2014 was pretty keen... Pt 1

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Phillodactylus
Posts: 170
Joined: August 25th, 2012, 12:56 am
Location: Victorville, CA

2014 was pretty keen... Pt 1

Post by Phillodactylus »

Well friends,

I thoroughly enjoy seeing everyone post their annual finds, and since I had some time, I thought I'd share my 2014 as well. My species list was somewhere in the 80's, so not too shabby, but am definitely hoping for a stronger showing in 2015. Time to hit the field!

Desert boys like me start most years down in the warmer coastal climes of Riverside County, where one can find neat herps like these:


ImageGarden Slender Salamander by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Garden Slender Salamander

ImageBelding's Orange-throated Whiptail by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Belding's Orange-throated Whiptail

and quite a few of these guys:
ImageCA Legless Lizard by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Southern California Legless Lizard

Imagein a crevice by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Granite Spiny Lizard

ImageWestern Red-tailed Skink by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Big 'ol Gilbert's Skink. I hadn't seen an adult before this year, and man are these impressive lizards!

and of course this guy:
ImageSan Diego Alligator Lizard by phatcattbone, on Flickr
San Diego Alligator Lizard

but my first lifer for the year (a really comparatively dumb herp, for how long I've been at this)

ImageCoastal Whiptail by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Coastal Tiger Whiptail

I saw a few snakes as well:
ImageSD Gopher by phatcattbone, on Flickr
San Diego Gopher Snake

A serpent I hadn't observed since 2008,
ImageSan Bernardino Ring-necked Snake by phatcattbone, on Flickr
San Bernardino Ring-necked Snake

first time flipping one of these:
ImageFlipped Long-nosed Snake by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Western Long-nosed Snake

and found a couple of these guys at a spot that is probably too well known for its own good.
ImageProfile by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Coastal Rosy Boa

Take a look at this tiny guy that Jim found:
Imageneo Shovel-nosed by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Mojave Shovel-nosed Snake

and of course, my personal favorite snakes have always been crotes, and I saw a couple of these guys.
Imageruber scenery by phatcattbone, on Flickr

ImageCoiled by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Red Diamond Rattlesnakes

And then a crote of a different color:
ImageCoiled up by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake

The beginning of March saw the final run of my Nikon Coolpix L110. After this particular day, it turned off for the last time, never to turn on again. It was a good camera, a constant companion for over 5 years. It allowed me to immortalize many wonderful herps. The trip I took was to find Coachella Fringe-toed Lizards (a species that would elude us that particular day) so we opted to seek out Baja Collared Lizards and Banded Rock Lizards instead. We came out in spades on the latter.

ImageBanded Rock Lizard by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Imagepipe crevice by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Banded Rock Lizards


Then began a brief period where I borrowed my wife's Kodak Easyshare M532. Very difficult to get pictures from long range, forcing me to work on stealth and slow, steady approach. All things considered, it was a decent little point and shoot camera.

Let's start out with a freak February find:
ImageGreat Basin Collared Lizard by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Great Basin Collared Lizard

and a couple of these:
ImagePropped up by phatcattbone, on Flickr

this one really needed a hand.
Imagehandless Chuck by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Common Chuckwalla

In addition to these, my side work as a field biologist really took off in March and April, giving me the opportunity to observe several desert/coastal transition zone creatures while working.

Some of my favorite finds were over 10 of these guys:
ImageMale BHL by phatcattbone, on Flickr

ImageBHL by phatcattbone, on Flickr

Imageclose up by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Blainville's Horned Lizard (I always have a hard time calling them anything other than Coastal Horned Lizards. Old habits, eh?)

Along with one of my favorite Snakes
ImageStriped Racer by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Striped Racer

a few of these, great and small:
ImageSoPAC by phatcattbone, on Flickr

Imageneo helleri by phatcattbone, on Flickr

ImageWelcome to San Bernardino by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes

I run a wildlife awareness group on Facebook called High Desert Wildlife and am always looking for pictorial aides to educate our 5000+ membership, and during one of my routine hikes, I happened across this sleepy helleri. A bit of forced perspective is in play here, I was over 3' above this juvenile, but my caption read something like, "watch your step, who likes getting walked on in their sleep?"

