Herping 1985, Jefferson County, Texas

Well, I've put a bit more effort into herping this summer than the last couple of years, and found it to be quite enjoyable at some of my old spots. Had a friend from college down in my area on Thursday, so I took her out to one of my favorite local herping spots for some night cruising / right away walking to see what we could turn up. Targets for the day included: Western Mudsnake, Mississippi Green Water Snake, Brown Snakes, Speckled Kingsnake. Of which we turned up half, but had a pretty enjoyable time never the less.

We encountered 6 species of snakes alive, across 12 individuals.

3x Western Cottonmouth
2x Mississippi Green Water Snake
3x Broad-banded Water Snake
1x Marsh Brown Snake
1x Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake
2x Plain-bellied Water Snake (both juveniles, presumed Blotched)

We also documented a plenthora of amphibians including: Green Frog, American Bull Frog, Squirrel Tree Frog, Green Tree Frog, Leopard Frog, Gulf Coast Toads, and calling Eastern Narrowmouth Toads. Here are a few images from the trip!

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...5678/large.jpg
Broad-banded Water Snake

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...5679/large.jpg
Mississippi Green Water Snake

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...5680/large.jpg
Blotched Water Snake

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...5674/large.jpg
Marsh Brown Snake

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...5676/large.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...5677/large.jpg

Squirrel Tree Frog

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...5675/large.jpg
Green Tree Frog calling

And as a bonus, there was a juvenile Cooper's Hawk hunting in the fields nearby giving an amazing photo op!

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...4841/large.jpg

Hope you guys enjoy! I will be heading out for a week of herping the cloud forest in Panama with my better half in 18 days!! (www.canopytower.com) staying at the canopy lodge in el valle :-) Will post another thread as things unfold.

Happy herping!

Cheers

What should I be looking for in a herping spot??
I would really like to try and examine the local flora/fauna here in Cali, but wouldn't know the first place to look lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mephibosheth1

What should I be looking for in a herping spot??
I would really like to try and examine the local flora/fauna here in Cali, but wouldn't know the first place to look lol

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Talking with locales, and looking at Range maps for what you are after. You need to know WHAT is in your area, then study what kind of habitat they prefer. Once you know that, it's about locating the habitat that you have acceses to, then searching ;-).

In the states, a really popular method for catching snakes is road cruising, it IS illegal in some states in certain ways, but you can do it in most, and others you simply have to walk the right away (unpaven shoulder). And wear reflective gear. During the day time you can simply go hike a trail in the proper habitat, during the night time its all about cruising the roads in the habitat at about 25-35 mph and seeing what crosses. I was in Cali recently herping San Diego, we took hwy 78 to the Salton Sea from San Diego, and did pretty well, but we didn't start going down the mountain pass on 78 till the sun was going down, and spent from 8 PM till 4 AM out in the desert cruising and searching. Our goals were Colorado Desert Sidewinder, and California King Snake, as well as getting what else MAY be around like - Shovel-nosed, Leaf Nosed, Rosy Boas, etc.

Lastly, find a herp society near you. Google, kingsnake, both of those are good places to start your search for a local society. Many have access to private lands for field surveys where a lot of people gather to survey what herps are find in an area.

Cheers

Great pics, thanks for sharing. I love the one with the calling frog, very nice

Great thread!
I love field herping!

Thanks Jason, and Terrie - tried to get the call right as it was really throwing its vocal sac out, but kept missing it due to really tight conditions, and a frog who would stop calling when my flash would hit it.

Aside from the top 2 picks and the hawk shot, alll these images were taken late at night.

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...4385/large.jpg
American Alligator

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...4384/large.jpg
Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake

Just a couple of shots from this weekend when I went back to this area to see what I could find.

Cheers

ahhh its hatching season, found some baby racers out in brown county, and a western coachwhip!

Very nice! We saw quite a few venomous species when I worked out at the Motiva Plant located there in Jefferson County!

Venomous SPECIES? as in more than just western Cottonmouth? Jefferson County has Southern Copperhead and Eastern Coral - but neither are found in abundance in the marshy area around here. Need to venture into hardin county ;-)

http://www.pbase.com/codyconway/imag...3/original.jpg
Jefferson County, Western Cottonmouth from 1985 earlier this summer.

This was about 10 years ago inside the plant. There was a Timber rattle snake sighting twice (not by myself). i saw quite a few cotton mouths and a coral snake once (It had actually made a home in a PLC building. I think they may have come out at night time seeking some of the heated pipes and equipment!?

Awesome photography skills

Timber Rattlers are very rare in this area now. And even rarer this close to the coast. You can still find WDB (C atrox) just fine on the coast and sometimes in this area (though Western Pygmy are "more common" while still being rare" in some places). Coral Snake would be understandable though, they are found cruising, but more so in the last few years vs now.

Cool pictures, even better that you can go out and find this kind of stuff. Here in MN we have mosquitos and really big mosquitos.

We have a nice stable population of mosquitos, enough to turn your legs and arm black from the masses! But just takes some long sleeves and pants, and getting use to it!