After spending three days at Snake Road I had a hankering to find some turtles, so I left the road to other herpers and headed to a well-known cypress swamp which looked like this.

Although I've seen many Red-eared Sliders in the field, this was the first time I saw them within their natural range.

Mole Salamander - lifer.

I bet you can't find a Cherrybark Oak Tree bigger than this one.

A shy female Eastern Box Turtle.

And about 500 feet away, a more outgoing male Eastern Box Turtle.

Cow Killer.

Slimy Salamander.

Spiny Softshell Turtle.

Illinois landscape as seen from the bluffs.

Bronze Frog.

Five-lined skink.

A huge Black Racer, which apparently had just consumed a large meal.