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Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: March 24th, 2016, 9:15 pm
by yolodave
Hi all. We will be accessing the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's South Valley Ecological Reserve near Mount Hamilton on April 29th. If you are interested in participating in a herp survey on that day, be at the corner of Del Puerto Canyon Road and Mines Road at 8 AM. The address for this meet spot is: 47300 Mines Rd, Livermore, CA 94550

We will be accessing the Reserve a couple of miles south of this point at an unmarked gate, so please go to the meeting spot.

I think we last surveyed this area in 2010? We haven't changed a bit!

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If you are interested send me a PM, so we know who to expect.

Thanks Owen for helping make this happen!

Dave

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: March 24th, 2016, 9:41 pm
by Zach_Lim
Sign me up for sure!

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: March 24th, 2016, 9:43 pm
by Zach_Lim
Wait this Friday? Hmm...ill be in the Mohave :( darn!

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: March 24th, 2016, 11:15 pm
by Owen
I should be there, but done with the white shirts!

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: March 25th, 2016, 6:49 am
by yolodave
Zach_Lim wrote:Wait this Friday? Hmm...ill be in the Mohave :( darn!

April 29th. Now that limits you to a month in the Mojave....

Hope to see you Zach.

Dave

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: March 25th, 2016, 6:58 am
by Zach_Lim
Haha, sorry about that! I'll be there!

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: March 25th, 2016, 1:08 pm
by Chad M. Lane
I may drag myself out of bed after only a few hours sleep to join.


Cheers,
Chad

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: March 25th, 2016, 6:18 pm
by yolodave
Wake me up at the Westley Rest Stop, will ya Chad? I think I will be in Davis the evening before.

Dave

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: April 26th, 2016, 8:50 pm
by yolodave
Time to bump up this post. We will hit this area this Friday. This is really a beautiful place, very remote and wild.

If you are interested in participating in a herp survey April 29, be at the corner of Del Puerto Canyon Road and Mines Road at 8 AM. The address for this meet spot is: 47300 Mines Rd, Livermore, CA 94550

We will be accessing the Reserve a couple of miles south of this point at an unmarked gate, so please go to the meeting spot.

Conditions should be great, hope you'll join us!

Dave

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: April 27th, 2016, 8:39 am
by Owen
It should be excellent. Temps in the mid to high 70's should bring the critters out. Wildflowers will also be great at those elevations.

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: April 27th, 2016, 9:36 pm
by JAMAUGHN
Augggh, I really want to do this one, and it's quickly receding from my reach. This is an amazing area, and I strongly encourage anyone who can make it to do so.

JimM

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: April 28th, 2016, 6:33 am
by Calfirecap
This is not one to miss, especially with conditions being what they are right now. When were out there in 2010 it was later in the year and dry, but we still did good. This time it will be even better.
Thanks Dave, Owen and Terris for setting this up.

See you out there.

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: April 28th, 2016, 10:36 pm
by Zach_Lim
I feel your pain, Jim. I was a hundred percent set on this, but it looks like some forgotten plans tomorrow night is getting in the way- figured survey done by 3 or 4 and wouldn't get back to SF till 6, when I need to be in Oakland at 630/7.

Ugh

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: April 29th, 2016, 3:21 am
by Porter
Good luck out there guys! Get some photos and find cool stuff :thumb:

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: April 30th, 2016, 6:31 am
by Calfirecap
Now that I am rested up after a long, but very good day, in the field at the San Antonio Valley Preserve on the East side of Mt, Hamelton I'm ready to post a few pics of the event. Being that it was on a Friday we only had four people, but that's OK.
The scenery was incredible, unfortunately my photos don't give it justice.
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WPT's or B. hubbsei on this forum, were plentiful both in this pond and in the creek.
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Owen found this one in a pool of the creek.
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This one was working it's way through the grass in the shallows.
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Tree frog and W. toad metamorphs were plentiful in certain areas, but every body of water was teaming with tadpoles, it's a good year to be a frog.
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Lastly what survey would be complete without the obligate Western Fence Lizard?
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Thanks Dave and Owen for bringing this survey back to life.

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: April 30th, 2016, 1:23 pm
by Porter
Nice photos :thumb: Those are a couple of neat turtle encounters. I like that shot of the one who seems to blend right in with the creek bottom. What did they seem to be feeding on in the shallows, tadpoles or were minnow schools? Youd think that place has got to be crawling with snakes... any sightings?

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: April 30th, 2016, 7:09 pm
by Owen
It was a beautiful day up there, but maybe a few too many back to back cool days to really bring herps out. I think that we probably maxed out around 65-66F. Of course, the scenery and the company were spectacular :beer:

I'm not going to post too many photos, but I made 35 available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/18774468@ ... 5431233893

Here's a few:

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Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: May 1st, 2016, 10:08 pm
by yolodave
I have little to add to this thread, save for two bird photos.

I was going to flip the odd shaped piece of wood in the lower right of this photograph.

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As I reached down to grasp the wood, a hen quail flushed through my hands. Inside this wooden cave was a quail nest with 18 eggs.

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Beautiful day in a beautiful place.

Dave

Re: Mount Hamilton - South Valley survey April 29th.

Posted: May 3rd, 2016, 4:23 am
by Fundad
Thank you Dave for putting this together for us and thank you to our members whom participated.

For years friends have been telling me I need to herp Mt Hamilton, but I have yet to do it. Looks like an amazing place.

Brian Hinds
California Chapter President