Field Outing - San
Antonio, Texas (Feb 15, 2003)
Bexar County
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It had been raining all week, but had stayed pretty warm. Lows would
be in the 50s and the daytime would be in the 60s and 70s. The sun finally
peeked out today for a little bit so I decided to do a little herping. Temperatures
were around 72-75 F and partly cloudy. Went to a field that Joe Forks showed
me and started flipping boards and tin.
Lots of hiding spots for all sorts of things. Found this board and didn't
know what to expect under it.
Lifted it up, and this is what I found:
As the caption says, at least 5 rough earth snakes (Virginia striatula)
under this board. I know they're not cal kings or gopher snakes, but it's
cool seeing so many snakes under one board....at least I know I have food
for a coral snake!
Anyway, I lifted up a piece of tin right next to the board and found two
of these guys:
Texas patchnose snakes (Salvadora grahamiae lineata)....one got away (damn,
they're fast), but I caught this guy.
I was flipping more boards and saw a guy up ahead flipping stuff also. It
was Joe. We got together and started flipping shingles, boards, tin, etc and
found 3 more patchnose, a gazillion more earth snakes, and lots of rats and
mice.
Went under an overpass and Joe found this little guy in a junk pile:
another pic:
A checkered garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus marcianus). Joe grabbed him
and also grabbed a bunch of fire ants. I held the snake while Joe saved himself
from a million little stinging bastards.
Lifted up another piece of debris and found another earth snake calmly coiled....good
opportunity to take some close up shots:
It started raining and getting coolor (it read 59 degrees when I got back
to the car)....and it was also hailing! I didn't know it until I saw it bouncing
off the street. Totals for the day were:
20+ earth snakes
5 patchnose snakes
2 checkered garter snakes
lots of mice
lots of rats
lots of fire ants
Hopefully it'll stay warm and we'll get to find some splendida and calligaster
in the same area....
