TwoThousandSixteen.. Reptiles and Landscapes

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nhherp
Posts: 128
Joined: August 10th, 2010, 11:25 am
Location: southwest US - NM

TwoThousandSixteen.. Reptiles and Landscapes

Post by nhherp »

I have come to count my year from February to February, not sure why but anyways I realized that February was over and I had not seen anything as in years past to remind me.

I like petroglyphs and to ponder what the artists meant in drawing them. Its all conjecture although some seem pretty straight forward at time.
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The lava beds were unproductive in March
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April kicked up the first den residents appearing across several of my locations.
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An April rain produced this surreal scene of mountains behind my house with a storm on them while the sun set behind me
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Meanwhile the dens slowly dispersed and the desert bloomed
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I was kept busy with other commitments and noticed I had nothing of substance until in May my son found a GPS in the driveway and saved it for me to see when I got home from work. Summer was here
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Solpugids love hanging out under my porch light and this larger one was regular for awhile
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One afternoon in June I arrived home and parked while noticing a roadrunner jumping up about 3 ft into the air and fluttering by the horse fence. I sat in my truck a moment watching when I noticed this large pituophis fleeing, then turning to stand ground.
I tried to capture the roadrunner in action but it fled when my truck door opened.
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July allowed for more walks and time out and about
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A lightening fire in mountains behind my house area
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In August my son was "house sitting irrigation" and sent me this awesome photo of an atrox he found eating under a tree.
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Random August highlights..
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Fall arrived and I met many new faces on various trips and outings. Thanks to bgorum for the invite for the day out to join in.
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The next weekend I ran a quick night drive around home.
Viridis
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A dark road cut atrox Sitting picture perfect along a rock bank cut. My friend though it was a packrat cowpie at first.
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Sunday afternoon walk with barometer falling..
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Another September thunderstorm a few days later.
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Mid September put me in the field with time off and on multiple days back to back which was nice.
A canyon night hike close to home
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Another day another range
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Skipping to another range the day after that.
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A target missed earlier in September. Just farther north in a range where I met up earlier in month.
I have been wanting to check these off my lifer list for some time..
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The last full day off work allowed me time on my canyon property and to follow the range north (which I should plan to visit up there more often)
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The afternoon chilled down yet this little sistrurus was laying out on a sand road coming home
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Saturday was windy but Sunday put me out in the 5th mountain range of my series of day off.
One has to wonder at the history of forgotten homesteads like these in canyons left behind unvisited
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Salvadora near the old place
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We went back to the same range again on a different canyon the following week to find this pretty atrox
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A series of various other sights
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Pronghorn down at the property
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Desert Bighorn
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Sunday afternoon hike at home
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Sometimes rocks move
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October 30 - This klaub buzzed us just after dark while driving out of the canyon property. The windows were down and it was vertical in this crack as the truck drove by and became irritated. There was another one buzzing farther up the face of the rock which I could not climb high enough to see.
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The klauberi turned out to be my last snake of the year oddly

November rains and week on the property hunting yielded nothing, including no luck on a deer.
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Sunrise in the canyon
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Thanks for looking,

-N-
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herpseeker1978
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:05 am
Location: Albuquerque

Re: TwoThousandSixteen.. Reptiles and Landscapes

Post by herpseeker1978 »

Nice finds Notah! Looks like you had a good year!

Josh
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mothman
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Joined: June 25th, 2014, 11:34 am
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Re: TwoThousandSixteen.. Reptiles and Landscapes

Post by mothman »

I really like the scenery shots and the various snakes. Congratulations on the lifer Mountain Kingsnake. I wanted to see one and a Great Plains Skink on my trip last year to New Mexico but I was not successful.
bgorum
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Re: TwoThousandSixteen.. Reptiles and Landscapes

Post by bgorum »

Good stuff Notah. We need to get out into the field together more often this year.
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RenoBart
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Re: TwoThousandSixteen.. Reptiles and Landscapes

Post by RenoBart »

Cool pics. Are most of these NM or is there a smattering of AZ in there too? Just curious, NM has been on my radar lately.

Bart
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mtratcliffe
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Re: TwoThousandSixteen.. Reptiles and Landscapes

Post by mtratcliffe »

Notah, it's great to hear from you again! It's been a while. Seeing your photos brings back memories of the few weeks I spent out there in August 2014. Glad to see you are still hiking that canyon. I think you still owe me a Blacktail!

Though, truth is, it is I who owes you for taking me along one of the top roadcruising nights of my life.

- Matt
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dwakefield
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Re: TwoThousandSixteen.. Reptiles and Landscapes

Post by dwakefield »

Nice finds! I especially liked the photo of the viridis sitting on red dirt.
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Ameron
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Enchanted Again

Post by Ameron »

You are VERY fortunate to live where you do.

I found my love for deserts late, in my 40s, and I've mostly explored the Basin & Range regions. I have seen Aravaipa Canyon, however, so I've had a taste of the southwest wilderness.

Your photos were stunning, and I especially enjoyed the Pronghorn & Big Horn Sheep.

I look forward to more fun coming from your way...
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nhherp
Posts: 128
Joined: August 10th, 2010, 11:25 am
Location: southwest US - NM

Re: TwoThousandSixteen.. Reptiles and Landscapes

Post by nhherp »

herpseeker1978 wrote:Nice finds Notah! Looks like you had a good year!
Josh
Thanks Josh, I find it odd we have not met after all these years in spite of knowing mutual people!
mothman wrote:I really like the scenery shots and the various snakes. Congratulations on the lifer Mountain Kingsnake. I wanted to see one and a Great Plains Skink on my trip last year to New Mexico but I was not successful.
I know a guy who found a L.pyro with 5 minutes of stepping out of the truck.. beginners luck. Skinks are everywhere and nowhere it seems in my experience. Thanks!
bgorum wrote:Good stuff Notah. We need to get out into the field together more often this year.
Agreed! Temps are looking good for some particular sites I did not get to last spring. Ill call you.
RenoBart wrote:Cool pics. Are most of these NM or is there a smattering of AZ in there too? Just curious, NM has been on my radar lately.
Bart
Hi Bart, these are all from within 2 hours of my home here in NM.
mtratcliffe wrote:Notah, it's great to hear from you again! It's been a while. Seeing your photos brings back memories of the few weeks I spent out there in August 2014. Glad to see you are still hiking that canyon. I think you still owe me a Blacktail!

Though, truth is, it is I who owes you for taking me along one of the top roadcruising nights of my life.

- Matt
Matt, long time it has been. Next time you get this way we can work on your photo shoot with a blacktail! On the nights we hiked and RC'd I was surprised we didn't see one up high for you to add to your album.
dwakefield wrote:Nice finds! I especially liked the photo of the viridis sitting on red dirt.
Viridis are fun in their variability. Thanks!
Ameron wrote:You are VERY fortunate to live where you do.

I found my love for deserts late, in my 40s, and I've mostly explored the Basin & Range regions. I have seen Aravaipa Canyon, however, so I've had a taste of the southwest wilderness.

Your photos were stunning, and I especially enjoyed the Pronghorn & Big Horn Sheep.

I look forward to more fun coming from your way...
Although the lowlands of the southeast will always hold a place in my heart, I cannot imagine living anywhere else after returning to the solitude and vastness of the southwest.
I am making it more of a point to stop and photograph what I see while I stand there looking before moving on. I only use my phones camera so its not like I have to carry camera equipment, although the pronghorn and big horn really needed an honest to goodness camera I think. I am glad you enjoyed my review journal.

There will be more to come now that spring has arrived.


-N-
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