|
Date / Conditions
|
Summary
|
January
02, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 69°
|
It’s a new year; therfore, it’s
time to start my 2005 snake count. The weather was still warm so
my dad and I set out to a favorite spot in St. Charles County Missouri.
It was cloudy but very humid. We had a good day. We ended the
day with 3 eastern garter snakes, 2 northern water snakes, and 1 western
ribbon snake. We also saw several red-eared sliders, a western painted
turtle, several blanchard’s cricket frogs, a couple green frogs, a couple
southern leopard frogs, and a ground skink. We also heard
several spring peepers. A total of
6 snakes. |
January 12, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 70°
|
The weather called for high temperatures
near 70 degrees today, so Mike and I headed out to my spot in St. Charles
County Missouri. Before Mike got there, I found a nice little eastern
garter snake. After we met up, I took him to the spot where I saw
the garter snake and near the area was a different garter snake. We soon
spotted two northernwater snakes not far from that spot. One of the
water snakes was in the water. We continued finding another water
snake, a ribbon snake, and several more garter snakes. We also stopped
at a vernal pool and saw many ringed salamander larva. The days totals
were 6 eastern garter snakes, 3 northern water snakes, and 1 western ribbon
snake. A total of 10 snakes. |
February
05, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 58°
|
The weather was great and I just
had to get out, even if it was only for a little while. On the way
out to my The weather was great and I just had to get out, even if
it was only for a little while. On the way out to my grandparents
house I stopped off at a spot in St. Charles County Missouri. In
less than an hour, I found two northern water snakes. I left, in
route to my grandparent’s house again and I found a DOR Prairie Kingsnake.
A
total of 3 snakes. |
February
12, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 59°
|
I was ready to get out on this
warm winter day. I headed to my spot in St. Charles County Missouri
with my dad. We herped for several hours searching out new potential
herp areas wthout finding anything, but a dead armadillo. This
was the farthest north I have ever seen one. I then headed over to
the spot that usually produces. I soon saw a southern leopard frog.
The next find was an eastern garter snake. While photographing the
snake my dad found two eastern garter snakes mating. This was also
a surprise to me. I never would have thought that snakes mated this
early in the year. I guess the weather is a little confussing.
Shortly after this find, we found the same northern water snake that
we see everytime we visit this spot. Our last find was a small eastern
garter snake. It looked as if he had been out for the first time
this year. It was a good day. A
total of 5 snakes. |
February
15, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 72°
|
It was extremely warm for tihis
time of the year, so I was at it again. I headed back over to my
spot in St. Charles County Missouri. The first find was a trio of
snakes. I first spotted an eastern yellow-bellied racer. I then noticed
a nicely colored eastern garter laying on top of the racer. When
I changed my position, I noticed a large northern water snake lying underneath
the racer and garter snake. This was a rather neat find. I
then found five more eastern garter snakes through the rest of the day.
A
total of 8 snakes . |
March
04, 2005
Mostly Sunny 66°
|
It was very warm today, and I hadn’t
been out in a couple weeks. I took my younger brother to a spot in
St. Charles County Missouri that I hadn’t been to yet this year.
We herped a couple of hours with some luck. We saw 11 eastern garter
snakes and an eastern yellow-bellied racer. It was like spring, the
way the snakes were darting through the grass. I heard several snakes
rustleing through the vegetation, that I never saw. However, the
highlight of the trip was not a herp, but a Peregrine Falcon. A
total of 12 snakes. |
March 18, 2005
Partly Cloudy 62°
|
I took work off early today to
do some herping. I headed over to my spot in St. Charles County Missouri.
The weatherman called for a 64 degree mostly sunny day. The temperature
was close, hanging around 60 degrees, but most of the day was cloudy
and very windy. However, the first herp of the day was a black rat
snake coiled on the bluff. Then I flipped my first ring-necked snake
of the year followed by seven more. The last herp was a midland brown
snake. It was a good day. We saw 8 Prairie Ring-necked Snakes,
1 Midland Brown Snake, and 1 Black Rat Snake. A
total of 10 snakes. |
March 20, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 52°
|
I had a little time left in the
day, so my dad and I headed over to a spot in St. Charles County Missouri.
We arrived around 3:30 P.M. There wasn’t a lot of time. We
had some success. We found two eastern garter snakes, one midland
brown snake, and a nice blanchard’s cricket frog. A
total of 3 snakes. |
March 27, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 52°
|
It was Easter so I spent the day
at my grandparent’s property. It was barely warm enough to herp.
I found one prairie ring-necked snake and 1 midland brown snake. A
total of 2 snakes. |
March 29, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 75°
|
My dad and I headed over to my
spot in St. Charles County Missouri. The day was almost too much
to take. There were snakes everywhere. This includes a den
site with 7 black rat snakes and 3 racers. Also came across 3 copperhead
den sites. Two of the den sites had racers there also. The
days totals were:25 eastern yellow-bellied racers, 13 black rat snakes,
5 western ribbon snakes, 5 prairie ring-necked snakes, osage copperheads,
3 northern water snakes, and 1 eastern garter snake. A
total of 52 snakes. |
April
02, 2005
Clear 57°
|
My younger brother, my dad, and
I decided a trip to LaRue Road in Union County Illinois was in order.
