Went on a 4 day trip over Labor Day weekend to the Comanche National Grasslands for herpetology class, and basically spent a whole weekend looking for reptiles. Wasn't the only thing we found, of course, but more on that in a moment. First, the start of the trip:
Day 1
A herd of pronghorn on the trip down
Pronghorns by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Stopped at a prairie dog town on the way, spotted burrowing owls, cottontails, and spiders. A classmate also caught this
Holbrookia maculata by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
In a marsh outside La Junta
White faced ibis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
First visitor at the campsite..
Tarantula Hawk Wasp by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Tarantula Hawk Wasp by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
For scale, that's a 1 liter bottle. The wasp was at least 3 inches long
Tarantula Hawk Wasp by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
First live snake of the trip
Crotalus viridis viridis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And, a first for me, and the first live specimen the professor had ever encountered in CO
Rhinocheilus lecontei by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Second day, an odd flower in camp
Campsite flower by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
An odd beetle on the bluff
Beetle by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Pincushion cactus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Found a scorpion under the rocks
Scorpion by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Another first for me, caught him on a ledge
Masticophis flagellum by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Masticophis flagellum by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Masticophis flagellum by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
In the process of catching the coachwhip, saw this guy ambling across the plain
Porcupine by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Not far from where the coachwhip was (10 feet away or so), also found this guy
Crotalus viridis viridis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Crotalus viridis viridis by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Orb spider by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Prairie lizard in Vogel Canyon
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Rock formation
Vogel Canyon rock formation by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Supposedly, this was put as a marker for the petroglyphs, but not sure what it was supposed to mean..
Petroglyph marker by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
There are several spots where water stands deep enough to last all summer, and these live in the pools
Lithobates blairi by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Thamnophis radix by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Bullfrogs are invasive, so these guys were used for target practice
Lithobates catesbeianus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Cool flower with variegated bracts
Unknown flower by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Saw this guy hunting frogs
Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
An hour later, we spookd the frogs trying to catch the snake, and this resulted:
Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Interestingly, even after we caught him the snake continued to finish his meal. Disturbingly, after he was done, and even after he'd disappeared under the water again, you could still hear the frog's distressed chirping inside
Thamnophis radix by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Another non-reptilian creepy crawly. These guys were everywhere, dozens on the roads at night and at least two different specimens were spotted in camp. This was the first
Tarantula #1 by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Tarantula #1 by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Tarantula #1 by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
This was one seen while road riding, one of, again, dozens. They had body lengths of at least 2, maybe 3-4"
Tarantula #2 by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Third day
Orb spider by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Ichneumon wasp by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Sadly, nobody was home anymore...
Bx turtle shell by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Another new species for me
Diadophis punctatus arnyi by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
A baby caught in the Picture Canyon picnic area
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
New species #4. While we have one in the college reptile room, this wild specimen was far more beautiful
Hypsiglena torquata by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Hypsiglena torquata by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Not 10 minutes later, new species #5 was found .He was very docile and curious when we brought him into the van
Arizona elegans by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Day 4, first find was a large prairie lizard
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Managed to catch him and get pics of the ventral colors
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
And the last find of the trip, under a rock
Thamnophis radix by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
One of the non-animal residents of the grasslands
Cholla cactus by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Finally, a view of Vogel Canyon
Vogel Canyon by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
Day 1
A herd of pronghorn on the trip down
Pronghorns by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrStopped at a prairie dog town on the way, spotted burrowing owls, cottontails, and spiders. A classmate also caught this
Holbrookia maculata by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrIn a marsh outside La Junta
White faced ibis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrFirst visitor at the campsite..
Tarantula Hawk Wasp by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrTarantula Hawk Wasp by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrFor scale, that's a 1 liter bottle. The wasp was at least 3 inches long
Tarantula Hawk Wasp by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrFirst live snake of the trip
Crotalus viridis viridis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnd, a first for me, and the first live specimen the professor had ever encountered in CO
Rhinocheilus lecontei by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrSecond day, an odd flower in camp
Campsite flower by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAn odd beetle on the bluff
Beetle by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrPincushion cactus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrFound a scorpion under the rocks
Scorpion by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnother first for me, caught him on a ledge
Masticophis flagellum by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrMasticophis flagellum by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrMasticophis flagellum by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrIn the process of catching the coachwhip, saw this guy ambling across the plain
Porcupine by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrNot far from where the coachwhip was (10 feet away or so), also found this guy
Crotalus viridis viridis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrCrotalus viridis viridis by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrOrb spider by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrPrairie lizard in Vogel Canyon
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrRock formation
Vogel Canyon rock formation by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrSupposedly, this was put as a marker for the petroglyphs, but not sure what it was supposed to mean..
Petroglyph marker by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThere are several spots where water stands deep enough to last all summer, and these live in the pools
Lithobates blairi by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThamnophis radix by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrBullfrogs are invasive, so these guys were used for target practice
Lithobates catesbeianus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrCool flower with variegated bracts
Unknown flower by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrSaw this guy hunting frogs
Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAn hour later, we spookd the frogs trying to catch the snake, and this resulted:
Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrInterestingly, even after we caught him the snake continued to finish his meal. Disturbingly, after he was done, and even after he'd disappeared under the water again, you could still hear the frog's distressed chirping inside
Thamnophis radix by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnother non-reptilian creepy crawly. These guys were everywhere, dozens on the roads at night and at least two different specimens were spotted in camp. This was the first
Tarantula #1 by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrTarantula #1 by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrTarantula #1 by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThis was one seen while road riding, one of, again, dozens. They had body lengths of at least 2, maybe 3-4"
Tarantula #2 by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrThird day
Orb spider by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrIchneumon wasp by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrSadly, nobody was home anymore...
Bx turtle shell by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnother new species for me
Diadophis punctatus arnyi by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrSceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrA baby caught in the Picture Canyon picnic area
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrNew species #4. While we have one in the college reptile room, this wild specimen was far more beautiful
Hypsiglena torquata by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrHypsiglena torquata by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrNot 10 minutes later, new species #5 was found .He was very docile and curious when we brought him into the van
Arizona elegans by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrDay 4, first find was a large prairie lizard
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrManaged to catch him and get pics of the ventral colors
Sceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrSceloperus undulatus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrAnd the last find of the trip, under a rock
Thamnophis radix by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrOne of the non-animal residents of the grasslands
Cholla cactus by Hawken Carlton, on FlickrFinally, a view of Vogel Canyon
Vogel Canyon by Hawken Carlton, on Flickr
i enjoyed yr photis hope to see more of yr future trips 
