Some days are just better spent sleeping late. Today Jake got me up and running early promising beautiful weather and herps unlimited. He came through on the weather. It was a cool morning then a warmish day that by noontime had turned nearly to hot.But the herp presence—well it was limited at best.

Our herp trip took us about 50 miles northwest of Gainesville, to a spot where both Jake and I had herped many-a-time over the years. We knew that the locale harbored a wide variety of herps -- lizards, a tortoise species, anurans, and snakes. I was kind of hoping for a pine snake sighting but anything, even a garter snake or racer, would keep me happy. Jake dittoed this (but he secretly seemed to be thinking hog-nose). And almost anything would be better than sitting and scanning slides.



Yellow seemed to be the color of the day. The sun was golden yellow, and shone down with an intensity belying the season. Yellow was the color of the flowers, goldenrod, butter and eggs, coreopsis, and others. All out-shone the surrounding woodlands that were adrift with falling leaves, and the remaining leaves were various hues of seasonally tired greens.

But what has all of this got to do with herps? Well, nothing, really, for although we drove slowly for several hours, scouring the roads ahead, to the left and to the right, there was an amazing absence of herps.

We saw some great birds, and were about ready to pack it in when Jake cried, "Snake!"

And sure enough, crossing the road ahead was a black racer ! Oh joy. My day was made! (That’s facetiousness, in case you don’t recognize it as such.)

Well, actually, I do like racers, so this snake was a welcome sighting. Then two adult gopher tortoises were seen feeding on roadside vegetation. Then a long period elapsed with no additional herp sightings until, again, "Snake!" All the while hoping for a pine snake, I looked down and saw the little snake that was lying quietly in the road. I knew Jake would be happy: It was an adult male southern hog-nose.

(More Southern hog-nosed snakes under the jump...)