The day wasn’t as we expected it. It was windy and cool, and the
low temperatures dropped into the 30’s. Our totals were 6 southern
black racers, 4 western ribbon snakes, 2 yellow-bellied water snake, 2
northern
ring-necked snakes, 2 prairie ring-necked snake, 1 northern water snake,
1 midland brown snake, 1 black rat snake and 1 western cottonmouth.
A total of 10 snakes. |
April 03, 2005
Scattered Clouds 76°
|
Headed back over to my spot in
St. Charles County Missouri with my brother and dad. It didn’t produce
as well as I had anticipated, but still a good day. We saw 4 prairie
ring-necked snakes, 1 western ribbon snake, 1 eastern yellow-bellied racer
and 1 black rat snake. A total of
7 snakes. |
April 09, 2005
Sunny 77°
|
Headed down to Oklahoma one day
early to storm chase. My dad, Brian Stertz, and I wanted to find
a diamond-backed rattlesnake, so we herped in Major and Woodward County,
but we had no luck. We did eventually find a western ribbon snake
and a texas rat snake. Also saw a collard lizard.
A total of 2 snakes. |
April 10, 2005
Cloudy 58°
|
Went storm chasing in Kansas, so
herping time was extremely limited. We only had 15 minutes to herp.
We stopped on the side of the road in Lincoln County Kansas. All
we found was a collard lizard. We did see
3 tornadoes. A
total of 0 snakes. |
April 11, 2005
Cloudy. Rain 69°
|
My dad needed to sleep while on
route home, so we stopped in Franklin County Missouri. It was raining
so I knew it was unllikely to find anything really good. I found
4 prairie ring-necked snakes and 1 eastern yellow-bellied racer. A
total of 5 snakes. |
April 16, 2005
Sunny 78°
|
My dad and I hooked up with Mike
Pingleton and Jim Scharosch in Clinton County Illinois. It was an
outstanding day. The totals were 6 eastern garter snakes, 5 northern
water snakes, 5 eastern massasauga rattlesnakes, and one snake that
bolted before I could ID it. A total
of 17 snakes. |
April 17, 2005
Partly Cloudy 82°
|
While cutting my neighbors yard
in St. Louis County Missouri, a big eastern garter snake went darting through
the grass. After photographing her, I released her. . A
total of 1 snake. |
April 20, 2005
Clear 80°
|
Mike Cravens wanted to herp in
his element so I met Mike in Farmington. I expressed interest in
finding a speckled kingsnake and he said, “No problem.” At the first
site under a piece of tin, was a beautiful subadult speckled kingsnake.
I was thrilled. We then headed down to Wayne County Missouri where
we herped some glades. Our goal species was a pygmy rattlesnake,
timber rattlesnake, or a red milk snake. Unfortunately, we found
none of these. All we found were flat-headed snakes, and a juvenile
speckled kingsnake. At the next site a ring-necked snake and another
speckled kingsnake was found. We headed back to St. Francois
County Missouri to herp for milk snakes. Mike found a fresh milk
snake skin. Unfortunately, we knew the snake was under a nearby rock,
but a strong storm rolled in causing our retreat to the car. We never
made it back to that spot. It was raining the rest of the day.
On the way to our last site we stopped off at a couple of tin sites finding
a racer and yet another speckled kingsnake. At the last site we found
many prairie ring-necked snakes. As night was falling and we were
ready to call it a day, we decided to flip a pile of tin. In between
the tin slabs were ring-necked snakes. To our surprise, under the
last sheet of tin, we found a large and beautiful osage copperhead.
Our totals were 32 prairie ring-necked snakes, 7 flat-headed snakes, 4
speckled kingsnakes, 1 eastern garter snake, 1 eastern yellow-bellied racer,
1 DOR black rat snake, and 1 osage copperhead. A
total of 47 snakes. |
April 23, 2005
Partly Cloudy 52°
|
I visited my grandparents in Warren
County Missouri today. While there I herped the day away. The
first find was a garter snake with a weird behavior. he opened his
mouth while swaying side to side. I have seen this before, but the
snakes have always been willing to bite. He never offered to bite.
However, just as I got done explaining to my grandpa that it was a bluff,
the snake latched onto my hand. Well, the snake made a liar out of
me. The next finds were prairie ring-necked snakes. 18 to be
exact. I also found 2 northern water snakes and a midland brown snake.
A
total of 22 snakes. |
April 24, 2005
Partly Cloudy 58°
|
I headed to Jersey County Illinois
with my dad. The first find was an adult blue racer that unfortunately
got away. Next my dad found a northern ring-necked snake. I
was credited with the next find. Under a piece of tin was a beautiful
northern copperhead. Minutes later, I found a northern red-bellied
snake. We also saw a DOR midland brown snake. While on the
way home we stoped by at one of my spots in St. Charles County Missouri.
