2015 Field Herping

[reptileexperts]

Thought I better start a field catalog post again for this year. My wife and I have been making a good effort at getting out the most we can and photographing when we go. I've been laid back so far this season though, only really pushing great photographs when it comes to certain species that interest me. Primarily helping her this year get going on her own photography and handling capabilities. We are about to make a huge herping trip out to West Texas to try and photograph the 6 species of Rattlesnakes found in Brewster county, as well as the specialties like Subbocs, and Alterna.

So here's the running species list so far, for 2015:

Western Cottonmouth
Western Ribbon Snake
Gulf Marsh Brown Snake (most abundant sp. in general)
Rough Earth Snake
Broad-banded Water Snake
Plain-bellied Water Snake (Likely Yellow-bellied) (All juveniles)
Mississippi Green Water Snake (most abundant nerodia)
Glossy Crayfish Snake (FINALLY this year, lifer species for 2015)
Texas Rat Snake
Speckeled Kingsnake (DOR only)


Photo Catalog:


Plain-bellied Watersnake


A very decent sized and grumpy Western Cottonmouth


Texas Rat Snake


A very cooperative Juvenile Western Cottonmouth


My lifer Glossy Crayfish Snake!


A monster Marsh Brown next to my wifes hand


A very abnormal patterned Juvenile Western Cottonmouth, was VERY tempted to collect this guy


And a little of our main gear we bring.

Cheers!

[rlditmars]

Great pics and thanks for sharing. Love the eyes on the crayfish snake. It's adorable.

[AlexisFitzy]

Great pics and thanks for sharing. Love the eyes on the crayfish snake. It's adorable.

I agree the crayfish snake is do cute love all the cottonmouth snakes you found too especially that one with the cool pattern. Thanks or sharing

[Reinz]

Looks like a productive trip.

Thanks for sharing.

[Tsanford]

Looks like fun! That's great that your wife goes out in the bush with you!

I wish I knew where to around here in southern Texas.. I've never been field herping down here.

So many snakes in a single night!?

[reptileexperts]

Some nights are better than others. Some nights you chase targets. Last night was a chase that took us cruising for 385 miles over the course of 10.5 hours in a car. But we turned up one incredible find. Our first Texas Crotalus horridus!





Photographed and left as found once it went off the road (used our vehicle to block any and all traffic for its safety and ours.)

Last night also produced 1 decently sized agkistradon contortrix but when we finally pulled over to see it it had fled into deep brush.

All in all. The timber more than made up for the journey. Big trip out west in less than a week!


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[Albert Clark]

Nice! I thought that marsh snake was a thamnophis S. at first. Haha

[reptileexperts]

Trans pecos rat snake!!!


Possible western diamondback X mohave hybrid


An almost axanthic looking Atrox from black gap


River Road local Atrox.


My wife's first night working with extremely grumpy Atrox!

One more night here in west Texas. Hoping for Lepidus tonight fingers crossed!


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[reptileexperts]

Last night tallied 3 live black-tailed Rattlesnakes 2 dead and 1 DOR Atrox. One of the dead black tailed was a beast 46" (compare to a 40" hook)



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[Albert Clark]

I thought hybrids only were produced from captive populations? And intergrades were produced from wild populations? Is it just semantics or do the different terms refer to specific individual snake genetics. Thanks.