The past few days at Snake Road and the Surrounding Area

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tspuckler
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The past few days at Snake Road and the Surrounding Area

Post by tspuckler »

While driving down from St. Louis, I encountered this male Eastern Box Turtle crossing the road.
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As a neared Snake Road, I stopped at waterway and found this Midland Water Snake.
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A drab Green Frog hanging out in a creek.
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Eventually I made it to Snake Road.
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Southern Leopard Frogs are very common there.
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Cave Salamander.
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A tiny Ringneck Snake.
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A view of the swamp that borders parts of the road.
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Eastern Garter Snake.
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Cricket Frogs were regularly seen hopping through the undergrowth.
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A handsome Black Rat Snake.
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Blue Lobelia was in bloom.
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Longtailed Salamanders were easy to find along creeks.
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Later that night I saw this Timber Rattlesnake crossing the Big Muddy River levee.
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On the following day I checked out the Cache River.
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A Bess Beetle watching a mosquito bite me.
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One of two Copperbelly Water Snakes seen on the hike.
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Red-ear Sliders can usually be seen basking on logs in the river and there were a fair number of them out.
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The area's cypress swamp was rather dry. The weather for the entire trip was warm and dry.
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But that didn't stop me from finding a few amphibians, like this Mole Salamander.
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Central Newt.
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A good looking male Marbled Salamander.
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Southern Leopard Frog.
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This juvenile Cottonmouth was rather well marked.
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Mole Salamander
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The following day I went back to Snake Road.
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Yellowbelly Water Snake.
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Winter's Pond, on the north end of the road.
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Young Cottonmouth.
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There were a lot of fungi to be seen - this is Chicken-of-the-woods - named because of its edibility.
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I saw this nice-sized Rough Green Snake.
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Eastern Fence Lizards were seen every once in awhile.
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My second Black Rat Snake of the trip.
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I had my first encounter ever with a Thread-legged Bug (Emesaya brevipennis) - and it was good.
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The second Timber Rattlesnake seen on the trip, this one was hiding under a log.
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A green Cricket Frog (most were brown).
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A young Yellowbelly Water Snake.
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I took a trip out to a State Park known for its impressive rock formations.
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Slimy Salamanders were easily found.
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A Cricket Frog showing how variable they can be in color and pattern.
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This was a pretty good place for Five-lined Skinks.
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Spring Peeper.
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These Jack-O-Lantern Mushrooms were hard not to notice.
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American Toad.
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Green Frogs were commonly encountered in creeks.
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Upland Chorus Frog.
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Carbondale humor.
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The next day I took a drive to the Mississippia River. Along the way, I checked out this roadside pond.
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Turtle Island (mostly Red-ear Sliders).
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Yellowbelly Water Snake.
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Midland Painted Turtle.
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A Great Blue Heron/Turtle combo.
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This ditch that I came across later didn't look like much, but it had herps too.
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A huge Midland Water Snake.
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Red-ear Slider.
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Eventually I made it to the river.
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Painted Lady.
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Spotted Salamander.
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Turkey Vultures.
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A late night Leopard Frog seen on the way back.
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The next day I went back to Snake Road, where Asters were in bloom everywhere.
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A Cottonmouth saying "cheese" for my camera.
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Yellowbelly Water Snakes were the second most commonly encountered snakes after Cottonmouths.
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Green Treefrog.
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Rough Green Snake.
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Fowler's Toad.
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The third Black Rat Snake of the trip, crossing the road.
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Earth Boring Beetle.
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The third Timber Rattlesnake of the trip, a junenile.
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It seemed that juvenile Cottonmouths were much more frequently seen than adults compared to my previous seven trips to Snake Road.
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Before long the herping day was over.
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The following day I did one last hike on Snake Road.
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Cottonmouths were a common sight, we saw over twenty on that day.
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Dragonflies were out and about.
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A Rough Green Snake in a tangle of vegetation.
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American Toad.
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The only Western Ribbon Snake that I saw on the trip was this juvenile.
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A cool rock formation that can be seen from Snake Road.
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Courting Cottonmouths contemplating making babies for next year's trip.
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The End.
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: The past few days at Snake Road and the Surrounding Area

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Awesome as always; both the location and the photographer.

What readily distinguishes the Two-lined Salamander you showed from the Long-tailed Salamander, in the field?

That first timber shot has some crazy lighting--I'm guessing car headlights from the left and flashlight from the photographer's perspective. Interesting effect!

Chris
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Josh Holbrook
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Re: The past few days at Snake Road and the Surrounding Area

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Great photolog - Snake road is a marvelous area.
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mtratcliffe
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Re: The past few days at Snake Road and the Surrounding Area

Post by mtratcliffe »

Looks like you had a great trip, Tim! Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos. What was your final species count?

On another note, Chris alluded to your Two-lined Salamander as well, but that is definitely a Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda). Which is a better find if you ask me.
palmer1076
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Joined: September 19th, 2014, 8:35 am

Re: The past few days at Snake Road and the Surrounding Area

Post by palmer1076 »

That was a good trip. I am headed down there tomorrow and hope to do as well as you. I am hoping for a Mud Snake as well.

What was the state park with the unusual rock formations?

Bill Palmer
Ashland, MO
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: The past few days at Snake Road and the Surrounding Area

Post by chris_mcmartin »

mtratcliffe wrote:On another note, Chris alluded to your Two-lined Salamander as well, but that is definitely a Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda). Which is a better find if you ask me.
Whew...I guess I haven't yet totally lost my mind! :lol:
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tspuckler
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:40 pm

Re: The past few days at Snake Road and the Surrounding Area

Post by tspuckler »

Yep, I mislabeled (and corrected it). Longtails are far more common than Two-lineds there!
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