Snake Road - October 7-10

I arrived at Snake Road on Sunday at 4:00 in the afternoon. It had been a cool day with high temperatures only reaching the mid-50s. Although warm in the areas where there was sun, I only found one snake, a young Western Cottonmouth.

A group of FHF herpers were still around after a big weekend. It was nice to finally meet Tim H., eriknm, azatrox, Marissa and several others. Here's some of the group, which doesn't give up easily when it comes to finding herps in less-than-ideal conditions, looking for (and finding) Cave Salamanders and Longtails.

Longtail.

On Monday I had a "lifer" that I wanted to see that several herpers had seen in the previous few days, so I headed out to a nearby cypress swamp. The daytime temperatures reached the low 60s.

The most drab Southern Leopard Frog I've ever seen.

Big Bess Beetles.

A more colorful Southern Leopard Frog than the first.

Central Newts were more common than the previous two years. I think the cool temperatures and weekend rain inspired them to come out.

The first snake of the day was a "lifer" Eastern Ribbon Snake, but it wasn't the herp I was seeking.

Bleached EBT shell.

Five-lined Skink. I also saw a Ground Skink, but that dude did not want to get his picture taken.

Young Bullfrog.

Somebody must have set their "natural history artifacts" here with plans to come back and get them later.

I had walked at least a mile and flipped 50-60 railroad ties. I was beginning to get a bit discouraged about finding my "lifer." But then I remembered what Mr. Pingleton told me the previous night in the dark parking lot of a gas station: "Tim, you WILL find a Marbled Salamander tomorrow." So I kept looking. Needless to say, I was pretty stoked to finally find this - thanks Mike.

Seeing empty turtle shells is OK, but live turtles are way better. Here's a Red-eared Slider actually living in its native range.

I was really pleased to see this though - so colorful it could be noticed from far away - Eastern Box Turtle.

Just in case you didn't know...

I made it back to Snake Road around 2:30 in the afternoon. The first serpent I found was the smallest snake of the trip, a tiny Ringneck.

A larger, darker Western Cottonmouth than the one found the day before.

A Rough Green Snake just chillin' on a limestone rock face.

I dig how mild-mannered and inoffensive Rough Green Snakes are. Let's face it: If you don't like these snakes, you've got a problem with yourself.

Puffball.

Some righteous yellow-orange fungi (we're studying fungi in biology and since I'm skipping school to be here, I thought I'd give fungi its due).

I can see for miles and miles and miles...