You know Spring is here when.....

[Scales Zoo]

....you go to your favourite herping spot, and find 6 rattlesnakes.

We also saw 2 bullsnakes and a black widow spider, but this is the venomous snake forum so I guess I'll just mention the rattlers.

I (Ryan) found the first snake of the year. Last year Sheila found the first snake, and the first spider.

It was a nice rattlesnake.

Sheila headed to some far dens, I stayed at my cluster to see if I could find the patternless one we had found a few times last year.

Sheila yelled "Found Mr. Patternless". I ran over, and at first glimpse it looked like the Patternless. I then noticed that the whole face and every part of the snake were the same drab color - and by closer inspection we determined it was not the patternless one - but the combination of the old skin, and lots of "dried sand and clay mud" from the wet dens made this snake appear without much pattern. I guess Sheila just really was anxious to know that Mr. Patternless survived the winter.

We took a picture of this muddy snake - it did have us fooled for a bit.

[Scales Zoo]

I should also mention that these rattlers are crotalus viridis viridis. This area and parts of Alberta are the northern most points in this snakes geographical range.

Last year it was very warm in early spring, the first snake we saw was on April 18. This year we did not expect to find snakes this early, but today was a very nice day - about 20 c and sunny.

We are also going to bring a tape recorder with us next time. I swear, the bullsnakes hiss sounded more like a rattle than the rattlesnake did. It is another amazing spring phenemenon - bullsnakes sound more like rattlesnakes in the early spring than they do at other times of the year.

I had planned to attatch another picture of 2 rattlesnakes that had been basking together. I find myself not knowing how to attatch pictures to a reply, or how to attatch 2 pictures to the original post.

Ryan and Sheila

[Katt]

That's one dirty snake!!

Is the patternless for sure a male? I remember some discussion about patternless ones being female or somthing.

Next time snap more pics!

[Feed'em All]

congrats!
Martin.