I found 2 northern water snakes, one of which was a very impressive four
footer. A total of 7 snakes. |
April 25, 2005
Cloudy 66°
|
Mike and I headed back to Jersey
County Illinois to rustle up some herps. The first find was the northern
copperhead that I saw the first visit. The next find was surprising
in that Mike flipped a rough green snake under some tin. We then
found two northern ring-necked snakes under various pieces of tin.
The last find was a nice eastern garter snake found under a rock. A
total of 5 snakes. |
April 30, 2005
Partly Cloudy 62°
|
Coming back from Arkansas, my dad
and I decided to stop at Mingo Swamp in Missouri on the way home.
The day started of slow but it picked up. The first find was a large
opaque southern black racer. It was a while after that before the
next snake. However, the second snake did arrive in somewhat of a
weird place. I found a juvenile broad-banded water snake on top of
a large bluff. The water was a distance away. I guess the snake
has to den somewhere. Several diamond-backed water snakes and a couple
of western cottonmouths were found also. My favorite find was my
first ever eastern narrow-mouthed toad. We left Mingo and started
toward home, but I wanted to make a last quick stop. While looking for
a tin site, I made a wrong turn and ended up on a glade in St. Francois
County Missouri. No more than a half hour later, I was holding a
long deserved red milk snake. All my hard work finally paid off.
We released it at the site of capture after the photography session.
That was the last herp. The totals were 6 diamond-backed water snakes,
5 - broad-banded water snakes, 2 western cottonmouths, 2 southern black
racers, and 1 red milk snake. A total
of 16 snakes. |
May
01, 2005
Scattered Clouds 61°
|
My dad, younger brother, Mike,
and I decided to hit a new area in Jersey County Illinois. We were
rewarded immediately. The third snake was the most beautiful red
milk snake (Flipped by mike) that I have ever seen. Also seen there
was a nice northern copperhead. The totals were: 5 midwest worm snakes,
4 smooth earth snakes, 3 northern ring-necked snakes, diamond-backed water
snake, 1 red milk snake, and 1 northern copperhead. A
total of 15 snakes. |
May 04, 2005
Partly Cloudy 68°
|
I had some time after school so
Mike and I headed over to a spot in Jersey County Illinois. It was
a good day. We finally got pictures of an adult blue racer.
Unfortunately we didn’t find any red milk snakes this time. Our totals
were 8 northern ring-necked snakes, 5 eastern garter snakes, 4 blue racers,
3 midwest worm snakes, 2 midland brown snakes, 1 smooth earth snakes, and
1 northern copperhead. A total of
24 snakes. |
May 14, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 74°
|
My brother and I spent the day
herping my grandparent’s property in Warren County Missouri. We started
the day with the usual ring-necked snakes. While, herping I noticed
a rock pile. I have always known it was there, but I had never flipped
in and around it. I thought it looked good for red milks. I
started flipping through some of the rocks and under a large flat rock
I found something I least expected. There was an adult speckled kingsnake
coiled up. I have only seen one other speckled kingsnake on their
property and it was a juvenile years ago. I was very happy to see
that. However the day got better. Just as the day was turning
to night I flipped another rock. Under the rock was another unexpected
find. It was a ringed salamander. I thought they were extirpated
from the property. I hadn’t seen one of these on the property in
several years. I use to see them with frequency. The finds
included: 29 prairie ring-necked snakes, 2 northern water snakes, and 1
speckled kingsnake. A total of 32
snakes. |
May 15, 2005
Sunny 64°
|
I trip south was in order.
My dad, younger brother and I decided to herp in Jefferson County Missouri.
It was a great day. The first great find was an adult speckled kingsnake.
I was thrilled especially after seeing one the day before. The next
great find, and in my opinion the best find, belonged to my younger brother.
It was a beautiful adult red milk snake. Hoping we would find more,
my younger brother found another great serpent. Coiled under a large
rock was a huge eastern hog-nosed snake. This was a lifer for him,
so this was his favorite find and the animal that made the trip worth the
effort, in his opinion. We saw 19 lined snakes, 9 western worm snakes,
6 prairie ring-necked snakes, 1 speckled kingsnake, 1 red milk snake, and
1 eastern hog-nosed snake. A total
of 37 snakes. |
May 18, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 84°
|
I still have the craving for more
herps. My brother and I hit a location in Montgomery County Missouri.
Knowing it was going to be a hot day, we were determined to see if our
luck would hold out. The first couple of hours yielded nothing, but
a prairie ring-necked snake. However, we soon began finding flat-headed
snakes and more prairie ring-necked snakes. When our luck started
to increase, I made the comment to my brother that it would be neat to
find a speckled kingsnake. Without missing a beat, I flipped the
next rock and found a juvenile speckled kingsnake. Perhaps
the best find was darting through the grass in front of me. The first
thing that ran through my mind was diamond-backed rattlesnake. Instantly
realizing that couldn’t be correct, I thought maybe a copperhead.
