The Big 14 Quest 2023

June 18th, 2023

Today was an excellent day! I saw six total species: 1 rednelly snake, 1 black racer, 2 milk snakes, 1 water snake, 1 northern brown snake, and a garter snake. Not bad for just a few hours!

April 28th, 2023

Victory. I found a smooth green snake today, the last snake I needed to find. I have completed my quest to find all 14 snakes native to Connecticut before the end of April! My next quest will be to find new spots for some of my favorite snakes. However, for now I need a little bit of a snake break. I have been snaking every day for the last 21 days in a row!

April 27th, 2023

After spending 11 out of the last 12 days hognose snaking, I finally found one today! I was beginning to think I wasn’t going to find one before the end of the month. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a lot of photos of it. After just a few shots, it rolled over and began the old “play dead” routine: writhing around on its back with its tongue hanging out while defecating on itself. While this is an amusing behavior to observe, it dawned on me that in reality the snake is scared to death, realizes escape is not an option, and has exposed itself in a vulnerable position as a last resort, hoping I'd think it was too sickly to eat (I wasn’t going to). I didn’t want to prolong its terror so, still on its back, I moved it into a more concealed location in the bushes a few feet away and took off. A few minutes later I saw two northern black racers.

One more snake to go...

April 23rd, 2023

It poured rain last night, and I work up to more rain this morning, with up to 2 inches projected for the day. Despite the weather, I checked out a couple spots. The first spot this morning was a smooth green snake spot, but I didn't find anything else there. Next I went to another spot to do a little intel gathering, and I confirmed that seems suitable for hognose snakes, but not in the pouring rain. I will go back there at some point this week. Afterwards, I went to another spot looking for hogs, and though I saw a box turtle, I didn't find any snakes. By this time it was about 3:30pm and the sun was starting to break through, so I decided to visit one more spot. There I saw the same worm snake that I saw last Sunday, as well as a second worm snake, which appeared gravid. Soon after taking a few photos of her, I saw quite a stunning northern black racer.

April 22nd, 2023

I tried hard for a smooth green snake today but I couldn’t make it happen. I went to my best spot for them, but perhaps the weather hasn't been consistently warm enough yet for them to be out. I did, however, find 4 northern ringneck snakes a garter snake, confirming that at least some species have started coming out there. I had been to this spot twice before previously but didn't find any snakes at all, so at least I wasn't skunked this time.

April 16th, 2023

Today was a pretty awesome day! I woke up this morning to heavy fog and light rain, still missing 5 of the 14 species of CT snakes. I had low expectations for the day, and certainly didn't think I'd find 3 of the 5 missing species! I went to a hognose spot first and within about 30 minutes, I flipped two eastern milk snakes under the same rock. After taking some photos of them, I flipped a northern black racer as well.

I couldn't find a hognose snake so I headed to another spot to look for worm snakes. It took about an hour, but I found my first worm snake of the year! Quite honestly, I was more worried about finding a worm snake before the end of April than any other species. As it turned out, that would not be my last one of the day. I left and headed to a spot where I've seen ringneck snakes before. On my first flip there, I found my second worm snake of the day! Just a few minutes later, I finally found a ringneck snake. I've spent a lot of time this year looking for ringneck snakes. Usually I can find one pretty easily at my parent's house, but for some reason I haven't found one there yet this year.

On the way to the next spot, I came across a very large snapping turtle that was preparing to cross a very busy road to get to a pond on the other side. Last year, I saw a smashed snapping turtle in that exact spot. I'm no turtle expert, and the last snapping turtle I handled was a hatchling that could be picked up with two fingers some 25 years ago. However, I felt compelled to help this large snapping turtle cross the road so he didn't get hit by a car like the one last year. After consulting with a friend of mine on how best to pick up a turtle that size without getting bitten or clawed, I ignored the voice inside my head saying, “You’re going to regret this“ and just went for it. It tried, but it was unable to get me with it’s inch-long claws and I successfully brought it over to the other side.

After that, I continued on my mission to find a hognose snake. I didn't find one, but I found a third worm snake! I went to one last spot after that, hoping for a smooth green snake. Incredibly, I found a fourth worm snake there! Four worm snakes in one day beats my previous record of three, set July 3rd, 2022. I consider worm snakes to be one of the hardest snakes in CT to find, so today was an incredibly lucky day.

After finding three of the five species I was still missing when I woke up this morning, I'm now only have 2 species left to find: the hognose snake and the smooth green snake. Victory is within reach!

April 15th, 2023

I saw a northern redbelly snake today! I spent the morning looking for both smooth green and redbelly snakes. After 4.5 hours of looking, I hadn't seen a single snake and I was exhausted. I was begining to worry I was going to end up completely skunked today just like last Saturday. I decided to switch gears and went to another spot where I hoped to find either a milk or ringneck snake. Although I didn't find either, I did see 4 eastern garter snakes, which was definitely better than nothing!

I stopped at one last spot on the way home, and just before it started pouring rain, I found this gray phase northern redbelly snake. Redbelly snakes are amongst my favorite snakes to find, so I was super happy to see it. I haven't see one since last November. Also, since redbelly snakes are one of the more difficult snakes to find, it's a relief to cross them off the list.

I now only have 5 more snakes to go: the hognose, milk, ringneck, smooth green, and worm snakes. The only one of those that should be “easy” to find is the ringneck snake, however despite spending a lot of time looking for them already this year, I haven't been able to find one. I also seem to have difficulty finding milk snakes despite their apparent abundance. The hognose, smooth green, and worm snakes are going to be very difficult to find, so I'll need a lot of luck.

