Wanted to make a post about the fall count before I leave for a few days.
The weather we had on Saturday could not have been better. In the morning, when we checked out the first spot on our count, it was quite cool, and we only saw about 30 snakes. We did not check out the second spot, and opted to head back to Leader for Dinner a bit early.
After Dinner, the 3rd spot, which was now the second spot - was nice and warm. Many adult rattlensnakes were found, and at least 150 babies rattlesnakes. 70 were counted from 2 holes each, there were likely over 200 babies seen, but it is hard to count so high. Also saw a few bullsnakes.
We had a bit of time before supper, and I remembered a spot fairly close to Leader, which we had found in the winter, but had forgot to check in the spring. I'm we made the hike, the wandering garters (adults and babies) and bullsnakes (large adult males and yearlings mostly) were litteraly all over the place. Over 30 bullsnakes and 30 garters were found, 15 adult rattlers and 20 or so babies were also counted.
The weather on Sunday was cold, yet again - and just a handfull of snakes were found. This was not a big deal, as over 300 snakes (45 Bullsnakes, 35 wandering garters, 70 adult rattle snake and 150 baby rattlers) were counted on Saturday. This was the most snakes I've ever seen in 1 day, and all the baby rattlesnakes were a very encouraging. There was very likely over 400 different snakes actually seen, but only 300 verified and counted for technically.
There were also many baby wandering gartersnakes, the smallest babies of any snake I think I've ever seen. The baby rattlesnakes were all less than a week old. We found a few that had shed (which they normally do at day 5), but most had not shed yet. Some, still had wet looking patches on them, and I beleive they were born on Saturday. We also found a number of slugs and stillborns, till then, I'd only ever found 1. The bullsnakes go to a different area to lay there eggs, and the group did not go to any of these areas, so no baby bullsnakes were found. Sometimes a few babies make the trek and hit the dens by late fall, but they usually stay close to their egg laying dens.
O.k, now for a few pictures
I didn't want to fill my memory card too early on, and ended up not taking many pictures. I guess I was waiting for something really special to photograph. Here is an average rattler in the grass.
Here is a not so average snake in the grass. We've seen this snake at the dens in the spring and fall, since 2002. It is the second patternless crotalus viridis ever documented. I think this is the first time we've found it at a rattlesnake count, but Walter, Byron and other friends of ours have seen it in past years with us. A few young ones have supposedly been found that look like this one, which we beleive to be female. It will be cool one day when many of the rattlesnakes look like this one, it is truely an awesome snake - and I think it is used to having it's picture taken, it poses and just sits and watches everyone, even after we are done taking pictures.
Here is a picture of a some babies with a mom near the rookery, most of the babies in this one have already gone into their hole. I'm planning to sneak up on them by myself in the near future, and get some good tripod pictures of groups of 70 and more!
Imagine there being 4 times as many babies in this picture.
A daring close up of some babies with mom. Note the ones that have shed already - they are much more pretty.
Jonothan Wright brought an amazing slideshow on his research of bullsnakes, the differences the looks of certain locals, and the communal nesting habbits of female bullsnakes in Drumheller. For those who don't know Jonothan, let me just say, that each time he comes to Leader he amazes me with his rustic, masculine, but eccentric demenor. Last time it was the old cowboy hat, station wagon and dogs, this time he brought the bike, the goggles, the leggings, the helmut - and slept outside on the grass, like a real man from the old western movies. He researches wolverines in the winter, and lives off the land trapping and hunting.
He came to see us in Red Deer on Saturday. Sunday Afternoon, Sheila asked me if I had seen Jonothan again, and what he was wearing. I instantly knew she meant the guy I had only seen from the back, turning heads as he walked. He looked just like that creapy thing on "jeepers creepers" - with his oil slick, backpack and long gate walk. Here is a picture of him wearing the same thing, but holding the blackhead at the zoo.
We saw a lot of Agriope spiders. I've seen much bigger ones than what we found this weekend, but I've never seen as many of these things, in so many shades of color. This one, looks like it has spelled something in it's web, I named it Charlette.
Here is a group shot in front of the zoo.
Left to right we have, Brent Johnson, Lisa and Brent Dawson, Jordan M, Tim B., Steve Chandler (kneeling), Colin, Gary D. (kneeling), Jonothan, 3 of Brents Kids, Chris and Carla, Jay, another of Brents Kids and Sheila and I.
We did not encounter any other kinds of garters, any hognose or any scorpions. We did, however, find quite a few blackwidows and Agriopes. This was the best count so far, and probably the last of the formal open rattlesnake counts.
Steve Chandler also showed a very large slideshow, of his last 10 years of herping in the U.S, Costa Rica and Thailand. Steve's slides are always a favorite at the counts.
Special thanks to my mom for preparing all of the wonderfly delicious meals provided to everyone. She stayed home from the dens this year to serve all of the food and take care of things behind the scenes.
There were a lot of pictures taken this weekend, many from better cameras than I had - I hope a few people post their pictures on this thread.
Ryan
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