Fortunately the snake stopped long enough for me to catch a glimpse of
the pattern. Knowing what it was now, I scooped up a juvenile eastern
hog-nosed snake. This was the prettiest hog-nosed snake I have ever
seen. It was a good day. We saw 4 prairie-ring-necked snakes,
4 flat-headed snakes, 2 eastern yellow-bellied racers, 1 speckled kingsnake,
1 eastern hog-nosed snake, and the biggest Missouri tarantula I have ever
seen. A total of 12 snakes. |
May 24, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 76°
|
I had an offer to work a summer
job with the Missouri Department of Conservation. I was very interested
so I went to talk to the guy offering the job. After the interview
I headed quickly down to my spot in St. Charles County Missouri.
In a total of ten minutes I found 2 prairie ring-necked snakes. A
total of 2 snakes. |
May 27 2005
Mostly Cloudy 82°
|
I decided to take some paper work
to my soon to be new boss. While in the area, I decided to herp around
my spots in St. Charles County Missouri. Matt Noatch was also along
since he was also turning in paper work for a similiar position.
We found a few snakes, but the one that surprised me was an osage copperhead
found on the edge of an agricultural field under a board. We saw
2 western ribbon snakes, 2 northern water snakes, and 1 osage copperhead.
A
total of 5 snakes. |
May 28, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 74°
|
My dad, Brian Stertz, and I went
storm chasing in central and western Kansas. We saw many ornate box
turtles and a few snakes. We saw 3 bull snakes, two of which were
DOR. A total of 3 snakes. |
May 29, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 78°
|
We were still storm chasing and
saw various snakes as well as other animals. We were all over the
place. We saw stuff in Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado.
We saw 6 bull snakes (5 DOR), 1 DOR western plains garter snake, 1 DOR
prairie rattlesnake, 1 DOR western diamond-backed rattlesnake, 1 western
hog-nosed snake and 1 unidentified snake. Unfortunately, the hog-nosed
snake was run over by a semitruck as I was trying to save the snake.
The unidentified snake made it off the road before I could get back to
it. The best finds of the day were antelope and prairie dogs. A
total of 11 snakes. |
May 30, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 78°
|
This is the third day of storm
chasing. Most of the time was spent in eastern Colorado. The
only snake seen was a DOR western coachwhip. We also came very close
to a tornado, but the trip ends with no twisters. A
total of 1 snake. |
June
01, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 84°
|
I started my new job today.
While at work spraying herbiside on invasive plant species, I flipped a
rock and found a midland brown snake. A
total of 1 snake. |
June 02, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 84°
|
At work, doing various things,
I found several snakes. I saw 3 western ribbon snakes, 2 northern
water snakes, and 1 black rat snake. A
total of 6 snakes. |
June 03, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 85°
|
Saw a northern water snake at work
again today. A total of 1 snake. |
June 05, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 94°
|
Mike Cravens and I had planned
a herping trip today. We decided to head to Jefferson County Missouri.
When I got there, I waited a few minutes for Mike who was running late.
When he didn’t show up, I started to herp with the knowledge that he could
find me when he gets here. It wasn’t long before I found the first
herp of the day. Under a rock was a snake that I really wanted to
find. It was a prairie kingsnake. It was actually the second
of the day. Early in the morning I saw a DOR. Fortunately for
Mike, he arrived just as I was photographing the snake. When the
photo session was over, we continued on. The temperature was entering
the 90’s so we knew it was going to be hard work with potentially no reward.
Just as I was complaining about how our time was being wasted, Mike flips
a rock and finds a beautiful red milk snake. After finding a couple
more snakes we left for a new location. The next location yeilded
a lovely timber rattlesnake tucked under a rock crevise. We saw 2
prairie kingsnakes, 1 red milk snake 1 western worm snake, 1 eastern yellow-bellied
racer, and 1 timber rattlesnake.
A total of 6 snakes. |
June 08, 2005
Cloudy 94°
|
While at work, I saw a northern
water snake dive into the water. A
total of 1 snake. |
June 09, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 91°
|
Since work has kept me busy, I
really wanted a herp outing. My whole family came with me to Monroe
and Randolph County Illinois. The purpose was to find a copperhead
or two. My wish was granted very quickly. In the road was a
DOR copperhead. It looks very much alive however. Later I was
blessed with a live one. We saw 2 northern copperheads (1 DOR), 1
DOR western ribbon snake, 1 DOR blue racer, and 1 DOR black rat snake.
A total of 5 snakes. |
June 19, 2005
Partly Cloudy 81°
|
Again my brother, dad, and I headed
back to Monroe and Randolph County Illinois, this time during the day.
We spent several hours looking with no luck. We decided to head to
my spot in St. Charles County Missouri to find at least one snake.
One snake is all we found. A prairie ring-necked snake.
