Field Herp Forum

Yesterday, I was informed by a fellow falconer that July 16th was annual snake day. I looked it up on a Google search and sure enough, July 16th was annual snake day for the past several years. And it seems everyone else here missed out. I barely had time to get out into bonnies, find, and hug a sna...

Fieldherper, Where Rubber Boas have been observed in Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties has given me a decent idea of the types of habitats and elevations where the species exists in those counties. In a capsule, boas have been observed at both low elevations at near sea level and higher elevatio...

Craigb. I know of only three individuals that acquired small samples of the Rubber Boa towards publishing results. Dr. John Cunningham in 1966, then at UCLA, published a note on the S. Rubber Boa that mainly dealt with taxonomy but included some life history observations. For his PhD research at Ida...

The problem with making searches through Google, Norton Safe Search, etc., is that the information is second hand. That is, it has been ‘filtered’ through, and includes interpretations of the writer. In trying to find a reference to the claim that a recent Japanese study produced similar result to t...

I am aware that the following has very limited interest but decided to post it anyway. 1) Earlier this year, I received a second-hand report that individuals with the Nevada Wildlife Agency had documented a Rubber Boa in the White Mountains in Nevada. Has anyone on the forum heard about that discove...

The link copied below produced the paper by the Finnish scientists. (see abstract) I have not been able to find a link to the Japanese paper that as I understand, it produced similar results. These results support the positions (and some published research) taken by a fair number of scientists that ...

In a search, I entered, ‘Finnish study on climate change’. I have copied one of the links below. It can be noted that two independent studies, one in Finland and the other in Japan, seem to have come up with the same results and conclusions. According to the reporter in this link, these studies are ...

Craig B. provided a video of Dr. Judith Curry’s testimony before a Congressional committee. I played the video twice more and despite my extremely poor hearing, I was able to make out a fair amount of her testimony. At one point, she mentions an article published about her in Scientific American lab...

Craig, Welcome on board and I see you are a teacher. Before retiring in 1991, my last profession was as a secondary school science teacher. I have never been the best at written communications. So when some individuals have expressed their opinion that they know which side of the climate debate I ha...

Below are abstracts of two current research papers contained in the journal ‘Nature Climate Change’. Note that one author claims Antarctic sea ice is declining while the other author mentions Antarctic sea ice is increasing. Such conflicting positions in published research leaves me with not knowing...

The two links below pertain to current 2019 comments made by climate scientist Dr. Judith Curry. Compare Dr. Curry’s comments with those made by climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe as contained in the link posted by Bryan Hamilton. It is viewing the divergence in positions by such climate scienti...

Kookamongus, I had overlooked your post relating to the Sharp-tailed Snake in Marin County. The following is a clarification with respect to the two species of Contia. With respect to distribution, the Forest Sharp-tailed Snake has been documented in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Mateo Counties i...

JG, I am quite aware that Dr. Hansen’s basic position hasn’t changed with respects to his views that humans are responsible for climate change. But I believe his earlier positions placed greater urgency in contrast to where he mentions “---we don’t need to instantaneously reduce GHG amounts.” In hin...

EE Having first hand experience with working for a federal agency (USDA) in research, I am fully aware of the social nature that exists in such federal employment. There is an unspoken taboo that if you value you continued employment, possible step increases, or promotions, you do not dare rock the ...

Kelly’s post of 4/20 makes an important point. But a corollary should to be included and considered. ‘If someone is resistant to accepting that anthropogenic impacts have marginal consequences (on climate) because it doesn’t align with their personal ideologies, or agendas, or political traditions, ...

For anyone that did not understand the basic intent of my posts and overlooked the explanation for initiating this thread, below I have copied the preface to my initial post. “Preface: The environmental issue of ‘climate change’ surfaced in the thread by ‘stlouisdude’ that has since been removed fro...

The following two links also refer to Dr. James Hansen. With respect to my position that both sides of the 'climate change' issue should be examined, I hope these links prove to be particularly informative. NASA Whistleblower Exposes Huge Climate Model Gaffes | PSI Intl NASA's James Hansen Knew Clim...

