Search found 1741 matches

by RobertH
June 7th, 2017, 10:14 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New CA Chapter forum?
Replies: 5
Views: 13830

Re: New CA Chapter forum?

Thanks, Matt. I had no idea there already was a FB page or rather pages. I am not a fan of FB, but I'll join at least the CH chapter group.

Robert
by RobertH
June 6th, 2017, 10:52 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New CA Chapter forum?
Replies: 5
Views: 13830

New CA Chapter forum?

Hi CA chapter members,

It looks like we will finally have to find a home of our own. I propose that we create our own (free) CA chapter forum or, if that's what people want, a CA chapter FB page.

What do you guys think?

Robert
by RobertH
April 16th, 2017, 11:09 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Missouri herpetologist visit to California
Replies: 1
Views: 1644

Re: Missouri herpetologist visit to California

I am going to send you an e-mail right now.

Robert
by RobertH
April 8th, 2017, 9:37 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Pain, Agony and no salamanders
Replies: 3
Views: 2810

Re: Pain, Agony and no salamanders

Nick and I also had a decent salamander season, though not with Jeremy's numbers. A handful of Monterey Ensatina, a few Arboreals, a dozen or so Black-Bellied Slenders, and even 9 San Gabriel Slender Salamanders from the San Gabes, and also close to 20 Large-Blotched Ensatina from SD County. All in ...
by RobertH
March 24th, 2017, 10:43 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Tejon Ranch Trips for 2017
Replies: 23
Views: 11776

Re: Tejon Ranch Trips for 2017

It wasn't a whole lot, as usual. Three NorPacs, including one pair and a very nice golden one (Nick may post some better pics than mine below), 3-4 gopher snakes, a couple of CA toads, a few Baja tree frogs, one alligator lizard (I think), and a dozen or so skinks, most of them Gilbert's, some of th...
by RobertH
March 24th, 2017, 10:29 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Orange County Herp BioBlitz on limited access lands
Replies: 8
Views: 6655

Re: Orange County Herp BioBlitz on limited access lands

So will Nick and I. Sounds great.

Robert
by RobertH
February 28th, 2017, 9:22 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Data Entry Levels (DB records over 1,000) As of 2-20-17
Replies: 11
Views: 6647

Re: Data Entry Levels (DB records over 1,000) As of 2-20-17

And also, why can I NOT edit my posts now?
Same here, my edit button is gone too. :?: :?

Robert
by RobertH
February 22nd, 2017, 11:16 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Tejon Ranch Trips for 2017
Replies: 23
Views: 11776

Re: Tejon Ranch Trips for 2017

Todd, Nicholas and I are potentially interested in attending all three surveys, but more likely will attend only one or two and not more than one in the month of April. Which one(s) we attend will, in part, depend on exactly where we are going. We are especially interested in the high-elevation surv...
by RobertH
February 20th, 2017, 2:31 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Data Entry Levels (DB records over 1,000) As of 2-20-17
Replies: 11
Views: 6647

Re: Data Entry Levels (DB records over 1,000) As of 2-20-17

Thanks a lot for posting this Brian.

Just in case you really don't know the chapter affiliation of this guy:
*Jeff Nordland-2,008
He's the president of our chapter.

:lol:

Robert
by RobertH
February 20th, 2017, 10:33 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: San Diego County This Week
Replies: 3
Views: 2245

Re: San Diego County This Week

Hi Randy, I would focus on coastal herping and, if possible, skip Borrego Springs altogether. It's way to early in the year for the low desert, especially this year. Simply too cold for any activity out there. So best forget about road cruising the desert. But coastal SD should be very good for flip...
by RobertH
February 18th, 2017, 8:28 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2016 Database Contest Results
Replies: 15
Views: 9969

Re: 2016 Database Contest Results

It's good to see that you finally set up your own account, Nicholas. With two separate accounts, we'll finally get to see who the real herper in the family is! :lol: Well, actually, we will still be entering data under our combined HERP account (Robert and Nicholas Hess). With 5000+ records and 130...
by RobertH
February 15th, 2017, 8:09 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2016 Database Contest Results
Replies: 15
Views: 9969

Re: 2016 Database Contest Results

Oh Way to Go Nicholas... :thumb:
But, but ... wait ... wait :o ... what about me :?: :evil: ... I drive the car 8-) ... I buy the food :beer: ... I hold the external flash :idea: ... I even find a herp sometimes :beer:

:D :D :D :D

Robert
by RobertH
February 10th, 2017, 7:14 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Spadefoot or frog eggs?
Replies: 3
Views: 2934

Re: Spadefoot or frog eggs?

