MONDAY
I had a "lifer" that I wanted to see that several herpers had seen in the previous few days, so I headed out to a nearby cypress swamp. The daytime temperatures reached the low 60s.

The most drab Southern Leopard Frog I've ever seen.

Big Bess Beetles.

A more colorful Southern Leopard Frog than the first.

Central Newts were more common than the previous two years. I think the cool temperatures and weekend rain inspired them to come out.

The first snake of the day was a "lifer" Eastern Ribbon Snake, but it wasn't the herp I was seeking.

A bleached Eastern Box Turtle shell.

Five-lined Skink. I also saw a Ground Skink, but that dude did not want to get his picture taken.

Bronze Frog.

Somebody must have set there "natural history artifacts" here with plans to come back and get them later. The turtle shell is from a Red-eared Slider.

I had walked at least a mile and flipped 50-60 railroad ties. I was beginning to get a bit discouraged about finding my "lifer." Needless to say, I was pretty stoked to finally find it - Marbled Salamander.

These chunky amphibians do not get as large as Spotted Salamanders and Jefferson Salmanders - their relatives that I'm used to seeing.

Unlike their relatives Marbled Salamanders lay their eggs on land in the Fall and protect them until it rains enough to form a pool where the eggs can hatch. Here's a different female guarding her eggs.

Seeing empty turtle shells is OK, but live turtles are way better. Here's a Red-eared Slider. There were several seen out basking on logs.

Can you spot the herp in this natural setting?

Here it is from much closer - though so colorful it could be noticed from far away - Eastern Box Turtle.

Eastern Box Turtles are more closely related to aquatic turtles than to tortoises. So although they live on land, there's often a water source nearby.

Just in case you didn't know...

I made it back to Snake Road around 2:30 in the afternoon. The first serpent I found was the smallest snake of the trip, a tiny Ringneck.

A larger, somewhat darker Western Cottonmouth than the one found the day before.

A Rough Green Snake just chillin' on a limestone rock face.

I dig how mild-mannered and innoffensive Rough Green Snakes are, even people who don't like snakes think they're OK.

Inspiration Point offers an awesome panoramic view of the Mississippi River valley and the Big Muddy bottomlands.