Kansas is a state about which I know very little. I have driven across it a couple of times on my way home from Colorado and I've driven to it another couple of times to look up some exotic lizards. But I had never visited the state to witness the great snake emergence from hibernation that I had so often heard about.

So when Kenny said, "This spring it's Kansas," I said OK. It was past time, and Kenny is a great field companion. So when the time came we loaded the car and were on our way.



Kenny knew just where we should be so when once in the state, after a couple of false turns, I was staring in awe at a rock-strewn series of hills that seemed to stretch forever. Fortunately it was not necessary to go to "forever" to find the snakes we sought. The first 50 or so rocks that we flipped produced nothing, but following that dry start it seemed that every second rock sheltered a lizard or snake.

We found prairie ringnecks by the score, a fair number of lined snakes, some Great Plains skinks were seen, and then, in quick succession, 2 Central Plains milk snakes, Lampropeltis triangulum syspila. I'm told that we actually missed the major herp emergence but as far as I'm concerned we just couldn't have done better.

In fact, I liked it so well I may actually try it again.

More photos under the jump...