Kenny wanted to see an Eastern fox snake, Pantherophis vulpina gloydi, because it would be a lifer for him and I wanted to see it just because I wanted to see it.



I had seen this species before, but I never tire of seeing herps in the wild, so we were somewhere along the southern shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio. We walked through a beautiful park where the Eastern fox snake was said to be common. We failed to find one there. We were now walking a breakwater that had jumbles of boulders for its entire length and a fairly dense tree canopy for most of its length.

We walked for more than a mile without seeing as much as a garter snake and then, having decided to try our luck elsewhere, turned to return to the car. The morning lake fog that kept temperatures a bit cool was now burning off and the boulder jumbles not shaded by the trees were beginning to warm - but still no fox snakes.

Ahead of us the area opened up to a boulder-rimmed parking lot, the near side of which had a couple of huge spreading oaks. I decided to go and look at the acorns, and as I neared the tree I almost stepped on an adult fox snake that had just emerged from between two boulders.

I called to Kenny but he was now determined to find his own and declined to come look at mine, which, it turned out was a smart decision. Just as he made another step he hollered, "Here's one," and a couple of moments later, "here's another."

First target of the day found. Westward Ho!

More photos below...