Imagecoiled by phatcattbone, on Flickr

Imagewatch your step by phatcattbone, on Flickr

But the arguably best herp on this site was a lifer for me. As I saw it cross a little dirt road right next to some construction workers, I thought immediately that it was a neonate Striped Racer. As I came closer, I was amazed to find this:
Lifer!
ImageCoast Patchnosed Snake by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Coastal Patch-nosed Snake (Yes I moved it off the site. Yes I was legally allowed to do so.)

When I wasn't working during March and April, I hit the field with good friends and found some interesting stuff:

First up was this little warrior. It appears to have lived through being rather severely burned. Its shell was almost completely smooth, without definition in its scutes, and notable scarring on the front legs. Bone was visible in some places on the carapace, but this animal appeared otherwise healthy. The immediate area had all the signs of a previous burn, leading me to speculate that this animal was caught in that fire. Another note of interest is how close this was found to a rigorously used area of our desert.
ImageDesert Tortoise by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Desert Tortoise

Same day:
ImageSpeckled Rattlesnake by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake

Back in '13 Zach Lim took me out herping up North, and so when I heard he and a few other cats were going to make a trip down our way, my pal Jacob and I made every effort to get out there and join the hunt. You've seen Zach's shots so I'll just add a couple of mine that didn't stink too badly.

This was the smallest individual of its species I have yet encountered. Perhaps interestingly, when I managed this one, I realized that I had found 5 of the 6 SoCal Rattlesnakes in a 7 day period. Not a great feat necessarily, but I think its the best I've ever done. I have the beginnings of plans to try for a big day for the 6 (atrox, ruber, scutes, winders, helleri, and Specks) rattlesnakes this year. We shall see how it goes.
Imagejuvie ruber by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Red Diamond Rattlesnake

And here's Zach's oddball "let's flip the most obscure rock in the world" find:
ImageSouthwestern Thread Snake by phatcattbone, on Flickr
Southwestern Thread Snake

And so we end part one. Still ahead is the purchase of another camera, some out of state herps and all in all better pictures. HUGE thanks go out to the crew that keeps me going: Kara, Jacob, Tyler, Rachel, Jim, Jeff, Matt, Stephan, Ryan, Cody, and YOU for reading. I sincerely hope you enjoyed.

best,
-Phil
Zach_Lim
Posts: 1607
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 8:37 pm

Re: 2014 was pretty keen... Pt 1

Post by Zach_Lim »

Awesome stuff, Phil!

That patchnose is killer!

Again, great herping with you down South!
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Kent VanSooy
Posts: 1100
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:51 am
Location: Oceanside

Re: 2014 was pretty keen... Pt 1

Post by Kent VanSooy »

Great stuff, I really dig the longnose - it's such a special treat seeing one of those in other contexts than night-driving. Thanks!
hellihooks
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Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:12 am
Location: Hesperia, California.
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Re: 2014 was pretty keen... Pt 1

Post by hellihooks »

Keen don't get it... that was downright spiffy... :crazyeyes: Your Dad called... he wants his adjectives back... :lol: :lol: :lol:
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MarcLinsalata
Posts: 562
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 10:50 pm
Location: Los Angeles / New Jersey

Re: 2014 was pretty keen... Pt 1

Post by MarcLinsalata »

"I have the beginnings of plans to try for a big day for the 6 (atrox, ruber, scutes, winders, helleri, and Specks) rattlesnakes this year. We shall see how it goes."

Hmmmmmmmm - just when I had no goals (or $$) for 2015 you come up with this whopper - I'd like to try this, too......... 8-)
hellihooks
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Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:12 am
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Re: 2014 was pretty keen... Pt 1

Post by hellihooks »

How bout a grand slam (Z, King, Rosy, Rubber) the hard way...on ONE ROAD... could be done... :D jim
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