new mexico toads, arizona rattlers, and blink of west texas

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r.edwards
Posts: 59
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:32 pm
Location: DFW, TX

new mexico toads, arizona rattlers, and blink of west texas

Post by r.edwards »

ahh where to start....I am a bit lazy this week, with a ton of work on my plate, looks there will be very little commentary and just a bunch of pics.

Here are a few photographs from a recent trip though west Texas, New Mexico, and of course Arizona...

This year I had one main goal for Arizona, and that was to find and photograph tiger rattlesnakes. Fortunately I was able to locate a few on my own and photogragh several others found by herpers in the area. Everything else was just killing time while herping....

here ya go with the pics!!

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first ever tiger in the wild!!!

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she was awesome and pretty laid back to photograph

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one small one found by DBD

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and another....I looked at 20, wished I would have had time to photograph them all
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other suspects were several blacktails...one was observed near a slide @ over 8,000 feet...
others laid on the roads

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another interesting find while looking for tigers was this regal ring-neck
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and during the day melissa, nicole, and I hiked to the top of XYZ mts for a few willards...
nicole was on my back for this nearly in-situ pic

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nicoles' riding arrangements to the top

and her with melissa just minutes after the first willard siting
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and an in-situ photo of a much bigger willard a couple days later
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an awesome yet way over rated herp for Arizona

this short-horned lizard was found by a friend during one of our hikes
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good food was had by all!
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including pancakes for breakfast, nearly every day.....blueberry and cinnamon
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nicole loved the pancakes
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and the giant empty tortoise shell
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we then left arizona and headed east

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a desert box turtle was located on the way back
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and the other usual lower desert suspects

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a very angry mojave rattlesnake

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along with atrox
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and viridus
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and some non rattlesnakes (as if there are other kinds of snakes)
small glossy

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and a terrible pic of a small desert king
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the last day of new mexico/far east arizona was spent looking at toads
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the start of the night looking towards super secret klaub mountains

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couch spadefoot

and this is where it became confuseing, as I am not the best toad and frog guy but I will give it a go after looking at several field guides and photos

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new mexico spade? bombifrons?
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plains spades? multiplicata?

eventually we had to go home, but not after picking up 100 lbs of chilis and then having them roasted!
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on the way we made a detour through west texas and discovered three more cool herps
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trans-pecos copperhead

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mottled rock rattlesnake

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and easily the biggest atrox west of the pecos...nearly 5 feet and big enough to choke down 2 jumbo rats
sorry for the bad dor pic
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and a lil closer!
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we all enjoyed the trip, glad I could hang with some of my arizona buds and some of the other guys from the forum :beer:
thanks for looking, happy herpen!!

r.edwards
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MHollanders
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 2:32 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: some new mexico toads....

Post by MHollanders »

Those photos aren't half bad, Robert. I particularly like the portrait of the atrox.

Later, Matt
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Fieldnotes
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Re: some new mexico toads....

Post by Fieldnotes »

Great stuff, love the variety of herps!!
bgorum
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Re: some new mexico toads....

Post by bgorum »

Great post! All three of your Spea look like bombifrons to me, (note the bump between the eyes).
DIAMONDBACK DAVE
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Re: some new mexico toads....

Post by DIAMONDBACK DAVE »

Hey Edwards,

Was awesome meeting up in the field, too bad I missed that Willie. We went up high for three days and all we got was a pyro. Funny I saw and met Will W. right at the spot you found the Willie later that morning.

Congrats on your tigers. We were defenatily in the right area for shure..... I liked the close up especially.

Your mottled rocks look just like the ones I saw from the northern Davis mountains. Were they from the same area???

Pictogaster was a cool find aswell.

Send me your contacts by email when u get the time, maybe next year you can show me how to find Willies....

DBD
[email protected]
r.edwards
Posts: 59
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:32 pm
Location: DFW, TX

Re: new mexico toads, arizona rattlers, and blink of west te

Post by r.edwards »

dave,
email sent ....was good to hang in the field for a few days and thanks for the compliments...great trip for all

bgorum
thanks for the ID tip...toads are not my strong point

and thanks for the compliments....had fun out there

r.edwards
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Will Wells
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Re: new mexico toads, arizona rattlers, and blink of west te

Post by Will Wells »

Nice to meet you during your trip. Your tiger shots came out really nice!
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ahockenberry
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Re: new mexico toads, arizona rattlers, and blink of west te

Post by ahockenberry »

Amazing work !!
Thanks for sharing
Ashley
paalexan
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 3:23 pm

Re: new mexico toads, arizona rattlers, and blink of west te

Post by paalexan »

r.edwards wrote: the last day of new mexico/far east arizona was spent looking at toads
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the start of the night looking towards super secret klaub mountains
I drove right by here yesterday. Not that secret to anyone who's been in the area. :-)

I'd also be surprised if there's a mountain range out there that -doesn't- have Crotalus lepidus klauberi...

Patrick
TimCO
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:27 am
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Re: new mexico toads, arizona rattlers, and blink of west te

Post by TimCO »

Whoa! I didn't see any pancakes!
r.edwards
Posts: 59
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:32 pm
Location: DFW, TX

Re: new mexico toads, arizona rattlers, and blink of west te

Post by r.edwards »

Tim,

no pancakes? you were at the wrong camp.....

Patrick,

I just like saying super secret spots.....

WW,

good to meet you in the field....

all,

thanks again for the compliments

r.edwards
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