Third Eye - Sandhill Prairie Herping 2011  
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Tim Spuckler
8213 Wyatt Road
Broadview Heights, OH 44147
tim@thirdeyeherp.com

On Memorial Day weekend I made a quick trip to the Sandhill Prairies of Illinois. My hope was to find my first Bullsnake, but luck was not with me. The rainy conditions seemed to drive snakes to places other than artifical cover. The following is what I found.

 

Sandhill Prairie Herping
Blue Racer Snake Speedster
The first snake was this young Blue Racer - it was still sporting some spots as well as very cool blue coloration.
Click here to see another photo of the snake
hog farm Forgotten Farmland
Abandoned hog farm where the snake was found.
Fowlers Toad Fowler's Toad
The Fowler's Toad closely resembles the American Toad, the examples I've found have all been in sandy areas.
Eastern Milk Snake Heart-shaped Snake
An Eastern Milk Snake is always a welcome find.
Click here to see another photo of this snake
boards Would?
This pile of boards behind a Shell gas station on a busy road had a couple of hidden treasures.
Plains Garter Snake Plain To See
Plains Garter Snake - lifer.
Click here to see another photo of this snake
Midland Brown Snake City Snake
Brown Snakes can often be found living within city limits.
Click here to see another photo of this snake
Tin Fields Tin Fields
Strategically placed pieces of tin can be a herper's "goldmine."
Six-lined Racerunner Racerunner
Six-lined Racerunners are known for their extraordinary speed.
Click here to see another photo of this lizard
Blue Racer Big Blue
This adult Blue Racer was the largest (and last) snake that I found on the trip.
Click here to see another photo of this snake
Crazy Cricket Crazy Cricket
Not a bad weekend, though I wish the weather was better.
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