Cave Salamander E.lucifuga

Followed by Dark-sided Salamanders which were so numerous I didn't even begin to count them.

Dark-sided Salamander E.l.melanopleura

As we made our way back to the entrance I scanned the walls near the spring hoping for a Grotto Salamander. As we aproached the section of the cave that the sunlight could reach I heard my brother (Who I had dragged along) say in an excited voice " Hey I found a snake! I don't know what it is come here!" As I made my way to him I expected to see a rat snake or something. I was a little suprised to find this little guy in a tight coil faceing the cave wall. Before I could get the Nikon out he started to move away.

Timber Rattlesnake C.horridus

We left it as it began to climb the wall.

By now it was time to leave as we had promised to help our dad pickup his old jukebox from a friend. As soon as we walked from the cave onto the trail I heard my brother say "Dude you just about stepped on one." I turned to see a Copperhead a few feet from the trail. I was well beyond strikeing distance but way too close to have not seen it.

Southern Copperhead A.c.contortrix

All things considered I think we had a pretty good day. Thanks for looking.           Thomas

It went from being in the 80s at that time a few days ago to being in the 50s...

You guys live in a straaaaange place, my friends.

First things first I wanted to thank Bushmaster for giving me the opportunity to locate my first ever cottonmouths as well as watersnakes. 

I am still interested in going either road crusing or hiking.

There are still several species that I would like to cross off the lifer list.......

I understand very much that when you find a good spot you never want to give it out.....

I just want to let everyone know that I am not out here to steal your spots I just want some hints to some places that I could look.  I am currently active duty Air Force temp. here for another 4 weeks.  I dont take anything out of the wild, I simply want to just photograph them and enjoy them in the wild.  I am currently in the Little Rock/Jacksonville area...

A few species I would like to find....
Timbers, pigmys (I know they can be near impossible)
Any of the kingsnake species, a scarlet snake
and if possible an eastern hognose.

I do not mind traveling the state so if you are interested please shoot me a message.....

First though, maybe 10 minutes after arriving at my destination, I flipped this little guy...

Nerodia sipedon pleuralis - Midland watersnake

Anyhow, after a lot more walking along the creek and a lot of toads, we were walking along a trail with a rocky hillside on one side and the creek on the other, when we heard some rustling in the leaves amongst the rocks... When I looked over, this is what I witnessed...

I watched two large adult male cottonmouths in combat mere feet away from me for a good ten minutes. It's killing me only having my cellphone camera right now...

Here are a few more crapshots.

In the meantime, here is some pics of this summers roadcruising efforts, which have S U C K E D compared to recent years.   
Anyway, if anyone needs an ID, lemme know...I aint in the mood for names tonight.

Some Kings

 

I think this guy got in a fight with a mower blade or something...seemed to be doing fine though...very resilient creatures...

Not sure why this one had a cool reflection on its eye...

Some coppers

 

Somethin looked weird as this one slithered off into the grass...looks like something got a hold of this ones tail...we'll call him 'ol stubby' now.

Some milks

 

 

 

 

 

Couple rats

 

 

 

Sadly, this one was DOR...
 

 
Some garters

 

 
A rattler -normally we see a couple a night no matter what. This year...a single specimen!

 

 

 
As this thing crawled to the side of the road...we noticed a snack right in his path. We did our best not to disturb the situation, but eventually the mouse took off. 
 

 
and some friends

 

 

 

 

Me and Jeremy do snake programs...this was a boy scout troop learning about venomous snakes.

 

Yours truly, geez i need to layoff the buffets.

Hope you likee.

Hoggie

Thanks for looking.                     Thomas

Here it is, almost fall, and I'm still tryin to post a trip I took back in early June.
Well, to make a long story short, about a year ago, Duane (MNHerper) contacted me via another website about meeting up for some Arkansas herping. I was happy to oblidge, and besides finding some herps, I made a new friend.  So, back over the winter Duane says to me "you should come give a presentation to the MN Herp Society.  I told him I could probably talk Van or Glenn into doing a talk about their research, but he said "no, I think YOU should give the talk."  Hmm...I reminded him that I am not a degreed scientist, but just a happy boy that has a love for most of God's creatures, in particular the cold blooded ones.  He said that would be enough.  So, with a bit of nervousness in my belly, Jeremy and I loaded up the accord and headed north.  I must say I was humbled by the hospitality of the MN crew, both the herp society and the PRO herpers we got to go out with.  I felt like I was south of the mason dixon line, not herping on the northen edge of the world (hey, it is to me!).  So, without further rambling, I present "Golden Gopher herping or How I learned to love Pappys"

High on my list of species to see was a fox snake, so on the first morning there, Duane, Chris, and Jeff took us to a railroad right of way where they find them pretty consistently.

Here's Jeremy checking a pile of railroad ties...

