Here's some herps and inverts I saw on my last outing, looking for bairdi, subocs, and of course alterna, none of which were found but a good time was had by all. I hooked up with Carston "Zee" Zoldy, also known as Blueking, and Todd Lepittus, aka Br8knitoff, for a few days each, and made a solo run to Black Gap. The inverts were out in force and quite a few snakes were seen as well as lizards and a mud turtle. I guess I will have to sneak back for a shot at the big 3!
On my way up I saw
1 dor bull snake
1 dor southwestern rat snake
Holed up in Del Rio with Zee and his family and enjoyed some tasty burgers! We hunted several nights on Hwy 90 east and west of Langtry and also went up 277 and Juno Road.
2 aor and 2 dor southwestern rat snakes
1 aor gravid checkered garter snake
1 dor and 2 aor western diamondback rattlesnakes
Zee found a western hooknose snake, a Baird's ratsnake and another southwestern rat snake when I went with Todd L. First night out we only saw a aor checkered garter. We went to Sanderson for the herp meeting and on to Black gap and surrounding areas of Brewster county. We didn't make the meeting, too many dor's to view, we saw
1 dor western coachwhip, banded phase
1 dor bull snake
in Brewster county we saw
1 dor and 1 aor prairie rattlesnake
1 aor sonoran gopher snake
2 aor western coachwhips, red phase
1 aor western diamondback rattlesnake
in the Gap we saw
6 aor atrox, last years young to a five footer
2 Ground snakes, striped phase
1 plains blackheaded snake
a few UFO's, unidentified fleeing ophidians
Then the storm busted a cap in our @$$ and we hauled outta there! Props to Todd L. for keeping it together under those conditions. The inverts were off the wall, tons of tarantulas and millipedes, a few Scolopendra centipedes were seen. Highlight of one night was watching a huge female tarantula drag a mouse up the cut to her lair. I shoulda got the picture, ALWAYS get the picture. Many graybands were found all around us in Sanderson, 277, and Langtry, but we didn't fair so well. I heard some subocs , lepidus, hognose and molussus were found in the Gap.
My last night out I did a solo run up 277 and around Juno during the day looking at habitat and birds. I saw
1 yellow mud turtle and several small lizards (Cnemidophorus) shooting across the road
On to the gap where I saw
TMTC red spotted toads
TMTC Couch's spadefoot toads
1 aor Texas longnose snake
1 dor Texas night snake that swallowed and regurged a lizard
On the way home I saw
1 plains blackheaded snake
1 gold tarantula
It was a great get away and I want to thank Carston and Linda, and Todd L. for the awesome company. Can't wait to do it again. Zee is still out there, I bet he gets a grayband! Here's some pics of snakes and inverts.
Todd Hughes
Todd Hughes
