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Fall Snake Road, Part Two
<br>After the success of the previous weekend I could hardly wait for the next trip. This time everyone in the group was a seasoned field herper. Our gathering of herpers organized on the Nature.net, Reptile and Amphibian Forum earlier this summer. The plan, loosely, was for everyone to try and get together Saturday afternoonish on infamous road.<p><img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/thegroup.jpg><br>From left to right, top to bottom: Brian Wylie and son Dan Wylie (herpboy) from Ontario, then Ryan Thies (serpentryan) from St Louis, Jordan Johnson from Kansas City, Chad Whitney (chadks) from Kansas City, myself, Kyle and Richard Thies (Ryan’s little brother and dad), and finally Mike Rochford also from Kansas City. Ross Mcneary from Kansas City also joined us but had to leave a day earlier so missed the photo op.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/lts.jpg"><br>Long-tailed Salamanders were found early on in the trip under the "guaranteed salamander rock".<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/c2.jpg"><br>Cave Salamanders were found in huge numbers utilizing a certain fissure in the bluff.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/wms1.jpg"><br>Dan found this beautiful Western Mud snake, a lifer for Chad.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/wms2.jpg"><br>Same snake, ventral shot.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/green2.jpg"><br>It wasn’t long before we started finding Mississippi Green Water Snakes<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/nmgh.jpg"><br>A head shot showing the row of scales (suboculars) between the ocular and upper labial scales that differentiates the Green from all other Nerodia.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/leh.jpg"><br>Dan and Brian found this juvenile Eastern Hognose on the crawl.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/blk2.jpg"><br>Again thanks to Dan and Brian we got to see this nice Black Kingsnake, another lifer for Chad.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/shneespted.jpg"><br>Chad found this Spotted Salamander.<p>The next day Chad, Mike, and Jordan Left to search for Red Milks on their way back to Kansas City. The rest of us headed east to heron pond in Johnson Co to search for Copperbelly Water Snakes and Eastern Ribbon Snakes.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/iuo8.jpg"><br>One of the first herps found was Marble Salamander, a lifer for Ryan.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/lkygf.jpg"><br>Next Ryan found this Black Rat Snake that had some gray influence.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/cbws.jpg"><br>Another one for the Canadians. Dan found this Copperbelly, a lifer for all of us.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/ms.jpg"><br>Next I uncovered this Mole Salamander<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/sms.jpg"><br>Right after the Mole I found this Smallmouth Salamander.<p>The third and last day I was on my own. I gave the Eastern Ribbon one more try but was un successful. Due to the cool rainy weather I thought maybe a Bird-voice Tree frog (a species that had eluded me so far) may be out so I headed back to Larue.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/gtf.jpg"><br>As soon as I found this Green Tree Frog I knew the chances were good for finding the Bird-voice.<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/cryptobranchidae/bv2.jpg"><br> A fitting end to a great trip.<p>A big thanks to everyone who attended.<br>Mike
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Mike
http://www.michaelcravens.com
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