A total of 1 snake. |
June 23, 2005
Scattered Clouds 96°
|
At work I found a big eastern garter
snake. While he was chewing on me, I gave a lecture to my coworkers
about the snake. They loved it. A
total of 1 snake. |
July
07, 2005
Scattered Clouds 89°
|
A quick trip up to the Mississippi
River in St. Charles County with my dad and brother Kyle in tow.
No luck finding any snakes. A total
of 0 snakes. |
July 17, 2005
Scattered Clouds 84°
|
Mike Cravens called me up and asked
if I wanted to go to southern Missouri and look for amphiumas and sirens.
I agreed and met him in Farmington. From there we headed south.
Our time was spent in Wayne, Stoddard, Bollinger and Scott counties in
Missouri. After a few phone issues, we were greeted with the first live
snakes. Coming out from under a rock was an adult speckled kingsnake.
We didn’t find any amphiumas or sirens, but it was fun. We saw 3
eastern garter snakes (2 DOR), 2 DOR southern black racers, 1 DOR
western ribbon snake, 1 DOR yellow-bellied water snake, 3 DOR black rat
snakes, 1 DOR broad-banded water snake and 1 speckled kingsnake. A
total of 12 snakes. |
July 18, 2005
Scattered Clouds 89°
|
We had camped for the night in
hopes to resume our search for the sirens and amphiumas. They still
eluded us, but we did see some cool stuff. We saw 1 southern black
racer, 1 broad-banded water snake, 2 yellow-bellied water snakes (1 DOR),
1 DOR western ribbon snake, 1 diamond-backed water snake, 1 western cottonmouth,
1 DOR black rat snake, and 1 midland water snake. I also added the
river cooter to my life list. A total
of 8 snakes. |
July 19, 2005
Cloudy, Light Rain 89°
|
This was our last day of the trip.
No sirens or amphiumas were to be had this trip. Maybe next time.
Our totals were 1 DOR black rat snake, 1 DOR western cottonmouth, 1 southern
copperhead. A total of 3 snakes. |
July 27, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 80°
|
While leaving the job site in St.
Louis County Missouri my co-workers and I stumbled across a large black
rat snake. I plucked the snake up from the ground, while the snake
showed no aggression. However, while lecturing to my friends about
how the snake will not bite, the snake decided to make a liar out of me.
The 65 inch snake nailed me right in the arm. The point of the story
is: I looked really cool. A
total of 1 snake. |
July 28, 2005
Partly Cloudy 84°
|
Again, while at work, I caught
a glimpse of an eastern garter snake as he darted into an old brush pile.
The location was in St. Louis County. A
total of 1 snake. |
July 29, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 87°
|
This was the third straight day
that I saw a snake while at work in St. Louis County. At the pavilion,
where we eat lunch, my fellow workers and I saw a neonate eastern yellow-bellied
racer. A total of 1 snake. |
August
01, 2005
Scattered Clouds 93°
|
I decided I needed a snake hunt.
My mom asked if I wanted to go for a drive and I accepted. I figured
while we were out, I would check a couple of junk piles in Jersey County
Illinois. At the first site I only found a midland brown snake.
The second site had boards, drywall, and tarps. The first thing I
flipped, a board, had a nice eastern garter snake. The pile
of drywood had a neonate midland brown snake and a large diamond-backed
water snake. Then I hit the tarps and found another diamond-backed
water snake and a northern water snake together. Good to get out
again. A total of 6 snakes. |
August 09, 2005
Clear 96°
|
Finally found another snake at
my work in St. Charles County Missouri. It wasn’t much, but I’ll
take anything at this point. The lone snake was an eastern garter
snake. A total of 1 snake. |
August 11, 2005
Partly Cloudy 99°
|
While spraying Bush Honeysuckle
in St. Charles County Missouri, I found a neonate eastern garter snake.
This was the second garter snake in three days. That is great considering
the high temperatures and drought we have been having in the Midwest. A
total of 1 snake. |
August 12, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 100°
|
While at work in St. Charles County,
I spotted a small snake in the road. It was a very pretty but aggressive
prairie kingsnake. It was a nice find and I enjoyed showing my coworkers
a species of snake that I don’t see very often. A
total of 1 snake. |
August 13, 2005
Clear 97°
|
I was spending the weekend at my
old field biology teacher’s place in Crawford County Missouri. Herping
was slow, but I managed a few frog/toad species, a blue grosbeak, and my
first live armadillo. I also saw an eastern garter snake. A
total of 1 snake. |
August 14, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 87°
|
Still in Crawford County Missouri.
My friends and I decided to go swimming and do a little kayaking.
We kayaked for a good hour maybe an hour and a half. As we were tipping
the kyack over after using it; Sarah says there is a snake in the
kayak. At first I’m wondering what she had been drinking, but sure
enough there was a northern water snake sticking it’s head out from under
the lip of the kayak. Later that day, back in Saint Louis County
Missouri, I found four more northern water snakes in a lake under a small
dock. It was a fun day, and a snake got a free ride.
