Page 1 of 1

San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 2nd, 2017, 9:59 pm
by yolodave
Time to get up to the San Antonio Valley. If you would like to participate in a herp survey at the San Antonio Valley Ecological Reserve on May 13th, 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. This area is near Mount Hamilton in Santa Clara County. Very remote area

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! Message me if you have questions.

Dave

Image

Image

Image

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 3rd, 2017, 4:29 pm
by Owen
See you then :thumb:

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 5th, 2017, 7:37 am
by JAMAUGHN
Is 130 over Mt. Hamilton open to Del Puerto Canyon at this point, or is it necessary to go up to Livermore to get down to the meeting spot? Caltrans.gov has been less than reliable for me on that front lately.

JimM

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 5th, 2017, 2:39 pm
by Owen
As of this past Wednesday, Mount Hamilton Road still needs to be accessed via Quimby Road due to the partial road collapse of the road surface on Mt. Hamilton Rd from the past storms. Mt Hamilton Rd/San Antonio Valley Rd are fine between Quimby Rd and Del Puerto Cyn Rd.

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 12th, 2017, 8:45 am
by yolodave
Tomorrow is the day. If you want to wander in some awesome pristine Coast Range habitat, come on out!

Dave

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 12th, 2017, 9:28 am
by Zach_Lim
Really wish I could make this- work is killing me. Good luck out there guys, miss herping with you all!

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 12th, 2017, 2:01 pm
by Porter
Wish I could wander...lol Everyday's a struggle. Looks beautiful out there...

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 12th, 2017, 5:33 pm
by Owen
Owen wrote:As of this past Wednesday, Mount Hamilton Road still needs to be accessed via Quimby Road due to the partial road collapse of the road surface on Mt. Hamilton Rd from the past storms. Mt Hamilton Rd/San Antonio Valley Rd are fine between Quimby Rd and Del Puerto Cyn Rd.
Mount Hamilton Rd has been fully open for about a week, so no need to use the Quimby Rd detour if coming through N. San Jose.

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 14th, 2017, 8:47 pm
by yolodave
Well, not a lot of animals seen Saturday, but still a beautiful day in the San Antonio Valley with enough herps to make it interesting.

Image

We explored several ponds on the Eco Reserve. Lots of water in the Coast Range still.

Image

We found Western Pond Turtles at multiple locations. At least 17 turtles seen all day.

Image

Image

It was cool to see this guy tucked into a deep pool in the intermittent San Antonio Creek.

Image

It was in the area depicted on the lower right hand corner of this photograph.

Image

We also found a couple of Diablo Garter Snakes at the edge of the ponds.

Image

Image


Lots of Chorus Frog and Western Toad tadpoles in the creeks. Looks like a good year for toads.

Image

Image

We also had a mystery skin.

Image

Couple of California Kingsnakes were found on or next to the road.

Image

Image

Image

Additionally, we had a Gopher Snake, two quick views of Striped Racers, and three California Whiptails.

All in all, a great place to spend a Saturday.

Image

Image


Dave

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 14th, 2017, 9:13 pm
by Brian Hubbs
See any good birds out there?

Image

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 14th, 2017, 10:12 pm
by yolodave
Actually yes. Heard or saw Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Lawrence's Goldfinch, and lots of quail. Owen found a nest with 25 eggs. Last year I found a quail nest with 18 eggs. Quail are making a comeback.

Dave

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 14th, 2017, 10:34 pm
by Brian Hubbs
I like Larry's Goldfinches...

Image

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 15th, 2017, 1:51 am
by Porter
Dave, I can't see pics :( lol Only little X-boxes. I'll try again tomorrow. Prolly a loading error on my end...

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 15th, 2017, 8:28 am
by yolodave
I have the same problem now. I'll try to fix that later today.

Dave

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 15th, 2017, 11:15 am
by Brian Hubbs
I see the pics just fine. :thumb:

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 15th, 2017, 12:39 pm
by Owen
Really nice, but cool day out. Never got out of the 50's... at least by my truck's outside temp gauge. I started out a little earlier and found this little guy under a rock near the entry gate:

Side-blotched Lizard
Image

First stop at one of the ponds.
Image

Coast Range Fence Lizards pretty common all day
Image

A quail shot out of the bush when I was 3 feet away revealing 25 eggs
Image

14 of the Southern (?) Pond Turtles at the second pond
Image

Image

Diablo Range Gartersnake at the third pond
Image

Sierran Chorus (or Tree) Frog in one of the numerous seasonal creeks.
Image

Wildflowers were in transition with the winter/spring stuff on the wane and the spring/summer stuff just coming in
Image

Image

Flipped this nice Sphingid larvae (Proserpinus lucidus - Pacific Green Sphinx Moth) - need to black light this area ;)
Image

California Alligator Lizard
Image

Very fat juvie Pacific Gopher Snake crossing the road
Image

The resident Tule Elk off in the distance
Image

Rock flipped spider (Kukulcania?) at the last stop to lay some new boards
Image

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 15th, 2017, 3:04 pm
by Porter
yolodave wrote:Tomorrow is the day. If you want to wander in some awesome pristine Coast Range habitat, come on out!

Dave
Cool :thumb:

Brian Hubbs wrote:I see the pics just fine. :thumb:
Well, I don't like you :lol: Nice bird shots Hubbs :thumb: What's that thing called with the orange head? Looks like a Reg-winged Blackbird morph lol


ImageScreenshot (55) by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 15th, 2017, 3:24 pm
by Porter
Nice looking ponds there! Cool turtle shots Owen. Still no found evidence of Rana or gummies? I'm curious to see what the toads look like...

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 15th, 2017, 6:47 pm
by Owen
Porter wrote:Nice looking ponds there! Cool turtle shots Owen. Still no found evidence of Rana or gummies? I'm curious to see what the toads look like...
No Rana, though boylii live close by. There was one baby Batrachoseps, but I didn't see it.

Way to many bass, bluegill and bullfrogs.

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 15th, 2017, 9:35 pm
by Brian Hubbs
Porter wrote:
Brian Hubbs wrote:I see the pics just fine. :thumb:
Well, I don't like you :lol: Nice bird shots Hubbs :thumb: What's that thing called with the orange head? Looks like a Reg-winged Blackbird morph lol


ImageScreenshot (55) by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr
It's a Yellow-headed Blackbird. I finally got a decent shot of one. They've been tough for me for the last year or so. Never close enough to get good focus...
For an "inquisitive and tame" bird they have always been the opposite to me. :lol:

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 16th, 2017, 12:22 am
by mark buck
Looks like a nice day

:beer:

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 16th, 2017, 12:37 am
by Porter
Brian Hubbs wrote: It's a Yellow-headed Blackbird. I finally got a decent shot of one. They've been tough for me for the last year or so. Never close enough to get good focus...
For an "inquisitive and tame" bird they have always been the opposite to me. :lol:
They look cool :thumb: Reminds me of a breeding male skinkage :lol: Nice shot too! You can see the distinctive characteristics clearly. Birds are tough! So many shots I lost to just being a little too far out of range or having to change setting and not getting in done in time.

Re: San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

Posted: May 16th, 2017, 12:39 am
by Porter
Ok, I see em now Dave :thumb: Nice Pond turtle shots :beer: Man, that looks like such a beautiful place to photograph... any diagnosis on that shed yet?