OK, I better get some love for this post (HAHA!)...  Took me the whole stinkin' day to put it together. 
___________________________________

First, a couple of things found close to home...

On my way back home from my parents' house and yet ANOTHER rainy night, I took a couple of rounds on this road that is hard to pass up on such nights.  Saw several of these, which I presumed to be Spotteds based on general shape (although Ringeds are also know from here).

Also, saw this little guy.

This guy was basking along the roadside just down the street.

I set it up for a few pics and then released it by my house.

As a little background, a couple of weekends ago I went down to look for Coralsnakes...which I failed at.  On the drive back home, I stopped for a couple of hours in Faulkner County to canoe a flooded swamp.  I saw, but could not capture, several mystery snakes.  They all were using the same habitats, acting the same, etc.  The best I could do was a shadowy picture or two.

I was intent on making it back down for another attempt while the flooded conditions persisted.  (I honestly don't know if the flooding was a benefit or detriment, but I knew I got *very* close to success on my last attempt.)

I arranged to meet up with Cyndi over Memorial Day weekend to give it a go!

On the drive down, I heard the unmistakable sound of Cicadas and stopped to collect a few for my friend.  As I was looking up in the trees, where most seemed to be buzzing, I spotted this Male Broad-headed Skink about 20 feet up basking in a sunny spot.

Very soon after meeting up with Cyndi, we spotted this unfortunate road-kill as we were walking along the roadway.  I took a quick pic thinking it might be useful for a voucher and probably the only one we'd see.

After that, things weren't looking too promising.  We did see a few more common species, like this juvie Broad-banded Watersnake...

...and this herp.  Can you spot it?

At a more shaded spot, where we intended to put in our canoe, I took a few pics of some basking turtles.  Only after I got them uploaded to the computer did I confirm they were one of my target species: Southern Painted Turtle.

One of about a gazillion Cottonmouth we saw.

Cyndi and I both started getting a little freaked out by the "swarming masses" of Cottonmouth after awhile.  Just as one of many examples...  A bit later in the trip, I paddled the canoe up to the bank for Cyndi to get out and flip a log along the edge.  I told her to wait because there was a Cottonmouth *right there*.  She said, "Oh, that's just a Broad-banded Watersnake" and just about stepped out anyway!  Turns out, we were both right: both species of snake were literally within a few inches of each other...she saw the one and I the other.  She didn't get out of the canoe much after that...not that I blame her!  HA!

Well anyway, I was wearing high rubber boots, which helped.  And I feel pretty certain Cyndi will be wearing the same--or chest waders!!!--next time. 

Back to the timeline; won't be long before more Cottonmouth...

Along the edge of the water, Cyndi and I spotted this dead Broad-banded Watersnake...  Oh WAIT!

So, then, we set off to herp a little from the canoe.  It's a fun, but definitely different, way of going about it.

We headed in the general direction of the floating masses of vegetation where I had seen so many of these mystery snakes before.  It didn't take long before we stirred one up, then another, then another...all seeing us and diving before we spotted them.  We adjusted our strategies a bit as we went, but after more than an hour, the closest we got was seeing one individual's head before it dove on us.

THEN, practically without warning Cyndi tonged something right alongside the canoe!...a big, fat snake grabbed near the tail!  I wasn't quite in position to help immediately...and if you think you'd feel 100% comfortable hand-grabbing this thing anyway, you're a better--or dumber?--herper than I am.  In the 4 second struggle, the snake leveraged against the mass of floating debris it was in and slipped free.  As my brain processed the information, I KNEW it had been a Mississippi Green...just as I had suspected and hoped for.

Cyndi suggested we flop duties and we continued on...

As the time went on, we stirred up a couple more...but not even with a chance to see them before they dove.  We began to consider calling it quits for the day and coming back out the following morning when they would more likely be basking.

No sooner had we mentioned that we had not seen a single snake swimming *between* the vegetation masses, than we spotted something swimming out in the open way off in the distance.  I suggested it was probably a beaver, but--with nothing else doing--we paddled after it.

My interest perked when we realised it was, indeed, a snake.  Still, we closed in.  My eyes must have gotten as big as saucers when I was sure it was a Miss. Green!

Cyndi stopped paddling and glided us in...stealth mode.  The snake was aware of our presence...stopped swimming...didn't dive.  A minor adjustment in course and I made a lunging grab for it with the tongs...barely snagging it toward the tail and hauling it into the canoe!

SUCCESS!

Here are the proud members of "Team Green":

The main picture session would come a bit later...

After re-racking the canoe, we worked more of the water's edge.  Hey look, another Cottonmouth...it's smiling.

Somehow I managed to scoop up this little slippery thing after flipping a log that was half-in/half-out of the water.  Probably not all that exciting to some of you, but I was just about as happy for this find as anything else on the weekend.  I've been wanting a baby Amphiuma to raise up for a long time now, but just had no clue when or where I could acquire one.  I'm sure I'll have more pics posted soon, since this little fella came home with me. 

