Field Herper.com

Field notes and photography by Bryan D. Hughes
Sep
4th
2009

Hot & Dry in the South East, Part 1

We spent a little time in the Santa Rita mountains South of Tucson in mid July to see what there is to see. The weather actually was pretty horrible for what we were trying to do, but we had to go to Tucson to pick up a few enclosures and thought we might as well make the most of the trip. What we found were 5 rattlesnakes, one of which was the largest rattlesnake I have ever seen in Arizona, as well as a new one for my life list.

The previous night we didn’t see much, except for a pissy Sonoran Gophersnake, Pituophis catenifer affinis, or two.

Sonoran Gophersnake
Sonoran Gophersnake
Pituophis in Arizona
Pituophis in Arizona
Gophersnake
Gophersnake

We also found some Sonora Mud Turtles, Kinsternon sonoriense.

Sonora Mud Turtle
Sonora Mud Turtle
Sonora Mud Turtle
Sonora Mud Turtle
Sonora Mud Turtles
Sonora Mud Turtles

We also found a couple of frogs. The invasive American Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, and the protected Chiricuahua Leopard Frog, Rana chiricahuensis.

American Bullfrog
American Bullfrog
Chiricuahua Leopard Frog
Chiricuahua Leopard Frog

The dry and the heat gave us an uneventful first evening and early morning hike, except for this Ring-Necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus. It was the first either of us had ever seen of this snake, despite it being fairly common throughout much of the state.

Ring-Necked Snake
Ring-Necked Snake
A look at the brilliantly colored underbelly.
A look at the brilliantly colored underbelly.
Diadophis punctatus
Diadophis punctatus

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