some more secrets too herping!! Yay, so i can still go out on a day like that and find some snakes!!Yay you learn something everyday!


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## Sdaji (Oct 4, 2008)

Great stuff! Six tigers in one day is brilliant  I went herping today too, but only managed five! You win


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## moloch05 (Oct 5, 2008)

Wow, it would be nice to see so many Tigers. Up here they are a rare sight. I wonder whether that Nankeen Night Heron would eat those snakes?

Regards,
David


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## NathS (Oct 5, 2008)

Mad! Cheers Mate


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Oct 5, 2008)

Well done Greg, it's that time of year mate and we have been busy on the peninsula mate.
So busy that i havnt even had the time to take pics.
Tiger snakes from Frankston to hastings have been popping up in peoples back yards and 
quite a few copperheads have been relocated around Mornington to Somerville,
I have just got back from Langwarren after bagging a huge well patterned female.She was angry to and would have loved to get me.
I think the beginning of the season would be the worst time to get tagged as their venom yeild would be peaking, could be wrong, just a theory.
Love the head shot and the pic of the heron.
Thanks Greg


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## iceman (Oct 5, 2008)

nice pic's saratoga, tigers are one of my fav vens, cant wait to get down there one day an see some for myself.


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## m.punja (Oct 5, 2008)

saratoga I'm becoming a great fan of your pictures, probably because you snap so many of tigers. Fantastic! I would love to be able to go somewhere and just trip over them. Last place I was tripping over snakes was a spot in Barmah forest however these were RBBS and most of which were pretty much near dead due to the crapy conditions out there. It is a real sight to see some nice healthy wild reptiles, especially Tigers, my favourites 

Cheers

Mark.


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