Dr. James Hansen, 12/2/16: “The ponderous response of the climate system also means that we don’t need to instantaneously reduce GHG amounts.” The above quote by James Hansen is completely counter to the (alarmist) positions he has taken in the past since his 1988 testimony before Congress. For view...

As I have mentioned previously, a rational approach to the issue of climate change would be to examine both sides before adopting a firm position. Two recent posts are supportive of the NCA4 document’s results. So in keeping with the above approach, has anyone tried to access information pertaining ...

Jimi, It is clear to me there exists a genuine disagreement between many scientists with respect to the issues of global warming and climate change. If anyone does not see it that way and has already adopted a position, that’s fine. However from my vantage point, I consider that adopting either posi...

On April 1, I found a link that mentioned ‘Russian Climate Models’. Today, I went back and clicked on the first of the two links I had copied. ( “Russian Climate Science – NoTricksZone” ) I then entered ‘No TricksZone’ in Google and came up with large number of links that referenced climate research...

There does seem to be some ‘Red Flags’ with respect to the United Nation’s IPCC organization and its position on climate change. Below I have copied a number of links adding some comments. #1 (From Wikipedia) List of scientists who disagree with the scientific consensus on global ... Any claim these...

In the discontinued thread by ‘stlouisdude’ pertaining to environmentalism, the issue of climate change surfaced. There are a good number of scientific papers dealing with amphibians and reptiles which mention global warming potentially having a negative impact on such populations. In that deleted t...

Post #4 UN Scientists Who Have Turned on the UN IPCC & Man-Made ... (Note: I could not find a link on Google that indicated any scientists had resigned from the NIPCC organization.) UN Scientists Who Have Turned on the UN IPCC & Man-Made Climate Fears — A Climate Depot Flashback Report By: Marc Mora...

Post #3 UN IPCC Scientist Blows Whistle on Lies About Climate, Sea Level Tuesday, 12 February 2019 (Note: This link is very recent!) Written by Alex Newman STOCKHOLM, Sweden — The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UN IPCC) is misleading humanity about climate change and sea l...

Post #2 Below are a small number of links I selected for review and considered as being reasonably informative. News - Climate Scientist Quits IPCC, Blasts Politicized 'Preconceived ... Top US scientist resigns admitting global warming "a big scam" | PSI Intl (This is a must read! Physicist Hal Lewi...

Preface: The environmental issue of ‘climate change’ surfaced in the thread by ‘stlouisdude’ that has since been removed from this forum. The IPCC scenario that human are the basic cause for global warming has been championed by the environmental community and most, if not all of the major the mains...

Bill, I am not into herping amphibians but merely ecounter frogs, toads, and salamanders incidental to my field efforts with snakes. But here on the west coast, amphibitans can be found all months of the year despending on species and localities being searched. This is particularly true I believe fo...

Yesterday, Jan. 29., I observed one adult male Rubber Boa and four Common Sharp-tailed Snakes. Every years since 1971, my field season, here in northwestern Oregon, has begun during the months of January or February.

Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon)

Kelly, Porter, In reviewing may mental notes, I recall observing some juvenile C. tenuis coiled in grass or on the small gravel piles I use as capture sites. So one explanation for observing C. tenuis on the surface is where the species occurs in high densities. I recall having two other reports of ...

Porter, I am not certain if I have ever observed a Sharp-tailed Snake on the surface. But because they occur in grassland habitat without any natural cover objects under which to thermo-regulate, it stands to reason the species would coil up in grass to do so. I know they do come to the surface at t...

Porter,
Unforutnately, my computer will not show all of your photographs. But what does come up are very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Richard F. Hoyer

dendrelaphis,
Forest Sharp-tailed Snakie (Contia longicauda)

Richard FH

Very nice narrative!
I can relate to your discovery having once documented a new species of snake here in western N. America.

Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon

Mitch Mulks may have information pertaining to boas in Monterey County. The last two e-mail addresses I had for Mitch aare no longer in use.

If anyone knows of Mitch's where abouts, could you please contact hin and ask him to get in touch with me.

Thanks. Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon)

FH, I now have four sightings of the Rubber Boa in the Santa Lucia Range south of Carmel. Beside the DOR on Hwy. 1 you found, there is a 1952 note in Herpetologica of a boa being observed in Bixby Canyon, a boa observed on Palo Colorado Rd., and three boas observed near a USGS Field Station. What is...

Found another example of the Rubber Boa occurring south of Carmel in the Coast Range. Burger, L.W. Herpetologica, Vol.8, Part 1, March 22,1952 "A Southern-most Coast Range Locality For CHARINA BOTTAE" The author states he found a large female in Bixby Canyon about 20 miles SE of Monterey. Richard FH

Jimi, Your points are understood. I have surmised (guessing) that both surface and subsurface humidity likely are important factors as well as condensation. I have found boas on cool mornings with tiny bead of water on their body due to condensation. And I have wondered if snakes (lizards) have some...

Correction: That should have been 1906 earthquake and fire in S.F.

FH, I concur with your views as they pretty much match my understanding. The environmental constraints that govern the distributions of species mostly go unknown. For the Rubber Boa, I have surmised there exists some minimum level of available moisture that is critical for its survival. As the speci...

FH Am I correct that the DOR boa was found in about 1999 or 2000? I had barrowed all of the MVZ vouchered boas at around 2000 and that specimen wasn’t amongst them. So if found and donated in 1999 or 2000, the specimen had yet to be processed and placed with the other vouchered boas at the MVZ. Besi...

In Lawrence Klauber’s 1943 paper where he described the new subspecies, Charina bottae umbratica, Southern Rubber Boa, he mentioned that the Rubber Boa had not been found in the Coast Range south of Carmel nor south of Sequoia Nat. Park in the Sierras. I have prepared a draft of some of my finding o...

Jeff, Back in the late 1960’s or early 1970’s, I was in contact with a high school student from Richmond (I believe), Alexander K. Johnson, who found a fair number of boas in the vicinity of San Pablo reservoir / Tilden Regional Park. I believe the elevations where Alexander found the species was at...

That should have been, ‘one vouchered Rubber Boa from Mt. Hamilton’ in the collections I examined. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fieldherper, I only visited the Mt. Hamilton area once when my father took me trout fishing along some creek in t...

Owen, In around 2000, I examined all vouchered Rubber Boas from the major institutions in Calif. Just from memory, I believe there was one vouchered Rubber Boa in either the CAS or MVZ collections. A number of years ago, a herper on this forum either in a post or more like in a private message indic...

In the early 2000’s, I examined all vouchered specimens from Marin Co. and all were the Common Sharp-tailed Snake, Contia tenuis. That species occurs on both the eastern and western sides Marin County. I once visited individuals that lived just outside of Bolinas on the coastal side who had the Comm...

Another possibility is documenting the Forest Sharp-tailed Snake in the more shaded, forested areas in Marin County. The species occurs in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Mateo Counties to the south and then north of Marin Co along the coast just above Fort Ross Park in Sonoma Co. Richard F. Hoyer ...

Gary, Without being able to view the length of the tail in relation to the snake's vent, that renders an opinion less than reliable. But it looks as if the tail is long in relation to where I believe the vent is located, the tip not a really sharp point, and with the tail partly coiled, my guess is ...

Scott, I believe your forum has filled a very nice niche and has been a very positive entity in the herping community. When you changed the format and consolidate all forums into one international type forum, I was fearful that wasn’t the best of strategies. I was reminded of the old adage that ‘if ...

Scott, You mentioned, “We have surprisingly strong numbers.”. I have no way of knowing what that means. Not having access to whatever you refer to as being ‘numbers’, I do suspect that both the membership and the number of individuals that view each post are higher than in the past. To me, that isn’...