Here's a field report from south central Texas. I was able to wrangle 1/2 a day off and I knew a cold front will hit us tomorrow night, so I headed out for what may be the last great day down this way. I headed to one of my sites on private property that has a/c and that I have added to for 2 years now. I was debating on going south but decided it was too far, so north it was. This place is about 80 miles from home so I road cruised looking for dor's and hoping for a rescue. I stopped at a trash site and it yielded a few green anoles and a few skinks. My next 3 herps were disappointments, 2 dor western ribbon snakes and 1 aor ribbon that became a member of the first catagory in front of my eyes. I hate it when you stop to photo a herp or help it off the road and you just can't get there in time! Two 18 wheelers made picante out of him in seconds. Well, I spared you the photos but you get to here the gory details of how well our "sanctuaries" are doing down here. I thought it was to be a bust and darkness was approaching fast, so I shot on down to the last spot, in hopes of the elusive Great Yellow Speck. (You're gonna need a bigger boat!) Anyways, I flipped all my stuff, ran across more skinks and some crayfish, and I flipped the stove that I found a clutch of eggs under in '04. Nada! Two pices left on this side of the crick, I lift the carpet and under the linoleum under that, there she was! A nice Calhoun county Great yellow speck!!! Couldn't get the in situ shot, as she was heading for the rocks, so I took a couple in hand and one of the a/c. So here,in no particular order are the days shots and a habitat shot thrown in. I don't hear no fat lady singin' yet, but it's gettin' close!!!
Herp on!
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Todd Hughes