A total of 5 snakes. |
August 20, 2005
Scattered Clouds 92°
|
My friend Matt hadn’t really been
herping before so I decided to take him on a short outing. We stayed
in St. Louis County Missouri for this effort. When we got to our
destination, we started to check rocks. It wasn’t long before the
first snake was seen; however, what I saw was surprising. It was
a beautifully shed red milk snake. It was a good hook for someone
who has never been herping before. We also saw 4 ring-necked snakes,
4 pickerel frogs, 4 western slimy salamanders, 2 dwarf american toads,
2 five-lined skinks, 2 ground skinks, and one brightly colored northern
spring peeper. A
total of 5 snakes. |
September
01, 2005
Partly Cloudy 87°
|
Mike Cravens and I had a hankering
to find a timber rattlesnake or two. We headed over to a place in
Montgomery County Missouri. Almost immediately we were greeted with
a very lovely find. Mike got a hand on my first ever western slender
glass lizard. After the photo session we continued. Not too
long after that I spotted an adult copperhead in a rock crevice.
Mike came over to take a look himself and pointed out the four juvenile
copperheads that also shared the crevice. Apparently upon picture
comparison, I found the same adult copperhead on May 3, 2003 under
a nearby rock. Once the photo session was over we continued.
While checking a crevice, Mike flipped a juvenile hog-nosed snake.
We took our photos and moved on. The last find occurred just as it
was getting dark. Mike peered into a crevice and saw yet another
adult copperhead. Also present were several neonate sheds.
As Mike continued to look for more snakes, I poked around the edge of the
crevice. Moments later I scared up a neonate copperhead in the process
of shedding it’s skin. I called Mike over and I got my pictures.
That proved to be the last snake of the day. It was a fantastic outing.
The totals were 7 osage copperheads and 1 eastern hog-nosed snake. A
total of 8 snakes. |
September 04, 2005
Clear 90°
|
I visited my grandparents in Warren
County Missouri in hopes of finding snakes. It wasn’t a bad day.
One of the first snakes of the day was an adult opaque red milk snake.
That was the find of the trip. We saw 3 prairie ring-necked snakes,
2 western ribbon snakes, and a red milk snake. A
total of 6 snakes. |
September 05, 2005
Partly Cloudy 86°
|
Mike Cravens, my brother Kyle,
my dad Rich, and I all went out to look for rattlesnakes. We
started out searching in St. Louis County Missouri. We looked for
several hours without seeing one. All we managed to find was a prairie
ring-necked snake. We also saw several timber rattlesnake sheds
and a copperhead shed. We then high tailed it over to Jefferson
County Missouri. We again found several timber rattlesnake
sheds and a couple of copperhead sheds. Just before we were
about to leave I saw our target laying at the edge of a large rock.
Unfortunately he spotted me too, and was out of sight within seconds.
That proved to be the only rattlesnake of the trip and no picture.
A total of 2 snakes. |
September 17, 2005
Partly Cloudy 77°
|
I again found myself at my grandparent’s
property in Warren County Missouri. It wasn’t a spectacular day,
but I did well for myself. I found 10 prairie ring-necked snakes,
3 northern water snakes, 2 western ribbon snakes, and 1 western slimy salamander
with five legs. A total of 15 snakes. |
September 18, 2005
Scattered Clouds 81°
|
My dad and I decided to head to
northern St. Charles County Missouri. We had problems finding public
land, so not many snakes were found. We found a yellow-bellied water
snake, and a northern water snake. A
total of 2 snakes. |
September 19, 2005
Partly Cloudy 92°
|
I took a ride to Jersey County
Illinois. While up there, I stopped off at a junk site. I found
a midland brown snake. A total of
1 snake. |
September 21, 2005
ScatteredClouds 86°
|
Mike Cravens wanted to go herping
today, so we herped the St. Charles County Missouri area. At the
first location I found my first juvenile black rat snake. We also
saw ring-necked snakes. The rest of the snakes were found dead.
We saw 9 prairie ring-necked snakes, 1 black rat snake, 2 DOR eastern yellow-bellied
racers, 1 DOR midland brown snake, and 1 DOR prairie kingsnake. A
total of 14 snakes. |
September 23, 2005
ScatteredClouds 81°
|
I was asked to serve as a biologist
for a bio-inventory being conducted at Little Creek Nature Area in St.
Louis County Missouri. The weather was hot so only one snake was
to be found. That snake was a juvenile black rat snake. A
total of 1 snake. |
September 24, 2005
Overcast 86°
|
I was hoping to have a better day
at the bio- inventory, but I had the same result. All that was found
was another juvenile black rat snake. A
total of 1 snake. |
September 29, 2005
Partly Cloudy 65°
|
Mike Cravens and I again were out
to find timber rattlesnakes. We headed over to Jefferson County Missouri.
We hadn’t herped long before Mike pointed to an adult timber rattlesnake
tucked in between rocks. We got pictures and continued on.
