I've been wanting to take a herping trip to Kansas for a long time, so when we were deciding on where to go on vacation and my wife said we should go to Kansas, I was ecstatic! I began planning immediately. I had the perfect trip planned! I always plan for the unexpected and have learned to be flexible and I was glad I was!
Day 1:
The plan was to get up early and make it out of town and over to the eastern part of New Mexico to look for a NM record of an Eastern Hognose. We got to the area and began to cruise. We made it a little ways down the road and it was flooded. So, we turned around and headed back to the highway. I saw a possible flip site and pulled over. There were plenty of things to flip, but I only found this:
Plains Black-headed Snake (Tantilla nigriceps)
We got back on the road and Headed into Kansas (via Texas and Oklahoma). Didn't see any herps other than a couple DOR Bullsnakes.
We stopped for lunch and kept on.
Across Kansas we went...
I saw a bunch of concrete on the side of the road, so we stopped and flipped what I could. I was just about to go back to the van when I heard a buzz! Our first Kansas snake!
Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis)
The story of this trip was rain. It rained and stormed, and rained. Everywhere was flooded.
The turtles were out! Saw a few dors and this one was crossing the road:
Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii)
The kids loved this turtle!
We got to the motel and checked in and this was the weather report for where we wanted to cruise:
We went out cruising anyway and got rained out. We called it a night and went back to the motel to get some sleep.
We got up the next morning and it was still raining:
Once it stopped and warmed up a bit, we went out looking for herps!
Turkey Vulture
Lots of birds, any help on ID would be appreciated:
bird 1
bird2
bird 3
Prairie Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus arnyi)
Spider
bird 4
Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata)
We decided to head back into town and get some lunch. On our way I saw a turtle in the road upside down! i turned around and it had righted itself and was moving, I grabbed it and got out of the road. It looked like the shell was bleeding a little, but all of its limbs were working so I let it go off the side of the road.
Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii)
We got lunch and gas and made our way back out. I saw an area that looked like it had some tin to flip and the first piece I flipped had this:
Western Slender Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus attenuatus)
I have wanted to find one of these ever since the first time I heard of a legless lizard. They are very cool animals! SO glad I found one.
I continued to flip and saw some red and black disappear into a rotten 2x4. One of my main targets!
Central Plains Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis)
I went to a nearby area that had some things to flip and found this:
Prairie Racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineata viridis)
We continued to cruise the roads and a few things were actually on the roads:
We decided to show the kids a bison herd that I read about:
We went to a nearby playground and let the kids run wild:
We decided to go check out another flip site, the kids were having lots of fun in the car!
We flipped these ringnecks (5 under the same rock!)
I also found a Western Narrow-mouthed Toad, but it slipped into a crack and I wasn't able to get a photo I also heard some chorus frogs and found a DOR Great Plains Ratsnake.
It started to rain again, so we decide to move on and try another place to cruise. It started to rain again and it came down hard! We headed back to the motel. I heard some chorus frogs near the motel, so I went looking for them. They were on private property, so I headed back to the motel. I looked down and saw this:
Plains Leopard Frog (Lithobates blairi)
I went back to the room and we called it a night.
Here is the video version of part 1:
Stay tuned for part 2!
Recent Kansas Trip! (part 1)
Moderator: Scott Waters
- herpseeker1978
- Posts: 1139
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:05 am
- Location: Albuquerque
Re: Recent Kansas Trip! (part 1)
That milksnake is stunning!
Birds:
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Red-headed Woodpecker
Eastern Kingbird.
Birds:
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Red-headed Woodpecker
Eastern Kingbird.
Re: Recent Kansas Trip! (part 1)
The herps and birds were nice, but the smiles from your family were the best.
Now I want to go to Kansas....
Carpe diem !
Now I want to go to Kansas....
Carpe diem !
Re: Recent Kansas Trip! (part 1)
Agreed - the happy family is the best takeaway. Your kids are getting big!
Got any bootheel or Gila trips planned?
Hope all's very well, see you around.
Got any bootheel or Gila trips planned?
Hope all's very well, see you around.
- herpseeker1978
- Posts: 1139
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:05 am
- Location: Albuquerque
Re: Recent Kansas Trip! (part 1)
Yes, bootheel 26-28
- herpseeker1978
- Posts: 1139
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:05 am
- Location: Albuquerque
Re: Recent Kansas Trip! (part 1)
Also headed up to Salt Lake area Labor Day weekend