Over the last several days, since the weather has permitted, we have taken to the roads looking for herps. The biodiversity of northern MS never ceases to astound me, over the last two weeks, here are the sightings:
DOR=Dead on Road
12 Eastern Cottonmouths (subs-adults, about 50/50 DOR/Live)
1 Neonate Copperhead (DOR)
2 Eastern Hognose (1 DOR, 1 Live)
16 Black Racers (4 live, 12 DOR)
7 Speckled Kings (DOR, no live ones yet
)
5 Corn Snakes (all DOR)
3 "Eastern" (intergrade black x gray) Rat Snakes (1 live)
2 Yellow Bellied Water Snakes (1 live)
1 Banded Water Snake (live)
4 Rough Green Snakes (DOR)
Uncountable Cricket Frogs, Spring Peepers, Eastern Fence Lizards, Anoles, Ground Skinks, SE 5 Lined Skinks, Gray and Green Treefrogs, Bullfrogs, Red Eared Sliders (everywhere), softshells (everywhere), a southern Painted Turtle yesterday afternoon live on the road (full dorsal red stripe).
That's a lot of animals! The season hasn't really even started yet! Lots of good herping around here to be had, last year in the MS River floodplain two neonate milks were found under bark of old trees, looking forward to going to that area again to search for more. -Eric Lago *MS Reptilian Hobbyists*