In the meantime the egg masses have been ID'd as Spea hammondii by Sam Sweet. This is great news as it means that we found - and vouchered - a new Western Spadefoot locality in LA County.

Robert
by RobertH
February 9th, 2017, 10:11 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Spadefoot or frog eggs?
Replies: 3
Views: 2934

Spadefoot or frog eggs?

What do you think about these eggs? https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/310/32433752310_ca98eea9bf_c.jpg P. Hypocondriaca or spea hammondii????? by NicholasHess , on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2170/32433760090_de43dc5fda_c.jpg P. Hypocondriaca or spea hammondii????? by NicholasHess , on Flickr h...
by RobertH
January 25th, 2017, 11:39 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Herp Photo wins first place in Nat Geo Nature Photog of Year
Replies: 12
Views: 24694

Re: Herp Photo wins first place in Nat Geo Nature Photog of

This shows that, unfortunately, wildlife photography judges have no clue about herps, much less herp photography. In this case, they picked a shot as a winner that on this forum is judged by most to be sort of average, in some important ways even below average. But I have also seen the opposite happ...
by RobertH
January 20th, 2017, 8:25 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: It never rains in Southern California (or does it?)
Replies: 3
Views: 3093

It never rains in Southern California (or does it?)

Check out this cool map, which shows the expected rainfall for the next 6 days: http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/precipForecast.php?cwa=LOX&imgNum=1&mobile=0 The San Gabriel Mountains will receive anywhere from 6 to 10 inches of rain (or several feet of snow at the higher elevations). And they have...
by RobertH
January 2nd, 2017, 11:10 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2017 California Chapter President Nomination
Replies: 6
Views: 6182

Re: 2017 California Chapter President Nomination

Thanks to you, Jeff, and all of the other officers who have stepped up to the plate (again). The year 2017 promises to be a very successful one for our chapter and also the HERP database.

A Happy New Year to everyone from me and Nicholas!

Robert
by RobertH
December 7th, 2016, 6:58 pm
Forum: Invertebrate Forum
Topic: Octopus
Replies: 2
Views: 12363

Re: Octopus

Thanks porter, so far I haven't seen any seasonal patterns (I just started in the summer). Obviously you need to plan your visit at low tide. I look under rocks at the low tide line and usually that works pretty well. The audio is actually just from imovie lol. Other wise there would have been a bun...
by RobertH
December 1st, 2016, 10:05 pm
Forum: Invertebrate Forum
Topic: Octopus
Replies: 2
Views: 12363

Octopus

A quick video of a two-spot octopus I found.

ImageOctopus Bimaculoides by NicholasHess, on Flickr

Click on the video and then press play on flickr.

Nicholas
by RobertH
November 29th, 2016, 2:09 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: California VP 2017 Nomination
Replies: 4
Views: 5309

Re: California VP 2017 Nomination

I hereby nominate Matt Gruen for vice president in 2017.

If Matt declines, I nominate Brian Hinds for vice president.

Robert
by RobertH
November 29th, 2016, 2:07 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: California Chapter Secretary Nomination 2017
Replies: 5
Views: 5755

Re: California Chapter Secretary Nomination 2017

I hereby nominate Dave Zeldin for secretary in 2017.

Robert
by RobertH
November 29th, 2016, 2:06 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: California Education Specialist Nomination 2017
Replies: 4
Views: 5429

Re: California Education Specialist Nomination 2017

I hereby nominate Nathan Smith for education specialist in 2017.

Robert
by RobertH
November 29th, 2016, 2:05 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: California Conservation Officer Nomination 2017
Replies: 4
Views: 5284

Re: California Conservation Officer Nomination 2017

I hereby nominate Lawrence Erickson for conservation officer in 2017.

Robert
by RobertH
November 29th, 2016, 2:04 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: California International Board Member Nomination 2017
Replies: 4
Views: 5123

Re: California International Board Member Nomination 2017

I hereby nominate John Lauermann for IB member in 2017.

Robert
by RobertH
November 29th, 2016, 2:03 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2017 California Chapter President Nomination
Replies: 6
Views: 6182

Re: 2017 California Chapter President Nomination

I hereby nominate Jeff Nordland for president in 2017.

