Blog Archives

Week 10 - Catching up

6/29/2014

Week 10 found 3 of us back from a 2-week trip to the Southern Plains. While one crew took a break for a few days, the other crew helped catch up on database management - a critically-important task for our large field effort and a necessary skill for the crews to have in developing as professionals. One of the crews will sample a State Wildlife Area in northeastern Colorado that we just added to the list of survey sites, and Devin & Danny headed to the Otero County Colorado PARC field trip and some surveys on Comanche National Grassland.

Other plans in progress: we are working on access to new sites in Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, and Oklahoma for the coming weeks... stay tuned! Also working to get final edits done on the smartphone app for the project, and an e-mail for the Reptile Monitor volunteers.

Beth - "We surveyed a new (for the project) State Wildlife Area that had suitable habitat for Plains Hog-nosed Snakes; sandy soils, sparse vegetation, open prairie. Our hopes were high even for the short amount of time that we would be surveying the area and we actually found a young specimen, however, it was dead on a dirt road. A live Plains Hog-nosed Snake is still on my list for the summer."

Devin - "This weekend Danny and I met up with the folks from Colorado PARC for one of their field herping expeditions in Otero county. Going out into the field with these guys was a blast, everyone really knew their stuff and were startlingly good at finding critters. A few new species for me from this trip included a Lined Snake, a Glossy Snake, and some Plains Leopard Frogs! On Saturday Danny and I went off on our own to do some surveys, and right before we entered one of our survey plots we spotted an Eastern Collared Lizard. We took the opportunity to get some good pictures since it was posing for us, and at one point it even ran right up to us to check us out!"

Jake - "It can be truly awe-inspiring how suddenly and violently conditions can change on the eastern plains. One minute, sunny blue skies are shining down, and the next, the sky is filled with dark clouds and lightning is flashing all around. We had a particularly incredible experience last Thursday night, as a severe thunderstorm developed to the south of us and lit up the sky for several hours. As dangerous as it can be, from a safe distance these storms provide quite the spectacle."

Week 9 - From the Field

6/22/2014

Beth - "We’ve seen lots of Bullsnakes (Gopher Snakes) on the road so far this summer (dead and alive), and most of them are docile and mosey off the road. On Thursday in Pawnee National Grassland Jake and I pulled over to photograph one that we thought would be just as placid. This particular specimen, with a few distinct “X” shaped saddles marking its back, reared up and gave a little faux rattle to its tail. Often, Bullsnakes are killed because they resemble a rattlesnake, and this individual was using that similarity to try and convince us to leave. We snapped a few voucher photos and left it in peace."

Jake - "Sometimes, the greatest thing about this job is just getting to stop and look around at where we are. This week, we went from the bottoms of canyons to the tops of mountains, and out onto the vast plains of eastern Colorado. Even if we don't see too many reptiles in a day, just being able to know that we're somewhere that not many people get to see is pretty astounding. The abundance and diversity of habitat we see makes each week a new experience, and I feel truly lucky to have the opportunity to see it."

Celina - "This week I was able to see a species of lizard I haven't encountered previously: Greater Earless Lizards. Their "I know you can see me" tail wag was a delight to see, and they were happy to pose while we snapped voucher photos of them because they knew they could easily run away if needed. "

Devin - "The clouds were beginning to thicken as the final hour of our two-week journey was nearing an end, and all was quiet; the calm before a raging storm. I paced along the rocky hillside with a cool confidence, assured in the quality of this unique habitat to provide a glimpse at some marvelous species. A clap of thunder roared in the distance. I quickened my pace as the impending threat of the elements drew ever nearer. My time in Black Mesa State Park was coming to a close, I had to make every second count. I approached an open field, finally, a good opportunity with fair visibility. This was my chance. A flash or lightning accompanied by a deafening roar of thunder. I decided to give myself one more minute until I had to retreat. Then finally I found her; the most marvelous Speckled Kingsnake I’d ever seen in my life! I spent my final minute taking voucher photographs of this eager snake so desperate for the limelight. Another flash of lightning- the closest yet; time to get back to the vehicle! I increased my pace and made it back to the truck mere seconds before the start of hail. "

Weeks 8 & 9 - The Best of the West...

6/15/2014

Week 8 found the crews in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. We added several new species to the project list, including Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (3), Plains Black-headed Snake (2), Yellow-bellied (Prairie) Kingsnake (1), and Speckled Kingsnake (2). While one crew heads back to Colorado for Week 9, Danny & the other crew remain in Texas, New Mexico, & Oklahoma for some additional survey work.

Week 8 Crew entries:

Celina - "When somebody mentions reptiles in the Great Plains, people typically think of rattlesnakes and Coachwhips, or horned lizards or whiptails. One species that may appear to be unexpected in the area is the Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata). The Ornate Box Turtle is a species that deals with drought by estivating (essentially hibernation except for hot and dry preriods as opposed to cold) underground and can do so for years at a time if necessary. This species of turtle is one of my personal all-time favorites, and they were out in force this week after the recent rains! I'm always happy to see a familiar species and admire their unique patterning. "

Devin - "This week, Celina and I started our big trip down to Texas, and I was very excited to see species I haven't yet seen. On top of checking out the amazing new scenery in and around the Panhandle's canyons, I also got a chance to see some very cool species I haven't seen before including Eastern Collared Lizards and a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. I also happened upon a Plains Black-headed Snake under a cow patty! I've been checking under almost every cow patty I've seen since then."

