Continuing with the family trip, I saw this interesting scene playing out near Glen Rose, Texas:
It's within a fairly new (opened this year?) attraction with about 100 full-size dinosaur models.
We stayed in a tent cabin in the Foothills Safari Camp at Fossil Rim. Down at the natural swimmin' hole we saw these worms/leeches in the swift water at the lip of a small waterfall--ID?
Near our tent, we saw this stout Texas Spiny Lizard, Sceloporus olivaceus in a cedar:
After an evening of watching sable antelope, addax, and Axis deer come to the waterhole, we took the driving safari the next day. At one of the visitor centers I saw several TX Spotted Whiptails, Aspidocelis (=Cnemidophorus) gularis, including one which looked gravid as well as this one sans original tail:
After saying farewell to the family I was on my own for the next three weeks, which meant slightly more freedom to herp, but much more freedom to choose the austerity of my living conditions while doing so! I had debated whether to let my wife take our 4-wheel drive or our econobox car, and I unwisely had her take the 4-wheel drive since it was roomier and she was taking more stuff up to KS.
The following weekend I ventured to the Gries Ranch for the HCU-TX meetup. I thought I was stuck at the ranch gate until Gerald Keown showed up shortly after I did. It's a good thing he showed up when he did, because I got my little econobox stuck on the road to the cabines and Gerald had to tow me out. Embarrassing, yes, but I'm slightly comforted by getting 40 mpg vs. the 19 I would've enjoyed in the 4-wheel-drive.
I won't inundate this post with TOO many HCU-related pics, as several good examples have already been posted. Here are a few of my favorites.
Blacktail rattlesnake, Crotalus molossus, preparing to grab its tail in its mouth, form into a hoop, and roll after Joe Forks:
Todd Hughes (antelope) photographing a nice Trans-Pecos Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortix pictigaster:
A couple of pics of a hatchling Triceratops, I mean a full-grown Roundtail Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma modestum:
Preparing to charge:
The handsome Rock Rattlesnake, Crotalus lepidus lepidus:
Making an escape after being relentlessly photographed:
One last pic from the weekend. Here's ranch owner George Gries (right) telling Jason Penney the best places to go scratch up his brand new truck.
One post left and I'll be caught up.
Chris
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet
