Hi All,
Earlier this month, my cousin Brad Stiles, wife Barb & I spent a few days in West Texas. We saw snakes every nite we were there, though with the cooler fall temps I was skeptical that we would find any alterna, but we did.
Heres a breakdown of each nite & what was found/observed:
10-4-04, Crockett county, US-290, Lancaster Hill
1 - 3' Bairds ratsnake, aor
10-5-04,Brewster county, TX-2627, Black Gap Road, John Fraser & Roy Engeldorf only on this nites drive:
1 - 3' Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, dor with no rattles or head?, some redneck snake hater did this? Who knows?
1 - 3' Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, aor
1 - 15" Bullsnake, aor
1 - 7" Texas Longnose snake, aor
1 - 10" Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, aor
1 - 15" Mojave Rattlesnake, aor
then on US-385, South of Marathon:
1 - 16" Checkered Garter snake, dor
1 - 11" Desert Kingsnake, dor
1 - 10" Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, dor
then on US-90, East of Marathon:
1 - 20" Great Plains Ratsnake, dor
1 - 18" Bullsnake, aor
1 - 12" Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, dor
1 - 14" Checkered Garter snake, dor
1 - 2' Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, dor
1 - 14" Bullsnake, dor
1 - 1' Great Plains Ratsnake, dor
1 - 3' Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, dor
10-6-04, Terrell & Val Verde counties, US-90, East of Sanderson:
1 - 17" Great Plains Ratsnake, aor
1 - 3' Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, aor
1 - 30" Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, aor
1 - 30" Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, aor
1 - 27" Gray Banded Kingsnake, aor
1 - 18" Bullsnake, aor
1 - 13" Texas Night snake, aor
10-7-04, Terrell county, US-90, East of Sanderson:
1 - 4' Transpecos ratsnake, dor
The night we saw the alterna, I had commented to Brad & Barb that I had spotted the first 4 snakes of that night & that it was Their turn to see something before me. Minutes later, on a cut 5 miles East of Sanderson, Brad says "Snake!" & I get out & take this "In-Situ" or as found photo of the dark alterna morph as it was laying on a rockcut with a NE wind gently blowing. This is the first & only October Grayband that I have seen, though I know of a few others over the years that have been found in October & even November I am told. Of course weather this time of the year is the real factor & I have been in this same area in past years when it cooled to fast before dark even. Thought everyone would enjoy the photo.......John F.