After Cyndi went back home for the evening, I continued to herp well into the night.  I sort of "discovered" my iPhone captured videos and began playing around.  A few of the videos are to follow, though don't expect much editing or pizzazz.  (Not that it will help much, but try switching to HD for better quality video.)

Ever hear someone say that a place is "thick with Cottonmouth"..."every step you take you'll step on one", and you think it's an absurd exaggeration?  Well, this trip made me something of a believer.  (Also, listen for the chorus of Bird-voiced Treefrogs...and me choking on a bug.)

A bit later on I went to a different spot Cyndi had suggested earlier, and along the shoreline I saw *many* Nerodia.  Not sure of the numbers, but within a couple hundred feet I had seen 4 Nerodia species: Mississippi Green Watersnake, Plain-bellied Watersnake, Broad-banded Watersnake, and Northern Diamond-backed Watersnake.  Here is one of the couple of younger Miss. Greens.  (Wish I had known it could be this easy!  HA!)

So much Nerodia activity going on...  I decided to just watch and film some behaviors.  (This to me--the hands-off kind--is really the most enthralling way to field herp.)

The swamp was literally crawling with life at night!  I think I saw every kind of leech, parasitic worm, and aquatic insect imaginable in the shallow waters!  While they toned down a bit after dusk, the mosquitos were still pretty fierce.

It's hard to give up the herping when it's so good, but I knew I needed some zzz's.  I finally crawled into bed at the hotel about 1AM.

I met back up with Cyndi the next morning.  We herped a bit more; flipped tons of logs and rocks along a lake's shore.  But we saw very little of interest or new.  Many turtles were out basking...most were confirmed to be some kind of map turtle.

I'm thinking there shouldn't be too much worry about vehicles going off road here.

With family duties soon to be calling Cyndi back home, she assisted in the photo session of the adult Miss. Green.

This might sound a little hokey, but it felt almost as good watching this snake swim off as it did to *finally* catch it in the first place.

After Cyndi went on, I still had a couple of hours to herp...but first lunch.  As I was just kind of standing by my truck, nibbling on some cheese, I spotted a snake swimming along.  I stepped over and saw that it was yet another Broad-banded Watersnake.  With little enthusiasm, I debated whether I would snag it for pics or not.

Then, I noticed a mass of leaves in the water...pulse.  Then pulse again.  I figured it was probably just some aquatic turtle burrowing up.  I stepped over and began tapping my foot around.  A coil of black and red broke through the leaves.  Only one thing it could be...  I grabbed!  ...and pulled out a beautiful 3 foot Mudsnake!  I couldn't believe it!!!

I bagged it for pics later and finished up my lunch.  I began to wonder what else might be hiding in that big mass of leaves...and began working through the rest of it with my boot.  Almost the same story...this time a 4+ foot Mudsnake!  WOW!  (For supposedly not being biters, this one made a go at me when I first pulled it out.)

Well, I held those two bagged in the cooler for the time and went about working more of the water's edge.  Can you believe I saw another--or probably another 100--Cottonmouth?  This was a pretty little one:

I didn't think I could be so lucky, but I began to kick up some more leaf masses as I came to them.  About the fourth one, I kicked up a 3rd Mudsnake!

Now, I was really having fun!!!  HA!  Another 4-5 leaf masses, and I turned up my 4th Mudsnake on the day!

At this point, I figured the only thing that could top it would be to actually film myself in the act of finding one...

Ho hum, Cottonmouth...

For all of the mud and muck, and mosquitos!, there are moments of real, quiet beauty in the swamp as well.

Back at the truck for the photos of Mudsnakes 1 and 2...

The big one wasn't quite as cooperative for pictures, but really I just wanted to give a sense of its size anyway.  (I know I did a quick and terrible job setting up these self-portraits...)

I'm kind of kicking myself now that I didn't get a picture of the largest one's right eye, which appeared to be infected with a parasitic worm.  Some kinds of these worms have to go through several species of hosts to complete their life cycles.  As they mature in a particular host, they sometimes migrate to the eyes.  If your host can't see, it becomes easier prey for the next predator in line to eat it...and the parasite passes to its next necessary host.  Kind of cruel and unforgiving.

Out of all the Mudsnakes, however, it was the only one with any outward evidence of parasite/disease/flaw.  How they spend 98% of their time in that watery muck and aren't just riddled with skin problems is beyond me.

I saw a couple of bonus basking turtles on the drive out, including this unusually orange Miss. Map Turtle.

And a big Cooter in this shallow ditch.

Even closer to home...  I spotted this young Scarlet Tanager.  (I also got a picture with its back turned, but kind of liked the flying shot better.)

Also a Striped Skunk foraging in a field.

And a nice Red Milksnake...  I hope it knows to stay well hidden when Wakarusa comes to town!  (I finally figured out what seemed a little different about it.  Trauth says 18-25 red bands; this one had 32!)

And that was it for a successful Memorial Day weekend.  Thanks again, Cyndi!  Don't think I could have ever snagged one of those large, adult Miss. Greens without you!  Go Team Green!!!   