Robert
by RobertH
November 17th, 2016, 1:24 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2017 California Chapter Nominations Time
Replies: 20
Views: 16853

Re: 2017 California Chapter Nominations Time

I second Jeff's nomination for chapter president.

Aside from Brian (president) and Derek (secretary), are any other board members stepping down? If not, I hereby nominate each of them for reelection.

Thanks,

Robert
by RobertH
October 29th, 2016, 9:21 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Arroyo Toad ID Confirmation.
Replies: 11
Views: 6539

Re: Arroyo Toad ID Conformation.

Thanks for everyone's replies. In the meantime, I had mailed Sam Sweet and he had already confirmed to me that this is indeed an Arroyo Toad - and from a new locality! As to the specific locality, I can only say that it's a very remote place on the coastal side of the San Gabriel Mountains. We'll en...
by RobertH
October 29th, 2016, 10:11 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Arroyo Toad ID Confirmation.
Replies: 11
Views: 6539

Re: Arroyo Toad ID Conformation.

Ok I edited it. Hopefully it works better now.
by RobertH
October 28th, 2016, 9:01 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Arroyo Toad ID Confirmation.
Replies: 11
Views: 6539

Arroyo Toad ID Confirmation.

So basically a friend of mine at school took this picture of a toad while he was fishing. He has a pretty good knowledge of the native fauna that lives in our watersheds, but when he told me he saw an arroyo toad I was pretty doubtful. But then he showed me this picture he took of it and it actually...
by RobertH
October 27th, 2016, 9:23 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Nicholas wins international photography competition
Replies: 18
Views: 10319

Re: Nicholas wins international photography competition

Thanks everybody, I really appreciate it. I agree the poppy crote shot was an incredible photosession.
Porter, here's the bird shot.
ImageReddish egret (Egretta rufescens) by NicholasHess, on Flickr

Nicholas
by RobertH
October 21st, 2016, 3:46 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Nicholas wins international photography competition
Replies: 4
Views: 17653

Nicholas wins international photography competition

Nicholas, now 14, finally did it - he won his first major international wildlife photography competition, the Animal Photography Competition held yearly by the London Zoological Society (ZSL). He had entered two other, similar competitions last year and was short-listed with several images in both (...
by RobertH
October 21st, 2016, 3:43 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Nicholas wins international photography competition
Replies: 18
Views: 10319

Nicholas wins international photography competition

Nicholas finally did it - he won his first major international wildlife photography competition, the Animal Photography Competition held yearly by the London Zoological Society (ZSL). He had entered two other, similar competitions last year and was short-listed with several images in both (one of wh...
by RobertH
October 4th, 2016, 10:16 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Few Desert Finds
Replies: 9
Views: 4905

Re: Few Desert Finds

Sounds like a great late season trip to the desert. I really like your photographs and know from experience with Nicholas how hard it is to pose and properly light snakes at night, especially next to a (busy) road. My favorite (who would have guessed it?) is the closeup shot of the ruber. Congrats a...
by RobertH
October 3rd, 2016, 10:24 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: HERP votes and Comment periods
Replies: 7
Views: 3674

Re: HERP votes and Comment periods

Thanks, Brian. You are absolutely right, they are two different requests. Somehow, when I read the request from Sam Sweet today, I got the sense that I had already voted on it, probably because I had seen the request before when it was first presented to all HERP members. I will be more careful next...
by RobertH
October 3rd, 2016, 7:32 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: HERP votes and Comment periods
Replies: 7
Views: 3674

Re: HERP votes and Comment periods

Just wondering: I just received a SECOND e-mail requesting that I vote on the CDFW data request - this AFTER I already voted on it a few days ago. As before, I voted again to release all of my records. But it seems that something went wrong here. Specifically, I am wondering whether it means that my...
by RobertH
September 27th, 2016, 8:49 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: HERP votes and Comment periods
Replies: 7
Views: 3674

Re: HERP votes and Comment periods

Brian, there seem to be two different, though related points/problems: 1. Does it make sense to say something to the effect of "Yes, you can have my data" on the comment page? 2. Are such comments sufficient to release your data? My answers would be yes and no. I can see nothing wrong with...
by RobertH
September 22nd, 2016, 2:13 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County
Replies: 17
Views: 8521