The only other find to note was a speckled kingsnake. We saw 3 prairie
ring-necked snakes, a western worm snake, a speckled kingsnake, and a timber
rattlesnake. A total of 6 snakes. |
`October
01, 2005
Clear 82°
|
My dad, younger brother and I just
had to get down to LaRue Road. We were disappointment with the spring
production so we had high hopes for this one. We didn’t have a spectacular
day, but it was still a good day. Perhaps the best moment came when
I flipped a rock and saw an unexpected sight. Underneath the rock
was a very bright neonate red milk snake. I have always wanted to
see a LaRue milk and now I have. Our totals were: 4 western
cottonmouths, 3 rough green snakes, 2 yellow-bellied water snakes, 1 western
ribbon snake, 1 midwest worm snake, 1 northern ring-necked snake, 1 Mississippi
green water snake, and 1 red milk snake. A
total of 14 snakes. |
October 02, 2005
Scattered Clouds 88°
|
Our second day of our trip and
we met Mike Pingleton and Mike Cravens in Johnson County Illinois.
We started off by finding several salamanders including cave salamanders,
a smallmouth salamander, a northern slimy salamander, and marbled salamanders.
We then started finding cottonmouths. As the day grew later, my dad,
brother and I made the decision to head for home as the snakes were a little
tough to find. The rest of guys continued to herp and then
left for another spot. Bad choice again because as soon as I'm out
of sight, I miss out on a black kingsnake. Then at their next site
I missed out on an eastern hog-nosed snake, southern copperhead and a timber
rattlesnake. I’m still kicking myself for leaving too early!.
Anyway, we saw 10 cottonmouths and a rough green snake today. A
total of 11 snakes. |
October 06, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 65°
|
I went to one of my spots in St.
Charles County Missouri. My goal was to find a graham’s crayfish
snake. I figured since a cold front came through last night, the
cool temperatures would entice the snakes to become active. I was
a little wrong. It was actually quite chilly. All the snakes
were under cover. But as luck would have it, the first rock I flipped
had a graham’s crayfish snake under it. It was a nice one at that.
The rock next to it had an adult northern water snake under it. I
finished the day with 4 northern water snakes and 2 graham’s crayfish snakes.
A
total of 6 snakes. |
October 08, 2005
Clear 64°
|
We were making our second trip
to LaRue in consecutive weekends. It was my dad, brother, and I again.
We also knew it was a good opportunity to meet and herp with some of the
people from the herp forums. I also had an ulterior motive.
I still wanted to find a LaRue timber this year. We were having a
typical LaRue day. Near the end of the day I wanted to check a known
cottonmouth den before it got dark. I started up the hill and there
it was! The unmistakable pattern of a timber rattlesnake. I
got pictures before I even told anybody about it. I wanted to be
discrete about my find, but had to shout to my dad and brother and
in doing so, I gained the attention of many other people. Mitchel,
Warren, Mike Cravens who had just arrived, and soon many others had all
rushed over. Luckily everyone was a moral herper and we were able
to have a photo session without stressing the snake out too much.
Thanks again to Mitchel, Mike, and Warren for the extra help. Our
totals were: 10 western cottonmouths, 2 western ribbon snakes, 1 Mississippi
green water snake, 1 rough green snake, 1 northern red-bellied snake and
1 timber rattlesnake. A total of
16 snakes. |
October 09, 2005
Partly Cloudy 68°
|
Day 2 of our weekend trip and we
herped with Mitchell and Mike again today. We we hoping for a good
day and we got one. We found a couple of bird-voiced treefrogs, which
is a species I wanted to see on this trip. Thie interesting find
of the day was Mike plucking a water snake from Winters Pond. He
called diamond-backed at first, then he called mississippi green water
snake knowing that diamondbacks are rarely seen here. However, he
quickly overturned his second identification when he examined the snake
closer and saw that it was indeed a diamond-backed water snake. Most
people don’t usually see this species here. It was a real treat.
Our totals were 10 western cottonmouths, 2 western ribbon snakes, 2 black
rat snakes, I northern ring-necked snake, 1 yellow-bellied water snake,
1 diamond-backed water snake, and 1 DOR black kingsnake. A
total of 18 snakes. |
October 15, 2005
Clear 80°
|
Weekend outing number three in
a row and my dad and I headed down to Mingo to meet with Mike Cravens and
his friend Brian. We didn’t see anything spectacular, but we had
a great time. We saw a couple of eastern narrow-mouthed toads.
We also noticed many snakes especially the broad-banded water snakes migrating.
There were also many snakes at their den sites. The highlight for
me was a 3 and a half foot monster western cottonmouth. I was also
very disappointed to find an eastern hog-nosed snake DOR. It looked
like a bull snake. It had a bright yellow ground color with dark
black blotches. We saw 15 broad-banded water snakes (3 DOR), 13 western
cottonmouths (1 DOR), 1 yellow-bellied water snake, 1 midland brown snake,
1 speckled kingsnake, 1 DOR eastern hog-nosed snake, 1 DOR western ribbon
snake, and 1 DOR black rat snake.