L-R Duane, Chris, Jeff

Not too far down the track, Jeremy struck gold. Granted, it wasnt a 4ft monster...but it WAS a fox snake

Belly shot

Since we struck out on a big fox...we stopped by the Quarry Hill Nature Center.  Cool place with a lot of live animal exhibits.  Oddly enough, the one that was missing was the ADULT FOX SNAKE...figures...


After a short chat with the gal at the front desk, we found out  the adult fox snake was being used in an interpretive program...but they were nice enough to let us have a look at it up close.

Granted, I would have rather found this guy out on the crawl or under a board, but hey, I got to hold an adult fox snake!

After a short course in Duane map reading, he decided we should hit the old abandoned quarry that gives the place its name.

Needless to say, the recent rains did not help make conditions conducive to herping.

Not even these pieces of tin held any herping finds for us, so we decided to keep on trucking to spot #2 for milksnakes!

So, a few miles down the road, we pull off and hit the ditches...Which seemed a bit odd to this arkansas herper...but I was soon convinced when everyone started flipping snakes!

Jeff is one serious nordic herper...this is his happy face.

Next stop was some shortgrass prairie in hopes of bullsnakes and blandings turtles.  Despite this sign, which I thought practically guaranteed an our of stater a blandings...

Pretty scenery, but a bit light on herps this day.

Minnesota is an awesome place, if, for no other reason, you can walk about in this stuff and not get any chiggers! 

Lots of gopher mounds, but no snakes!


Some driving around yielded an old abandoned farm with lots of junk. Despite this looking like snake heaven, we didnt find anything here.

Never been to a place where folks go looking for bullfrogs...

Pulling back out onto the road, I thought for sure we'd found a blandings!

Turns out, it was just a painted turtle.  A lifer for me, but not exactly over the top exciting.

While some of us checked for nerodia and turtles...

...others were vandalizing an unattended barge on the banks of the Mississippi river. 

As we were making Duane return the life jacket, Chris noticed another turtle crossing the entrance road-

After Jeff's inspection, it turned out to be a gravid female map turtle, heading out to bury her eggs.

After a pic, she was on her way.

I did notice this baby sitting at the construction site near the river.I've never seen such a huge job-johnny.  I actually took a pic of this for Van, because he loves to $hit. In Arkansas, we'd call this a double-wide.  Man, you guys got it all in Minnesota!

On the way out, we noticed a turtle in a freshly plowed field.  Now folks, if you would, make note that WE are called hillbillies and rednecks, but thats Minnesota's native son, Duane, there in bare feet, a wife beater and his pink drawers showing.  Here is Chris and Duane in a race to ID the turtle.

If this doesnt legitimize herping, I dont know what would.

One of several females found making a deposit.


Checked another spot, but other than the obligatory garter and some basking turtles, nothing was found.

Finally, the reason for our visit...our presentation to the Mn Herp Society.  Cant say enough good things about these folks...I think we enjoyed presenting as much as they did listening. In the meantime, I need to read up on things like Hellbenders and Frogs...

The next day, we met up with some old (and I use that term loosley) friends to search for saugas.  The hike started out through some thick woods where I thought the mosquitos would carry us away.  Florida has NOTHING on Minnesota skeeters!

So Blake says "this is the spot". I'm thinkin...rattlesnakes? here? Surely you gest.

Rattlesnake hunt.  If you look closely you can see the heads of my compadres out there among the tall grass.

And just like clockwork, I hear SOMEONE ELSE yell "SAUGA".  By the time I arrived, the fellas were well within their photo session.

Turned out to be a nice, fat, gravid female out tryin to catch some rays on this overcast day.


This gal seemed content to stay in place, but eventually she decided to crawl up into a clump of grass...so instead of 'find the snake', we'll play "watch the snake disappear"



Still amazed that you can find these guys in this kind of habitat...I guess thats why they get the moniker "swamp rattler".

After missing a couple others...someone stumbled upon this one out basking as well, and like the other, it tolerated our picture taking for a bit.

This one had a much prettier pattern...it had recently shed.


Granted, this picture was blurry(thank you autofocus) but my allergies went NUTZ on this expedition, so its somewhat appropo.
pictured left to right: Chris, Jeff, Jeremy, Me, Blake, Duane, and Terry.  We aint gonna win no beauty contest, thats for sure!
 

Cannot say enough thanks to you Minnesota guys for taking us out- Awesome does not even describe it, I cant wait to come back!
And especially a big thanks to Duane, for settin this all up...you're alright Duane.  Cant wait for you guys to head south...I can show you a donkey on a front porch if you're interested.