Re: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County

Interesting... I wonder how they would outcompete alligator lizard, because you'd think they occupy fairly different niches... I am not sure, of course, but it seems that at least in SP, the IWLs outcompete other lizards by sheer numbers: based on our own observations, the density of IWLs is at lea...
by RobertH
September 22nd, 2016, 9:25 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County
Replies: 17
Views: 8521

Re: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County

Point well taken. You can't prove a negative. However, consider this: We do know that in locations where non-native IWLs have become established in CA - and the places in Europe Jeroen mentioned above - they decisively and quickly do knock out competing, native lizard species. In the San Pedro neigh...
by RobertH
September 9th, 2016, 12:05 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County
Replies: 17
Views: 8521

Re: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County

Hopefully it has enhanced it. It absolutely has, Jimi. Your professional opinion, and eloquent explanations, are always appreciated, as I think most if not all people on this forum would agree. You are right, of course, that as a practical matter, determining whether the IWLs in SP are in fact a th...
by RobertH
September 8th, 2016, 7:00 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County
Replies: 17
Views: 8521

Re: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County

Likewise, Jimi, I too enjoyed our pleasant chat. :-) I'd like to think that it was more an exchange of facts than opinions. Whether or non-native IWLS are a threat to the local herp fauna is a question of fact, nothing else. To learn more details about what is actually being done in terms of monitor...
by RobertH
September 8th, 2016, 2:14 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County
Replies: 17
Views: 8521

Re: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County

Jimi, The best person to answer this question is Greg Pauly himself. In personal communications to me he indicated that he is VERY concerned about the spread of the IWLs here in the Southland. The population in SP, he told me, has spread tremendously over the last year and he's concerned that collec...
by RobertH
September 7th, 2016, 2:05 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County
Replies: 17
Views: 8521

Re: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County

Thanks for your kind replies to Nicholas. In the meantime I contacted Greg Pauly, the curator of herpetology at the LA NHM (and also a member of this forum) and he confirmed the ID - it is in fact a Tarentola. Funny enough, he and his research group had discovered this new gecko population themselve...
by RobertH
September 4th, 2016, 12:43 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County
Replies: 17
Views: 8521

Moorish Wall Geckos in LA County

Yesterday my dad and I found ourselves in San Pedro when we were going to the beach. We decided to quickly stop by the streets where the invasive Italian Wall Lizards live. I believe the population of wall lizards was established when somebody released a large quantity of them because he wanted them...
by RobertH
August 20th, 2016, 10:08 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Just a few finds from this year
Replies: 6
Views: 4305

Re: Just a few finds from this year

Some really nice finds, Zach, with a great variety to boot. Your photography has made a HUGE leap, and I doubt it's just the auto-focus mode. Your angles are just about perfect, and you have a knack for posing herps so they look natural and comfortable. Having watched and on occasion helped Nicholas...
by RobertH
August 20th, 2016, 8:28 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Yosemite
Replies: 12
Views: 6911

Re: Herping Yosemite

Are there still brown bears in CA?
No, unfortunately not. Not since at least 1930, actually. But, interestingly, there is an initiative underway to reintroduce Grizzly Bears to CA:

https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2016/05/02 ... the-woods/

Robert
by RobertH
August 19th, 2016, 5:44 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Sad
Replies: 7
Views: 3344

Re: Sad

I remember that video Jeremy. Here's a link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-Fp7flAWMA.

Nicholas
by RobertH
August 18th, 2016, 12:10 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: San Diego Alligator Lizard
Replies: 9
Views: 5007

Re: San Diego Alligator Lizard

Hi John, it ooks like you already got a good answer from fieldnotes and Jeremy, but here's an Elgaria multicarinata webii reel :D https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3816/13746609635_da0616c424_c.jpg San Diego Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata webbii) by NicholasHess , on Flickr https://c8.staticfli...
by RobertH
July 31st, 2016, 11:00 am
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: dark exposure help?
Replies: 33
Views: 32601

Re: dark exposure help?

Here is what I could do using Affinity Photo.

Image

Nicholas
by RobertH
July 30th, 2016, 9:22 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Record elevation for Great Basin Collared Lizard
Replies: 13
Views: 7579

Re: Record elevation for Great Basin Collared Lizard

Great post, Will. Thanks a lot for sharing. GB Collards are one of our favorite CA lizards, bested only by Baja Collards. It's amazing that they can be found at 9,000+ feet. I had no idea. I thought that the GB Collards living at 5,000+ elevation on the desert slopes of the San Gabes were high-eleva...