My herping time this year has taken a slight hit due to my new job, but that hasn't stopped me from getting out whenever I can spare a few hours. We had a rather cold winter here in Southern Illinois with more snowfall than the past two years combined. While I was stuck at home I could only think that Spring was going to be great due to all the snow pack melt! My first decent day was January 12th when the temps rose to 43 and the sun was showing brightly. I searched high and low along Snake Road for any sign of herps taking advantage of the break in the cold. The only herp spotted that day was this Cricket Frog hiding out under a rock in a small stream.
Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans)
It would be over a month before conditions were suitable for herping again. We got our first late winter rains towards the end of February. The snow pack had began to fill the vernals and the first few eager male frogs began to call at night. I made a trip down to a ditch that usually never lets me down for early season herping and was treated to a few frogs and newts already well into the breeding season!
Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus)
Central Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis)
My next chances to get out were a few weeks later, and I had a few days off of work to look around a little more thoroughly instead of quick trips here and there. I hit a favored creek to see if the Duskies were out and about yet and then spent a few night cruising around to see what herps were on the move during the early spring rains.
Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus)
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Dwarf American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus charlesmithii)
Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus)
After a few phone calls I had set up a quick trip to look for Crawfish frogs at a spot a new friend had been telling me about. Mike Pingleton was making the trip down in hopes of nabbing another lifer for his collection. A local professional photograper that I had ran into in the field a few times was making his foray in videography and was also joining us for the evening. We stopped off at a local wetland restoration near my house as a "warm-up" before the nights frog adventure. We got some great footage of Western Chorus frogs and Spring Peepers in full choruses. Earlier in the day me and my son had gone out there to make a quick hike around and ensure that the frogs were in breeding mode before dragging video equipment out. Hundreds of Chorus Frogs were already filling the pools with mass after mass of eggs! We also got our first snake of the year!
Western Chorus Frog w/ egg mass (Pseudacris triseriata)
Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
We met up with fellow herpers Keegan Smith and Veronica Kelly to try our luck at finding the elusive Crawfish Frog. With Video Camera in tow by Dave O'Melia Photography we hit a farm pond that was filling the night sky with the sound of a hundred snoring men. "The Snoring Thunder!", exclaimed and excited Mike Pingleton! After seeing eye reflection after eye reflection disappear into the water we saw one frog who was just stubborn enough to hold out. A quick swipe of the dip net and we had our target in hand!
Northern Crawfish Frog (Lithobates areolatus circulosa)
The following week I had been asked to lead a hike down Snake Road by the SIU Zoology Club. The weather couldn't have hated us any more that day! We had 20mph winds and temps were only supposed to top at 45 to 50 degrees. As you all know though, where there is sunlight there are herps along that road! We flipped dozens of neonate Zig Zag Salamanders and a few Spring Peepers in the early part of the day. As the sun came out several Midland Brown Snakes were spotted sunning in the rocky road. A Smooth Earthsnake was being photographed when one of the student yelled "SNAKE!" I looked over and there was a Mississippi Green Watersnake sitting perfectly posed on a rock. Being very careful as not to spook it we slowly made our way over for a closer look. "He must be really cold", I thought to myself as we took pics. Turns out after posting this pic on an Illinois forum on Facebook another herper informed me that they had found that snake dead in the middle of the road and posed it on that rock three days prior to us spotting it. It sure had me fooled!!!
Mississippi Green Watersnake...DOA (Nerodia cyclopion)
The next few rainy days were full of amphibian migration! On one night I pulled about 50 Spotted Salamanders off of a 200 yard section of road near some farm ponds. Also out in force were Spring Peepers, Toads, and Grey Treefrogs. One stretch of road near a Cypress Dome had hundreds upon hundreds of Grey Treefrogs hopping all over the place. I did strike out on my search for the Illinois Chorus Frog though all the Greys made it one fun night!
Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Grey Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)
I'm gonna add some pics of my finds over the next few weeks of herping. I was informed of a great watersnake den site that was loaded with Diamondback Watersnakes and spent a few quick trips down Snake Road.
Diamondback Watersnake (Nerodia rhombifer)
Midland Watersnake
Southern Black Racer hiding in plain sight (Coluber constrictor priapus)
Smooth Earth Snake (Virginia valeriae)
Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorous leucostoma)
Western Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis proximus proximus)
One rainy night in early April paid off with some copperheads and an interesting toad/crayfish encounter!
Northern x Southern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)
American Toads (Anaxyrus americanus)
While photographing the toads in amplexus I noticed some rapidly going underwater and lots of swirling. I reached down and pulled out this!