A total of 34 snakes. |
October 16, 2005
Clear 75°
|
Day 2 of the weekend and my dad
and I along with Mike and Brian all met up with Mike Pingleton to herp
Jackson County Illinois. After a good breakfast we began the hunt.
It started out cold and slow, but it soon exploded with activity.
Only a few snakes had been seen when I looked in a crevice and saw a few
cottonmouths and a black rat snake. While taking pictures I hear
Mike C. shout, “Timber!” I ran over to see. While wrangling
the neonate rattlesnake, Mike P. Notices a large northern copperhead coiled
in a crevice right behind use. In less then a minute, we had nailed
the viper trio. While photographing the animals, we all combined
to find another timber rattlesnake, another copperhead and a few more cottonmouths.
We were consistent about finding snakes until we got to the last spot.
That's when green became noticeable everywhere. There were green
snakes every few steps. “There’s one,” Mike would say. I would
follow with, “Got three more over here.” My dad would then respond
with, “There’s a couple on the ground and a couple in the tree. It
was insane how many there were in that one location. Most were neonates.
By time the sun had set, we were tired, but very pleased. This was
my favorite trip of the year so far. Thanks guys! Our
totals were 23 rough green snakes (roughly, might have been more), 14 western
cottonmouths, 4 black rat snakes, 4 northern copperheads, 2 western ribbon
snakes, 2 southern black racers, and 2 timber rattlesnakes. A
total of 51 snakes. |
October 22, 2005
Partly Cloudy 63°
|
I went to my grandparent's property
out in Warren County Missouri. I found 4 prairie ring-necked snakes.
A
total of 4 snakes. |
October 26, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 57°
|
Mike Cravens and I decided to herp
in St. Louis County and Lincoln County Missouri. We were looking
for four-toed salamanders. We didn’t see any salamanders, but we
did see a prairie ring-necked snake and a DOR midland brown snake. A
total of 2 snakes. |
October 29, 2005
Partly Cloudy 63°
|
My father and I went to my spot
as well as a new location in St. Charles County Missouri to herp today.
The day was good as we saw 9 eastern yellow-bellied racers, 3 eastern garter
snakes, 2 black rat snakes, 1 northern water snake, and a beautiful speckled
kingsnake. A total of 16 snakes. |
October 30, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 71°
|
I returned to that new location
I found yesterday in St. Charles County Missouri and all that was found
was an eastern garter snake and a western ribbon snake. The rain
ended the outing early. A total of 2
snakes. |
November
03, 2005
Partly Cloudy 77°
|
The temperature was looking too
good. I went by myself to my spot in St. Charles County Missouri.
It was a great but exhausting day. I saw 5 eastern yellow-bellied racers,
4 prairie ring-necked snakes, 3 eastern garter snakes, 1 black rat snake,
1 northern red-bellied snake and 1 osage copperhead sticking his head out
of a crevice. A total of 15 snakes. |
November 05, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 72°
|
My younger sister and her highschool
stream team were hosting a stream cleanup in St. Louis County Missouri.
My family was there to help out. While working at the cleanup, I
found two eastern garter snakes. One was under a plastic bag in a
bush. After the stream cleanup, I then went to my grandparent’s house
in Warren County Missouri and found two prairie ring-necked snakes out
there. A total of 4 snakes. |
November 06, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 59°
|
I met Mike Cravens at my spot in
St. Charles County Missouri. He wanted to find a ringed salamander.
However, before we looked at the vernal pool, we checked the snake spot.
We saw 3 eastern garter snakes, 3 eastern yellow-bellied racers, and one
osage copperhead. As a side note, we saw no ringed salamanders, but
found a nice spotted salamander instead.
A total of 7 snakes. |
November 13, 2005
Clear 62°
|
Mike Cravens wanted to know if
I still wanted to find a four-toed salamander. Well of course Mike!
My brother Kyle and I headed down to St. Genevieve County Missouri.
We hunted several hours. By the end of the day we had found numerous
red-backed salamanders, a spotted salamander, a central newt (eft), and
2 of the goal species, the beautiful four-toed salamanders. We were
shutout today for snakes. A total
of 0 snakes. |
December
22, 2005
Partly Cloudy 54°
|
I was near one of my herping spots
in St. Charles County Missouri with my friend Sarah, and the temperatures
were rather warm; so I decided to quickly check for basking snakes.
To my surprise there was a nice eastern yellow-bellied racer and a northern
water snake both out basking. A total
of 2 snakes. |
December 23, 2005
Mostly Cloudy 62°
|
I decided since I didn’t get to
herp the whole area yesterday that I would come back to my St. Charles
County spot today with my dad and younger brother. I immediately
saw the same two snakes that I saw the day before. I then found another
racer not too far from the first. Continuing on with the hike we
saw a large racer and a 5 foot plus black rat snake. The totals are:
3 eastern yellow-bellied racers, 1 northern water snake, and 1 black rat
snake. A total of 5 snakes. |