ARIZONA

Snakes (25 species)

Colubridae

Arizona elegans - Glossy Snake

Coluber bilineatus - Sonoran Whipsnake

Coluber flagellum - Coachwhip (DOR only; Red Phase)

Gyalopion canum - Chihuahuan Hook-nosed Snake
NO PICTURES
Gyalopion quadrangulare - Thornscrub Hook-nosed Snake

Heterodon kennerlyi - Mexican Hog-nosed Snake (DOR only)

Hypsiglena chlorophaea - Desert Nightsnake (DOR only)

Hypsiglena sp. - Hooded Nightsnake

Lampropeltis splendida - Desert Kingsnake

Lampropeltis pyromelana - Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake

Pituophis catenifer - Gophersnake (DOR only)

Rhinocheilus lecontei - Long-nosed Snake

Salvadora grahamiae - Eastern Patch-nosed Snake
NO PICTURES
Tantilla wilcoxi - Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake

Thamnophis cyrtopsis - Black-necked Gartersnake

Elapidae

Micruroides euryxanthus - Sonoran Coralsnake

Viperidae

Crotalus atrox - Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake

Crotalus cerastes - Sidewinder

Crotalus cerberus - Arizona Black Rattlesnake

Crotalus lepidus - Rock Rattlesnake

Crotalus molossus - Black-tailed Rattlesnake

Crotalus pricei - Twin-spotted Rattlesnake

Crotalus scutulatus - Mohave Rattlesnake

Crotalus tigris - Tiger Rattlesnake

Crotalus willardi willardi - Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake

Lizards (19 species)

Anguidae

Elgaria kingii - Madrean Alligator Lizard

Eublepharidae

Coleonyx variegatus - Western Banded Gecko

Helodermatidae

Heloderma suspectum - Gila Monster

Iguanidae

Crotaphytinae (subfamily)

Gambelia wislizenii - Long-nosed Leopard Lizard

Iguaninae (subfamily)

Dipsosaurus dorsalis - Desert Iguana

Phrynosomatinae (subfamily)

Callisaurus draconoides - Zebra-tailed Lizard

Holbrookia elegans - Elegant Earless Lizard

Phrynosoma (Tapaja) hernandesi - Greater Short-horned Lizard

Phrynosoma (Anota) solare - Regal Horned Lizard

Sceloporus clarkii - Clark's Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus jarrovii - Yarrow's Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus magister - Desert Spiny Lizard

Sceloporous tristichus - Plateau Fence Lizard

Sceloporus virgatus - Striped Plateau Lizard
NO PICTURES
Urosaurus ornatus - Ornate Tree Lizard

Teiidae

Aspidoscelis burti - Canyon Spotted Whiptail
NO PICTURES
Aspidoscelis sonorae - Sonoran Spotted Whiptail
NO PICTURES
Aspidoscelis tigris - Tiger Whiptail

Aspidoscelis uniparens - Desert Grassland Whiptail

Turtles (2 species)

Kinosternidae

Kinosternon sonoriense - Sonora Mud Turtle

Testudinidae

Gopherus agassizii - Desert Tortoise

Frogs (7 species)

Hylidae

Hyla arenicolor - Canyon Treefrog

Ranidae

Lithobates catesbeianus - American Bullfrog (Non-native)

Toads

Anaxyrus cognatus - Great Plains Toad ("No pictures, please.")

Anaxyrus punctatus - Red-spotted Toad

Incilius alvaria - Sonoran Desert Toad

Pelobatidae

Scaphiopus couchii - Couch's Spadefoot

Spea multiplicata - Mexican Spadefoot

NEW MEXICO

Snakes (5 species)

Arizona elegans - Glossy Snake

Rhinocheilus lecontei - Long-nosed Snake

Crotalus atrox - Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (DOR only)

Crotalus molossus - Black-tailed Rattlesnake (DOR only)

Crotalus viridis - Prairie Rattlesnake

Lizards (3 species)

Sceloporus poinsettii - Crevice Spiny Lizard
NO PICTURES
Plestiodon obsoletus - Great Plains Skink
NO PICTURES
Aspidoscelis flagellicauda - Gila Spotted Whiptail

Entire gallery is available for viewing.

Thanks for looking! 

Crocodylus acutus in the everglades, with her young

The adult female was approximately 9 ft long, with her young being a week old at most.

OK, let's see some of your favorites and I'll post more of mine too.

My nieces Kayley(Left) and Jaylen(Right).

Kayley and the Musk Turtle.

I was helping my uncle move some furniture into a new house when i get an urgent call from Dad saying "ALLIGATOR ON COUNTY ROAD 2!" haha So after changing my underwear, i made my way around the corner to about sixty yards from my parent's driveway to see this beauty of an animal.

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My parents house is on a pretty well traveled county road, so my uncle got ahold of a Game Warden he knew who sent out a field biologist to probably give him a ride to Bois D'arc. Not a bad deal for the little guy, Bois D'Arc is gator Valhalla.

He was a purty one though!

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The pictures arent the greatest..they were taken with my phone.

Yeah, Manning...a Droid. HA!