The next few shots are from some quick trips to a park nearby and from a day hiking with Nick Asher at a Cypress Swamp.
Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata)
Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus)
Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus)
Five Lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus)
Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
"Shawnee" Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula holbrooki x nigra)
Getting the chance for a quick trip here or there, the next few shots are the lead up to my trip back North to my old stomping grounds in Kankakee and Iroquois County, IL.
Yellow Bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster)
Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)
Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorous leucostoma)
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Red Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum syspila)
Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)
metamorph Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata)
American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
Having made some calls and the excuse of driving north to see old friends and family, I made the trip North to where I grew up. I met up with some herpers that I had met on Facebook and through mutual friends. The next few pictures are due a huge amount of thanks to Matt Bordeaux and his wife Shannon, Adam Boyd, Tristan Schramer and his Dad who all met up with me at the sand prairies that dominate the land there. Not even 5 minutes into the day I spotted my first lifer!
Slender Glass Lizard (Ophiosaurus attenuatus)
Blue Racer (Coluber constrictor foxii)
Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum)
Next is the highlight of my year so far! Growing up in this area I had looked for Bull Snakes to no avail. It is amazing what time and frustration melts away when you finally get to see the white whale of your field adventures! My Lifer Bullsnake!
Bullsnake (Pituophis cantifer sayi)
Prairie Racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis)
We ran into a sharecropping farmsteader who welcomed us with open arms onto his property to look for snakes. He told us there were plenty of "toad snakes" around (Hognose?) but all we turned up was a Blue Racer who quickly became a hit to the farmers there. As we were leaving the property we saw our third Slender Glass Lizard too. It was an amazing trip that won't soon be forgotten.
It is now June and finally it rained on a night that I could get out for a bit. This was an unexpected find for sure!
Eastern Spadefoot Toad (Scaphiophus holbrooki)
My adventures this year end with a trip to a spot that a local Park Ranger had wanted to show me. I would have never known this area existed if it wasn't for Veronica Kelly! Thanks!
Red Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum syspila)
Just a bit out of range!!!
This racer was one of the most cooperative ones that I have ever come across in the field!
Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor priapus)
I hope you enjoyed this post! I haven't seen my usual hundreds of cottonmouths and taken my dozens of Snake Road trips this year, but this last shot shows what pure joy I had with my lifer Bullsnake! Credit to Tristian Schramer for this shot!
Six months into 2014...My Year So Far!
Moderator: Scott Waters
- soulsurvivor
- Posts: 530
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Re: Six months into 2014...My Year So Far!
Cool photo series! I had no idea that crawfish preyed on toads.
Re: Six months into 2014...My Year So Far!
...well either that, or Mr. Shumacher captured the most pathetic attempt at cross-species amplexus I've seen yet. (Beating out even the toad-on-potato I saw once as a kid...)I had no idea that crawfish preyed on toads.
Great post. That bullsnake is an impressive creature!
JimM
Re: Six months into 2014...My Year So Far!
It was definitely predation! It was crazy! I saw three toads get pulled underwater by crayfish that night. One toad was ripped across the belly and a group of crayfish were chowing down. It appeared that the toads were emerging from crayfish burrows and apparently some of the crayfish were a bit hungry!
Re: Six months into 2014...My Year So Far!
Wow. Even though I was (mostly) joking about the amplexus, that's a really interesting observation. I didn't know that about crayfish and toads, either.
JimM
JimM
- muskiemagnet
- Posts: 1253
- Joined: June 11th, 2010, 8:43 am
- Location: kaukauna, wi
Re: Six months into 2014...My Year So Far!
you ever decide to come to wisconsin and be a FIB, let me know.
-ben
-ben
Re: Six months into 2014...My Year So Far!
No one likes a show off. Sorry that I couldn't make it on that one trip, work does that to me sometimes. Sounds like the weather sucked anyway... Keep some time open this Fall I'll surely be down your way. Great stuff on the Crawfish Frogs, and Spadefoot toads. I've not seen many kinosternon and none out basking!
Re: Six months into 2014...My Year So Far!
muskiemagnet wrote:you ever decide to come to wisconsin and be a FIB, let me know.
-ben
Been along time since I was "FIB'd" Been up there once for a weekend and it was great!
Re: Six months into 2014...My Year So Far!
Aww....Justin, that hurts a lot! I though we were friends! Yeah the weather was craptastic for sure that day! Let me know when you are headed down man!