The Flickr Fieldguide Image Generatr

April 13th, 2025 1:00PM

High of 83 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 55 degrees Fahrenheit

79 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

While the previous day had optimal temperatures and wind conditions, today was hotter and very windy. Nonetheless, the same two guys and myself ventured onto an expansive dolomite glade system in search of reptiles. After little success, we visited an area on a huge, Southeast-facing glade and one of us was fortunate enough to turn up two young groundsnakes. This snake was very flighty upon capture, but would hide under any available cover and thus I was able to get pictures.

Taney County, Missouri

April 12th, 2025 10:00AM

High of 73 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 43 degrees Fahrenheit

56 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

Early in the morning a couple friends and I started our hike for the day, thankfully without wind (many days this Spring were breezy, suppressing reptile activity). As the sun warmed up an open, igneous glade mixed with sandstone, a friend spotted this large male snake sunning in a briar thicket in front of a ledge, just barely sitting in the sun. He was able to grab the animal before he woke up, and subsequently feigned death. After a few photos we released the snake, which promptly shot under his ledge.

Arkansas

March 16th, 2025 1:00PM

High of 48 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 29 degrees Fahrenheit

42 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

After major storms and heavy rain moved through the St. Louis area, I ventured out to a rocky, wooded hillside just on the edge of the Ozarks. The sun peaked through for the first time in two days, but a slight breeze suppressed surface temps still. Nonetheless, I flipped this toad and a Western Slimy Salamander under rocks. Both were torpid upon discovery but warmed up quickly.

St. Louis County, Missouri

February 27th, 2025 3:00PM

High of 62 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 44 degrees Fahrenheit

62 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

Conditions for the day seemed favorable: bright sun, warm temps, with snowmelt still saturating the ground. Unfortunately once I got out into the field I noticed it was very windy. This suppressed surface temps considerably. Nonetheless, on a quick jaunt out on a southwest facing dolomite glade, I was able to find many of these skinks, as well as Fence Swifts and Prairie Racerunners. This particular lizard was one of my tiniest subjects to date, being maybe 2 inches long.

Jefferson County, Missouri

A rock bunting perched on a lichen-covered branch, displaying its finely patterned plumage. Captured in soft natural light, the bird’s delicate features and earthy tones blend harmoniously with the blurred background, highlighting its presence in its mountainous habitat.

Wanderlaubsänger, Helgoland

November 2nd, 2024 1:00PM

High of 66 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 37 degrees Fahrenheit

63 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

After finding a redbacked salamander, I lost it in heavy leaf litter on a north-facing hillside in the shade. While digging through the leaf litter to find it, I discovered this young newt eft resting near the surface under the bed of leaves. It was slow on capture and posed easily for pictures, crawling back to it's hiding place after photos.

St. Genevieve County, Missouri

A bald eagle sits on its nest near the Rappahannock River in Essex County, Va., on April 1, 2022. The nearby Fones Cliffs formation along the Rappahannock supports the largest concentration of eagles along the East Coast. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

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October 6th, 2022 9:00AM

High of 84 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 65 degrees Fahrenheit

71 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

It had not rained in this area for a full week, and I had somewhat low expectations for this trip. Nonetheless, a friend and I visited a series of small dolomite glades on East and West facing slopes amidst deciduous forest. The ground was very dry, and we didn't see much for the first hour. Then, in the woods separating two pocket glades on a Southwest slope, I flipped this young adult ratsnake under a medium sized rock. An ant nest was under one part of the rock and this snake was under the other side. Upon capture it struck often, but sat still readily and was then released after pictures.

Maries County, Missouri

Dubois, Idaho

September 1st, 2024

High of 82 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 61 degrees Fahrenheit

67 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

On a dry, cool morning, this and numerous other toads of the same species were observed under artificial cover on the sand. It seemed damp under the cover where the toads were present, likely due to condensation as these particular pieces of cover were mostly in shaded areas. At capture this toad attempted to hop away, but sat still long enough for pictures before being released.

Scott County, Missouri

September 1st, 2024 9:00AM

High of 82 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 61 degrees Fahrenheit

71 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

On a dry, mostly sunny morning, a friend and I visited a sand prairie in search of rare animals. After hours of flipping artificial cover, we moved to a piece of private property I was given access to. This young snake was discovered partially obscured in the sand under a large piece of foam on loose sand in the sun. Upon capture it frequently attempted to burrow in the sand, but sat still after a few minutes.

Scott County, Missouri

August 17th, 2024 1:00PM

High of 96 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 74 degrees Fahrenheit

94 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

On a sunny and hot day, a couple friends and I visited a recreation area near the Black River in order to assess the depth of water in the area for future visits. While driving through the area, this skink was sitting on an asphalt road in the sun intersecting deciduous forest on either side. I ran out and dove after it, and we brought it to a nearby area for pictures.

Wayne County, Missouri

August 14th, 2024 10:00AM

High of 82 degrees Fahrenheit

Low of 66 degrees Fahrenheit

77 degrees Fahrenheit at capture

On a cooler, cloudy morning two days after some rain passed through the area I visited a small spring-fed stream at the base of some limestone bluffs. After flipping the first few rocks and seeing larval salamanders, I knew this was the right spot to look for my target. Not long after I flipped this old male about twenty feet downstream from the bluffs under a large, chunky rock partly in the water. This salamander was flighty, but sat still for pictures.

St. Louis County, Missouri