Celina - "Sometimes you don't notice how many of one species you're seeing, until suddenly you're not seeing any. This week was unique in that I only saw a handful of Lesser Earless Lizards, when typically they're swarming all over the place. The first time I ever saw this species was at the beginning of the field season, so it was a lifer for me, but quickly grew to be so commonplace as to seem a fixture in surveys. We started to say, when asking each other what we saw, "oh, just Lesser Earless Lizards" - like they're no longer exciting and magical like they were at first. I suppose I stopped appreciating getting to see them- they weren't as rarely observed as most snakes or even some other lizard species. With the weather a bit chillier and rainy, there really wasn't a whole lot moving around this week, and I missed the little guys. Even when they're zooming out of view or running down the roads ahead of us (making us nervous!)."

Beth - "Despite the rainy weather there was a great turnout when Celina and I surveyed in Weld County, Colorado this week. All in one hour I ended up spotting more reptile species then I usually see in a week in that area! A Plains Hog-nosed Snake was basking in the sun to greet me at the survey site and later I found a juvenile Many-lined Skink sporting a bright blue tail, hiding under a sheet of metal. Two Short Horned Lizards saw me out, one being a neonate the size of a nickel. Seeing these tiny horned lizards that are smaller than some crickets makes me realize how much better I've become at spotting the cryptic species since the beginning of the summer when I was struggling to spot the full-sized adults in gravel, however, I'm sure there are still times that their camouflage gets the better of me."

Celina - "There's something about Eastern Collared Lizards that just enchants me. We got to see several this week of varying ages, from adults to a juvenile (likely from an earlier clutch this summer) to a recent hatchling! It's amazing when you get to see the difference in size and coloration/patterning of the different ages and sexes. Since we travel a lot we also get to see geographic differences in coloration of adults, so that's always really fascinating."

Beth - "The sheen of snake scales caught my eye at the bottom of a chest-high empty trough at a fish hatchery this week. Inside the empty raceway I found a shriveled up garter snake. As I turned around to hoist myself out, I could hear the splash of little feet belonging to Plains Leopard Frogs and Woodhouse's Toads jumping around in some residual water in the raceway. I was snapping a few photos of the frogs when I saw a black and yellow lump in the corner; an Ornate Box Turtle. The raceway was like a small ecosystem in itself!  I finally turned to hoist myself out again and was eye to eye with a Coachwhip who had been watching me the whole time, possibly looking for a quick meal from one of the numerous frogs. But as soon as it had been discovered, the Coachwhip wasted no time sticking around."

Jake - "As the fall semester starts up again at CSU next week, this was my last full week of field work for the summer. I spent it in southeastern Colorado in pursuit of Round-tailed Horned Lizards and Checkered Whiptails, and the days offered me plenty of challenges and accomplishments. Unfortunately, I wasn't present when the one and only Round-tailed Horned Lizard of the week was found, but I still managed to garner some satisfaction from seeing several Common Checkered Whiptails. While I will continue to help out with the project over the coming weeks from the office, I will definitely miss the amazing time I got to spend in the field and the great people I got to spend it with! This job has offered me an amazing amount experience, and I feel truly lucky to be a part of one of the largest reptile conservation movements in this part of the U.S."

Devin - "This week we switched up crews and checked out some habitat near the Kansas border of east-central Colorado. I was excited to check out this area since it was new to me. The first morning surveying was fairly cool, and the presence of deciduous trees for shade and nice sandy soils made for a great opportunity to find Ornate Box Turtles. Between the two of us, we found five box turtles before we even got to our second survey plot!"

Celina - "We had some very, very successful and full surveys this past week! I had one survey on which I actually had to use a second survey form, and filled both out, front and back! We didn't see a huge number of species (mostly Lesser Earless Lizards and some Sceloporus​) - but we did see such a huge number of lizards, especially hatchlings, that it was astonishing particularly after the slow July weeks! I even saw a neonate Prairie Rattlesnake within 5 yards of an adult. It's definitely a good time to go out and see some herps!"

Devin - "A baby boom seems to be occurring in the plains of Texas! It seems that some areas we’re finding baby reptiles every-other minute this week. We've found hatchling Texas Horned Lizards, neonate Short-horned Lizards, and hatchling Lesser Earless Lizards all no larger than your thumbnail. I also chanced upon the youngest Ornate Box Turtle I've ever seen, that couldn't have been any larger around than a dinner roll. My advice to anyone herping this week is to take it slow and be on the lookout for some tiny reptiles!"

Jake - "The past 2 weeks spent in the Southern Plains were some of the most challenging and rewarding days of my summer. On one hand, the humidity and heat of Texas and Oklahoma really took their toll on us, making some of our days surveying quite trying. On the other, the diversity and abundance of species we don’t often get to see made up for the hardships. Our first week was spent in extreme northern Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma, where we were able to observe Texas Horned Lizards, Prairie Rattlesnakes, and Coachwhips regularly. It surprised me how much life was supported in such a harsh environment. The second week divided our group, sending some back into Texas, while I ventured to the Wichita Mountains further southeast in Oklahoma. The days spent there were my favorite by far; not only was there an incredible abundance of herp species- including a massive, ~5 ft Western Diamondback Rattlesnake found in the foothills early one morning- but the landscape itself was truly something spectacular. One survey plot was located on the very top of a mountain, and although the climb was difficult, it afforded an incredible view of the whole area! Heading back west to Caprock Canyon and Palo Duro Canyon State Parks in Texas continued to give us spectacular views of the landscape and scenery the Southern Plains has to offer, and we saw new species including the Greater Earless Lizard and the Common Spotted Whiptail."

Celina - "August means clutches of babies are out and about, and it's so exciting! It confused my search image on Monday when I lifted a dry cow patty to see two black and dark blue squiggles wiggle off in opposite directions. I was stunned at first- what in the world?! - and then I realized: hatchling Many-lined Skinks! My moment of stunned confusion cost me the voucher photos I could have gotten, unfortunately, but now I'm more carefully looking for baby reptiles."

Jake - See the post for Week 17 for Jake's assessment of Weeks 16-17 spent in Oklahoma & Texas!

Devin - "The first sightings of hatchlings & neonates this season have finally occurred! We've started to see juvenile Lesser Earless Lizards no larger than a thumbnail. On one occasion this week I happened upon a juvenile Plains Garter Snake crawling through some short grass as well. I didn't realize how difficult some of these tiny reptiles were going to be to spot, and I had to walk a little more slowly so I could improve my chances of detecting them! I was also a little thrown off because some juvenile lizards don’t look the same as their adult form, such as some of the juvenile Great Plains Skinks we found this week, with their sleek black bodies fading to a bright blue tail."