Beth - "Cimarron National Grassland in Kansas was crawling with Ornate Box Turtles when we spent a few days there hiking through sandy soil and sagebrush. One in particular was not happy to see Jake and I. When she escaped out of sight after we had snapped some photos of her wildly patterned carapace she butted herself right up to a sagebrush plant, eager to disappear. We left to continue surveying and when I was done, I returned to the spot we last saw her only to find a big pile of freshly excavated sand. I gently dug into it a few inches out of curiosity and unearthed her scaly blunt claw poking out. New Mexico however, had other surprises for us. Lesser Earless Lizards were scuttling through its short grass prairies and as we drove around the orange-streaked rock walls of a canyon on Kiowa National Grassland, there on the road lay a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. The geometric monochrome pattern that ran down her back with bold bands bordering her rattle were imposing and spectacular at the same time. An icon of the West, backed by the beauty of the canyon, she was easily a highlight of the week."

Jake - "I think the most memorable experience from this week had to be driving down into the canyonlands of New Mexico and finding a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) stretched out across the road. When we first spotted it, I could hardly believe what I was seeing! This was the biggest rattlesnake I've ever seen, and the diamond pattern on it's back was incredibly vivid. The most notable thing about this snake though, was its behavior; not once did it rattle at us, assume a defensive posture, or act aggressive in any way. This animal, who has such a notorious reputation, stayed completely docile and simply crawled into the rocks on the other side of the road. It was truly an exhilarating experience to come face to face with a creature that has been fittingly dubbed the King of the West."

Weeks 8 & 9 - Spreading Across the Southern Plains...

6/9/2014

For the coming weeks we will largely be split into 3 groups to cover as much of the southern plains as possible. We have surveys scheduled for Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.

With recent rain scattered throughout the southern plains, we expect to continue to see high numbers of herpetofauna out and about!

Week 7 - Snakes are out!

6/7/2014

We have already observed many, many more snakes than at this point in 2013. This may be due to the increased precipitation so far in 2014. There has been flooding in some drainages in the past week, and that may push snakes into higher ground... we've unfortunately seen a lot of snakes dead on roads (DOR). We've picked up a few new species for the project this week, including 2 Glossy Snakes (both DOR) and a Great Plains Ratsnake. We also observed our first Western Ground Snake of 2014 (only the 2nd observed on the project, although we have found many shed skins for this species). The rapid-inventory, Visual Encounter Surveys we use may not be ideal for fossorial (ground-dwelling) species, so it's always a delight when we do see them! We also found 2 Round-tailed Horned Lizards - fewer than 30 individuals of this species have been reported in Colorado.

From the Crew...

Celina - "This week found us split into our crews for the summer, and I enjoyed showing Devin Comanche National Grassland. We found a species that wasn't recorded during surveys last year- a Great Plains Rat Snake! This individual was found in the evening after the sun was going down, warming up on the road. So far there appears to have been a lot more rain than last year and we're seeing more individuals moving around- it gives me high hopes for what we'll see this summer! We also got to see Round-tailed Horned Lizards, which are even harder to find than their other cryptic cousins."

Beth - "Back on Pawnee National Grassland this week, impressive blooms of white Evening Primrose made the fields look like they were tucked under a thin sheet of snow. The 80 degree weather told us differently, however, as we drove through the eastern side of the grasslands past hundreds of wind turbines. On our last morning in the field, Jake and I finally found some time to hike around the Pawnee Buttes. The trail meandered around the stunning structures and through some carved-out sandstone where we found two memorable Short-horned Lizards; one about the size of a quarter and the other a particularly vivid adult. After being introduced to horned lizards this summer and seeing dozens of individuals for weeks already, they’re spiked grumpy faces still make me laugh."

Jake - "One of the most memorable experiences from this week came in the form of an afternoon surprise on the dirt roads of Pawnee: a nice, healthy Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis). On the way to one of our survey sites, we happened to see the large snake making his way across the road. He was a little startled as we pulled up, but after determining that we were no immediate threat, he quickly moved off the road into the tall grass; I've never seen a rattlesnake move so fast! All he wanted to do was leave us alone, but I’m glad we got the opportunity to see him, even as briefly as we did- he was one of the finest examples of rattlesnake I've ever seen in this state, and if the size of his rattle was any indication, had been around those grasslands for a while. It’s always an incredible experience to see something so dangerously beautiful."

Devin - "This week I really enjoyed spending time at Picture Canyon, and even found an Ornate Box Turtle crawling across one of the hiking paths there. I’d never seen a box turtle before, so that was a really exciting moment for me. We also got a chance to see some Round-tailed Horned Lizards, which was a really unique experience. I’m looking forward to seeing some cool Texas herps next week!"

Week 7 - Divide and Conquer

6/2/2014

This week the crews are splitting up to head north and south to survey sites in Colorado. With recent rainfall and warm (but not hot) temperatures expected, we should see a lot of reptiles out active this week! Let us know what you're seeing out there - register as a volunteer today!