I left from Cincinnati on Thursday night at 10 pm and got to Snake Rd at 4:30 am Friday. After sleeping a few hours, I began walking around 9:00 am. I got at least halfway down the road before I saw anything at all, and of course the first thing found was a cottonmouth. Before I got to the end of the road, I had counted nearly 30 cottons. I stayed until Monday evening, and by the time I left, I had seen 101 snakes. Here are my numbers.
Cottonmouths - 70
Black Rat - 4
Ribbon Snakes - 5
Black Kingsnake - 1
Mississippi Green - 6 (5 in one day!)
Timber Rattlers - 3
Yellowbelly Water Snakes - 7
Rough Green Snake - 1
Black Racer - 2
Possible Mud Snake - 1 (black with red belly, but got to water before I could make positive ID. Large snake.)
Northern Redbelly Snake - 1
First picture is of a rough green snake. This guy was super cool.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/RoughGreen.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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I couldnt believe I found 6 Mississippi Greens. Thanks to Mike for the first one. I was way ahead of him and he sent someone to get me so I could see it. Here's a few pictures of them...
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/MissGreen1.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/MissGreen3.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/MissGreenFace.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Snake Road
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/snake_rd.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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15 inch Black Rat snake
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/rat-snake.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Nice-looking Cottonmouth
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/cotton_1.jpg" width=600 height=450>
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These cottons can be hard to spot in the leaves on the road, especially when you are looking off to the side of the road.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/Cotton_n_road.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Black racer showing some attitude. (surprise, surprise)
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/racer.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Cottonmouth headed for den
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/cotton_2.jpg" width=600 height=450>
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Neonate Northern Redbelly snake. This little guy was smaller than my middle finger.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/neo-redbelly.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Black Kingsnake found on Muddy Levee Road near the RR tracks.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/kingsnake.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Now for the Timber Rattlers. Mike found this first one, and I wouldnt have seen it if he hadnt sent someone after me.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/Timber1.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/timber2.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Me and the timber. An incredible snake. He didnt rattle the entire time.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/Me_and_timber.jpg" width=480 height=640>
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My face was within inches of this Timber while I was looking in a different crack. Scared the crap out of me when I saw it.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/Timber3.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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And now some habitat and scenery shots...
Here are some bluffs that run parallel to Snake Rd.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/bluffs_1.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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This is the view from atop those bluffs from above. Obviously stitched together, but cool nonetheless. The original 4000 x 1000 pixel looks much cooler than this 800 x 100.
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/panorama.jpg" width=800 height=195>
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Farmland, swamps, and then the bluffs...
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-11/507948/farmland.jpg" width=640 height=480>
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Thats it. Hope you enjoyed the pics.
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