Updated species list for the year:

Dwarf American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus charlesmithi)...MAR 4...Benton Co.
Fowler's Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri)...APR 9...Johnson Co.
Blanchard's Cricket Frog (Acris blanchardi)...FEB 13...Madison Co.
Western Bird-voiced Treefrog (Hyla avivoca avivoca)...MAY 29...Faulkner Co.
Cope's Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis)...APR 9...Johnson Co.
Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea)...APR 9...Johnson Co.
Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)...APR ?...Benton Co.
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)...FEB 17...Benton Co.
Cajun Chorus Frog (Pseudacris fouquettei)...MAR 4...Madison Co.
Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)...MAR 8...Benton Co.
Strecker's Chorus Frog (Pseudacris streckeri)...APR 16...Johnson Co.
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis)...APR 30...Johnson Co.
Crawfish Frog (Lithobates areolatus)...APR 25...Benton Co.
American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)...FEB 17...Benton Co.
Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)...MAR 4...Benton Co.
Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus utricularius)...JAN 2...Benton Co.
Plains Spadefoot (Spea bombifrons)...APR 24...Johnson Co.

Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)...MAR 4...Benton Co.
Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)...APR 23...Benton Co.
Three-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma tridactylum)...May 29...Faulkner Co.
Dark-sided Salamander (Eurycea longicauda melanopleura)...MAR 29...Benton Co.
Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga)...APR 22...Benton Co.
Many-ribbed Salamander (Eurycea multiplicata)...MAR 26...Polk Co.
Oklahoma Salamander (Eurycea tynerensis)...APR 16...Franklin Co.
Western Slimy Salamander (Plethodon albagula)...FEB 28...Benton Co.
Ozark Zigzag Salamander (Plethodon angusticlavius)...FEB 19...Benton Co.
Fourche Mountain Salamander (Plethodon fourchensis)...MAR 26...Scott Co.
Kiamichi Slimy Salamander (Plethodon kiamichi)...MAR 26...Polk Co.
Rich Mountain Salamander (Plethodon ouachitae)...MAR 26...Polk Co.
Southern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon serratus)...MAR 26...Scott Co.
Central Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis)...May 22...Madison Co.

Southern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix)...APR 24...Franklin Co.
Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma)...MAR 25...Conway Co.
Western Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius streckeri)...MAY 13...Nevada Co.
North American Racer (Coluber constrictor)...MAY 8...Carroll Co.
Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster)...MAY 14...Ouachita Co.
Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki)...APR 6...Benton Co.
Louisiana Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum amaura)...MAY 14...Nevada Co.
Red Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum syspila)...May 21...Carroll Co.
Eastern Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum flagellum)...MAR 20...Yell Co.
Northern Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus aestivus)...APR 9...Madison Co.
Texas Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus)...APR 4...Madison Co.
Flat-headed Snake (Tantilla gracilis)...APR 2...Benton Co.
Western Wormsnake (Carphophis vermis)...MAR 26...Scott Co.
Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus)...FEB 28...Benton Co.
Western Mudsnake (Farancia abacura reinwardtii)...May 30...Faulkner Co.
Mississippi Green Watersnake (Nerodia cyclopion)...MAY 15...Faulkner Co.
Plain-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster)...APR 9...Johnson Co.
Broad-banded Watersnake (Nerodia fasciata confluens)...MAY 15...Faulkner Co.
Northern Diamond-backed Watersnake (Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer)...APR 9...Johnson Co.
Midland Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi wrightorum)...APR 24...Franklin Co.
Eastern Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)...MAR 18...Benton Co.
Rough Earthsnake (Virginia striatula)...MAY 7...Benton Co.
Western Smooth Earthsnake (Virginia valeriae elegans)...MAR 4...Benton Co.

Prairie Lizard (Sceloporus consobrinus)...MAR 12...Carroll Co.
Northern Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis carolinensis)...MAY 13...Nevada Co.
Southern Coal Skink (Plestiodon anthracinus pluvialis)...APR 16...Franklin Co.
Common Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus)...MAR 19...Benton Co.
Broad-headed Skink (Plestiodon laticeps)...MAY 14...Nevada Co.
Little Brown Skink (Scincella lateralis)...FEB 13...Madison Co.
Prairie Racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineata viridis)...MAY 13...Nevada Co.

Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)...APR 9...Johnson Co.
Southern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys dorsalis)...MAY 29...Faulkner Co.
Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)...MAY 21...Carroll Co.
Ouachita Map Turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis ouachitensis)...APR 9...Johnson Co.
Mississippi Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii)...MAY 30...Faulkner Co.
Eastern River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna concinna)...APR 9...Johnson Co.
Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)...APR 19...Benton Co.
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)...MAR 25...Conway Co.
Mississippi Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis)...MAR 25...Conway Co.
Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)...MAR 25...Conway Co.
Midland Smooth Softshell (Apalone mutica mutica)...APR 9...Johnson Co.
Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera)...APR 9...Johnson Co.