The word was out, simus are on the move! I cleared my schedule, jumped in the car with field hook and camera in hand and headed south. The goal was to spend Friday and Saturday snake hunting the sandhills and then move up north to Granville county to poke around for
horridus Sunday morning.
Kevin and I arrived in the sandhills around midnight Thursday night and quickly set-up our campsite, complete with two sleeping bags laid out on a sandy bank overlooking a borrow pit where
Hyla andersonii can be heard calling at the right time of the year, not the fall however. Sleep quickly found us and we awoke promptly at 9:00am to find our patner in crime Ross had just started getting ready to head down to meet us, about an hour drive for him.
The day started out slow, cruising a few roads on our way north to meet with Ross, finding nothing out and about. We checked a couple tin spots here and there with little success, not even skinks were seen under pieces. After meeting up with Ross, our success went from nothing to the holy grail of sandhills herping.
While taking a random road to short cut between two highways and eventually over to a suitable habitat for our target, I drove down a neighborhood road with a significant about of traffic.....
Pituophis melanoleucus
The day continued with varied success, where herps were absent, good times were still had. I had not seen or talked to Ross since early June, before he departed once again to the mecca of herps, Ecuador. As we cruised around on both paved and sand roads, we got caught up on life and how our respective summers have been.
Coluber constrictor (juvenile)
The temperature started to cool and we found ourselves giving up cruising and opting for some mexican food. After dinner each of us (Kevin, Ross and I) grabbed a six pack and headed for Wade's. We tried each other's beer as Wade entertained us with images from this many trips out west. Images of corals, pink atrox, klaubs, and humor danced in front of us.
We awoke to the sound of rain, the had temperature dropped along side. Our morning was slow and we spent some time hanging out with Wade around his house before setting out. After a quick stop at pizza hut for some lunch, we made our way back north to the sandhills with 'watered' down hopes of more snakes warming in the road, but to no avial. Tin produced little...
Eumeces inexpectatus
Scincella lateralisAt our last tin site, Kevin flipped a pair of copperheads under a single sheet of tin, in the same area as a pair were flipped last year with the same coloration and markings....hmmm. The more attractive and smaller of which is pictured below.
Agkistrodon contortrixAfter a photo session with the many critters we had stumbled upon we said farewell to the sandhills and started our trek north, up to Raleigh. Sunday morning Kevin and I made our way up to check out a spot I found a horridus shed at a couple weeks before, but it was too much to ask for. On the way out and towards the highway we managed to cruise an AOR box turtle, a DOR Rough Green snake, and seconds after I said, "Man, I have never seen a snake on this road", Kevin points out a snake I failed to see. After a little concern, we had a quick photo session. Seven hours of driving north lay in front us of, but behind, was a weekend well spent.
Opheodrys aestivus
Opheodrys aestivus
We made our way back up with a photo card full of photos each, more fond memories, and smiles on our faces! It was great to back in the south again! Till the next time...
Heterodon simus -- Peering from beneath, in search of spadefoots and other micro-adventures.
Recently posted a long overdue quick overview of my trip last (2008) September to the mountains of North Carolina. Goals were Plethodon jordani and P. yonahlossee and we were successful in that pursuit. Hands-down the best find of the trip was a Pseudotriton montanus from Avery Co., the second specimen found within that county and an attractive specimen. Enjoy, link to post below.
Plethodon yonahlossee
Desmognathus "ochrophaeus"
Pseudrotriton montanus
