...telling stories, I might as well add a chapter!
One Tuesday night, during a very mild and wet spring, I was supposed to meet up with RAK in Crockett county. Unfortunately, I was caught up at the Nature Center with a mammal "situation" (Coatis having offspring) so I had to reschedule. RAK went out anyway, and saw only a DOR Masticophis for his troubles.
The weather was looking good in San Angelo the next day (at 6:00pm, the temp was 88 degrees, winds were out of the southeast at 12-15 mph, the barometer was at 29.84 and falling, and the humidity was sitting at 51%). It hadn't rained at the spot that I was going in a couple of days, but it had recieved LOTS... over 10" within the past 6 weeks!
Called RAK, and he said it was cloudy and cool in Del Rio, nothing like the temps and conditions here in Angelo. But since this would be the only opportunity for me to get out until mid-June, I decided to head out anyway. After all, I figured I had a better chance of seeing snakes out in the field rather than on my butt at home! RAK agreed to meet up with me, so my daughter and I left Angelo around 6:15 or so to head south.
Saw several snakes on the way down, including a live C.viridis, DOR C.atrox, DOR S.semiannualata, and 3 DOR E.o.lindheimeri. Finally reached my favorite area to herp, and saw 2 C.atrox and one unidentified snake (guessing by the color and body shape, probably an Agkistrodon). Met up with RAK, all he had seen on his drive over was a C.atrox about 10 minutes prior to meeting up with us. Walked for a while, saw Cliff Chirpers, Red-spotted Toads, and Crevice Spinys. Millipedes were also out in full force, as well as all sorts of spider-life.
We decided to cruise and shine, and he went one way, my daughter and I went another. We turned around at our usual turn-around point, and as we were shining, I noticed a S.merriami asleep on the cut. Got out to take photos, and during the 5 or so minutes of staging a shot, a 2' C.molossus cruised out onto the road about 50 feet in front of the vehicle. Took about 10 more minutes to photo this little beast when RAK pulled up. He hadn't seen a thing. It was at this point we decided to call it a night (even though it was only about 10 minutes until 11:00... I did have to be at work the next day!) He headed his direction, my daughter and I headed ours. We thought we would shine the last remaining cuts on the way back home, and at 11:04 I shined the last 1/3 of a butt-ugly dark blairs heading into a crack. Got out, took about 10 minutes to gently play the pull/tug/patience game with it. Turns out it was a 35", 140 gram female. If anyone saw the "Aztec Phase" (how funny is that?! LOL!) on the GrayBand Classifieds a while back, that is what she looked like. Caught up with RAK to show off, then headed back towards home. Saw nothing on the way back.
BTW - this was last night...
You find them when you find them!
Happy herpin'...
MP
