RFI: Alabamian Visiting Kansas

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
Adam Cooner
Posts: 247
Joined: July 8th, 2010, 3:50 pm
Location: Calera, AL

RFI: Alabamian Visiting Kansas

Post by Adam Cooner »

Between May 18-20 I'm going to be in Lawrence, Kansas, for a work-related meeting. It's my first trip to Kansas.

I'm not sure I'll even have the luxury of downtime, but, if I do, does anyone have any opinions on a decent spot to check out? I've done a little research into the area and found the KANZA Southwind Nature Preserve, Pat-Dawson Billings Nature Area, and Lawrence Nature Park, but I have no idea how likely I am to see anything (and what) in any of those spots.

I'd appreciate any information you're willing to share, and I'll leave you with a Southeast herp or two (or three) for your trouble.

ImageGreen Salamander by Adam Cooner, on Flickr

ImageBlack Kingsnake by Adam Cooner, on Flickr

ImageTimber Rattlesnake by Adam Cooner, on Flickr
User avatar
chris_mcmartin
Posts: 2447
Joined: June 9th, 2010, 12:13 am
Location: Greater Houston TX Area
Contact:

Re: RFI: Alabamian Visiting Kansas

Post by chris_mcmartin »

How are you going to get into Kanza? It's maintained by the University of Kansas for their various environmental-related programs and I don't think you can just walk in. That being said, there are lots of other areas nearby that have plenty of herps. Find one of the back roads along the interstate and look for rocks along the side of the roads to flip. You can easily find ringnecks, milks, racers, rats, copperheads, Great Plains skinks, collared lizards, and narrowmouth toads (and probably much more; those are just the ones I recall finding without much effort).
User avatar
Adam Cooner
Posts: 247
Joined: July 8th, 2010, 3:50 pm
Location: Calera, AL

Re: RFI: Alabamian Visiting Kansas

Post by Adam Cooner »

chris_mcmartin wrote:How are you going to get into Kanza? It's maintained by the University of Kansas for their various environmental-related programs and I don't think you can just walk in. That being said, there are lots of other areas nearby that have plenty of herps. Find one of the back roads along the interstate and look for rocks along the side of the roads to flip. You can easily find ringnecks, milks, racers, rats, copperheads, Great Plains skinks, collared lizards, and narrowmouth toads (and probably much more; those are just the ones I recall finding without much effort).
I was completely unaware about Kanza. Just spitting out a few things I saw on a Google search. Glad I mentioned it, as it seems like it would have been a wasted trip. Thanks for the heads up.
User avatar
chris_mcmartin
Posts: 2447
Joined: June 9th, 2010, 12:13 am
Location: Greater Houston TX Area
Contact:

Re: RFI: Alabamian Visiting Kansas

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Adam Cooner wrote:I was completely unaware about Kanza. Just spitting out a few things I saw on a Google search. Glad I mentioned it, as it seems like it would have been a wasted trip. Thanks for the heads up.
Won't be a wasted trip--just don't go to the actual Kanza Prairie reservation...the entire area looks about the same, and smaller roads off the interstate can yield similar results.
User avatar
Adam Cooner
Posts: 247
Joined: July 8th, 2010, 3:50 pm
Location: Calera, AL

Re: RFI: Alabamian Visiting Kansas

Post by Adam Cooner »

chris_mcmartin wrote:
Adam Cooner wrote:I was completely unaware about Kanza. Just spitting out a few things I saw on a Google search. Glad I mentioned it, as it seems like it would have been a wasted trip. Thanks for the heads up.
Won't be a wasted trip--just don't go to the actual Kanza Prairie reservation...the entire area looks about the same, and smaller roads off the interstate can yield similar results.
Now that I have an actual itinerary, I see that I'll be kept indoors for a lot of this trip. Work is the curse of the herping classes, as they [sort of] say. Most of my herping opportunities will likely be limited to whatever city parks/green spaces I can manage to make it to in the early morning hours (pre-8 am), so we'll see if I can turn something up. Thanks for all the info.
User avatar
Brian Hubbs
Posts: 4735
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:41 am
Location: "Buy My Books"-land

Re: RFI: Alabamian Visiting Kansas

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Don't tell anyone, but you can go turn rocks at 10PM if you want. The animals will be there. ;)
Post Reply