April 14th, 2023

I went timber rattlesnaking after work today and it turned out to be one of my best rattlesnake days ever. I saw 4 adult rattlesnakes. There were two black phase and two yellow phase. I am always completely awestruck when I see these creatures. They look almost prehistoric and they are massive compared to the snakes I'm more used to finding.

While it's exciting to see rattlesnakes, I always left with a great sense of sadness afterwards. With just a few isolated populations left in the state, surrounded by an ever-rising tide of human devlopment, they seem doomed to eventual extinction. As an endangered species it's illegal to kill them directly, but it's not illegal to destroy their habitat. Between loss of habitat, predation (the racers at this spot feed on baby rattlesnakes unmercifully), road kills, and run-ins with humans, it's only a matter of time before they're all gone.

It might be awhile before I look for rattlesnakes again, at least at this spot. I'd rather just leave them in peace. Hopefully, they'll be around for a long time to come and I look forward to seeing them again someday.

8 species down, 6 to go and 16 days left in April to find them!

April 13th, 2023

I went looking for copperheads this afternoon but I think it was a bit too hot for them to be out. It hit 87 degrees today which was the hottest day of the year so far. I did manage to spot a small northern water snake and 3 gravid female garter snakes. Afterwards I stopped at a spot nearby but didn't see anything.

As the sun was beginning to fade, I checked one more spot and finally found a northern brown snake! I've probably spent more time this year looking for brown snakes than any other species. I was beginning to worry because two years ago I didn't find my first brown snake until June. This year, I've checked my two most reliable brown snake spots a total of about 10 times but I wasn't able to find one. I really like brown snakes and I'm relieved I finally got one today. 7 species down, 7 to go. I'm halfway there!

April 11th, 2023

I went for a quick snaking mission after work today and saw 4 northern black racers and my first copperhead of the season! I had a good feeling I'd be able to find one this week since I saw my lifer copperhead on April 9th two years ago, and saw my first copperheads last year on April 13th. The weather was significantly warmer today compared to the weekend as well. I'm always amazed at how good their camouflage is and how difficult they are to spot, even when I'm scanning for them very carefully. Sometimes I'll be staring right at one but it takes me a second or two to realize it. They're incredible. That's 6 species down, 8 to go!

April 10th, 2023

I didn't take any photos today, but for posterity, I’ll note that I made a quick after work snaking run to look for milk snakes. I didn't see any, but I saw 2 ribbon snakes and a garter snake.

April 9th, 2023

After being out all day and not finding any snakes yesterday, I went out this morning feeling tired and defeated. Last night, like two nights ago, the temperature dipped below freezing, so I considered the possibility that I was going to be skunked all weekend. I have been stuck at 3 snakes out of 14, and I am starting to worry that I'm not going to be able to find all 14 before the end of April. Fortunately, my luck changed today for the better today and I managed to find a bunch of snakes, including 2 new species for the year: the northern water snake and eastern rat snake. I also saw 8 northern black racers and 2 garter snakes.

I saw my first water snake last year on April 9th, as well, and on April 18th in 2021, so I'm on par this year. I didn't see the first eastern rat snake until April 16th last year, and April 18th in 2021, so I'm a little ahead of the game on those. I found my lifer copperhead on this date in 2021 and on April 13th last year, so I'm going for those next.

April 2nd, 2023

I saw seven northern black racers today, which is a new record for me. They were all found at the first spot of the day. Despite my early success, I was unable to locate any other snakes at the six other locations I visited. I was trying to find a couple other different species. The snaking is still tough here this early in April. Although it was sunny today, the temperature only reached a high of 50 degrees and it was fairly windy all day. Black racers have now pulled ahead of garter snakes in the rankings. Pictured below are three of the seven seen today.

March 26th, 2023

Today was a long day but the number of snakes I found was not commensurate with the time and effort I put in. It was a beautiful sunny day, with a high of 60 degrees, and I hit 6 different spots. I was hoping to find at least one of the eleven species I'm missing for the year. I ended up finding only 2 northern black racers and a single eastern garter snake, but of which are species I've already seen this year. Pictured below is the 2nd of the two racers. While it was a disappointing day, at least I wasn't totally skunked!

March 21st, 2023

Since the temperature was in the high 50s today, I decided to go on a quick ribbon snake mission after work this afternoon. I've struck out twice in the last 10 days looking for ribbon snakes, but today my persistence finally paid off. I found this baby ribbon snake under a log. While it’s still pretty early in the season, some of the more cold tolerant species are starting to come out. As I started to run out of daylight, I found a baby garter snake, followed by a larger, more brightly-colored garter snake. Not bad for an hour and a half after work.

Three species down, eleven to go!

March 18th, 2023

It has begun.

After being skunked last week, I found 4 eastern garter snakes and a northern black racer this afternoon. Three of the garter snakes were together in a mating ball and the 4th was closeby. The racer is one of two that I've seen in the same exact spot for now three years in a row. I first saw them on April 4th, 2021, then a couple more times that year, and then again April 9th, 2022, followed by a few more times. As I approached that spot today, I was wondering if I'd see them there again. While I'm disappointed I only saw the one, hopefully the other was closeby in a safe hiding spot. First snakes of the year and 2 species down, 12 to go!