The Season in NOT over!!

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frodaman
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Location: Arizona

The Season in NOT over!!

Post by frodaman »

I decided to try my luck with the moisture we have in the air. I had a very successful road cruise tonight. I was only on the site about an hour!

2 Checkered Garter Snakes
3 DOR Checkered Garter Snakes
1 Common Kingsnake
1 Mojave Rattlesnake
1 Diamondback Rattlesnake
1 Longnose Snake
1 Gopher Snake
2 Sonoran Toads

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I was particularly intrigued with the Checkered Garters.. I guess the humidity was impeccable.

NEVER be pessimistic about herping in late October! :thumb:
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ratsnakehaven
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Location: Southern Arizona

Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by ratsnakehaven »

Great!

I found a diamondback coiled up by the walkway around our house a couple nights ago. I'm still finding lizards in the yard. And I've seen a couple gophers within a week or two.

Did you find those garters in Maricopa County? I know there's some irrigation canals there, but otherwise they'd probably have to be near some farmland or maybe a river, correct?

The thing about garters is that they are rapidly disappearing from many locations in the state, because of the loss of water resources. Several of our endangered species are types of garters. I think checkered garters will hold out in places where water is artificially provided. Their distribution is something of interest, if not the garters themselves. Sorry for the lengthy discussion.

Terry :thumb:
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Biker Dave
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by Biker Dave »

I found my only Checkered Garter in an area that had open desert on one side of the road and agricultural land on the other. Unfortunately it was a DOR.
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frodaman
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by frodaman »

That is the kind of place I was cruising. I found it interesting that I found so many that night, because I have been cruising that spot for a long time and have never seen one.

I went last night as well, and found one more DOR checkered ahima 5ft. DOR gopher. Very unfortunate-I just missed em!
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Fundad
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by Fundad »

I Love me some Checked Garters.. :thumb: Outstanding..

I ll be looking for these to show up in the NAFHA Database... "hint hint" ;) :mrgreen:

Fundad
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jonathan
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by jonathan »

And the creek salamander season has barely started....someone's going to get one someday, right?
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Joshua Jones
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by Joshua Jones »

jonathan wrote:And the creek salamander season has barely started....someone's going to get one someday, right?
Maybe. But I doubt you'll see it posted in the AZ chapter. :lol:
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Biker Dave
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by Biker Dave »

The only salamanders known to exist in AZ are the Tiger Salamanders.
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sjfriend
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by sjfriend »

In the last week I've found 47 snakes, so no its not over. I'll be posting mine later (traveling)
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jonathan
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by jonathan »

Biker Dave wrote:The only salamanders known to exist in AZ are the Tiger Salamanders.
I specified "creek salamanders" just so no one would think I was talking about Tigers. I'm referring to Pseudoeurycea bellii or something similar.
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Biker Dave
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by Biker Dave »

I figured since this was in the AZ forum you were referring to AZ species.
My mistake....

carrry on.
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jonathan
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by jonathan »

Biker Dave wrote:I figured since this was in the AZ forum you were referring to AZ species.
My mistake....
Pseudoeurycea bellii was recorded in Arizona in 1926. There is still quite a bit of debate about that record, but many people do believe that some sort of salamander (possibly P. bellii, or possibly some unrelated creek-based salamander) is still to be found in Arizona's mountains, and there are forum members that have searched for salamanders in the mountains and continue to search for them. I was sorta making a joke, but there's a very real possibility that I was referring to.
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Mike Waters
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by Mike Waters »

jonathan wrote:
Biker Dave wrote:I figured since this was in the AZ forum you were referring to AZ species.
My mistake....
Pseudoeurycea bellii was recorded in Arizona in 1926. There is still quite a bit of debate about that record, but many people do believe that some sort of salamander (possibly P. bellii, or possibly some unrelated creek-based salamander) is still to be found in Arizona's mountains, and there are forum members that have searched for salamanders in the mountains and continue to search for them. I was sorta making a joke, but there's a very real possibility that I was referring to.
I couldn't find one therefore they do not exist. :lol:
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frodaman
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by frodaman »

sjfriend wrote:In the last week I've found 47 snakes, so no its not over. I'll be posting mine later (traveling)
Please do post! I look forward to seeing your pictures
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ratsnakehaven
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by ratsnakehaven »

I have a ton of stuff to post to the database. I just got my computer back from repairs. Hopefully I'll be able to start posting them in the next few weeks.

Best....Terry :D

PS: There's still lots of herps to be found for the database. I'm seeing about a dozen lizards a day, hardly leaving home...haha!
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frodaman
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by frodaman »

So today the wind has been whipping, the dust has been blowing, it's been cold, and the rain has been going on and off all day; just a crappy weather kind of day. And I had a good road cruising night? I found two Mojaves, Four Checkered Garters, and two Gophers. Is this abnormal? or are snakes usually active in terrible weather?
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jonathan
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by jonathan »

Some rain and some wind can both be better than no rain and no wind.
Aaron Mills
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by Aaron Mills »

Not bad for how cold it has been. The Garter snakes are more tolerant of the cold. The season here in Arizona doesn't really ever end. I know down south, I have found willardi, pricei, klauberi, and molossus out basking when there is snow on the ground around them. Just keep getting out and hiking and you can still see a good number of snakes.
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Bill Love
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Location: Apache Junction (near Phoenix), Arizona

Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by Bill Love »

I also noticed an increased number of roadkills driving tween PHX and Show Low, AZ several days last week just before the harder cold hit us. There must have been a push to move as things cooled down.
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sauceman
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Re: The Season in NOT over!!

Post by sauceman »

Love those Checkers. I have now found a total of 5 marcianus (2 Pima and 3 Cochise) but every single one was DOR. I am really looking forward to seeing a live one someday.
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