Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

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Will Wells
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Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Will Wells »

The herp season has slowed down and I have a few pics to share. I spent alot more time on foot this year wondering desert washes at night. I didn't have as many lizard encounters as in the past but did see alot of rattlesnakes. I'll post them in part 2 viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8985&p=106988#p106988

Alligator Lizards
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Banded Gecko
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Gilbert's Skinks
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Sideblotched Lizard
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Slender Salamanders
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Western Skink
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Mojave collared
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Eastern Collared hibernating
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Clark's Spiny
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Desert Horned Lizard
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Desert Iguana
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Gilbert's Skinks
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Side-blotch
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Tree Lizards
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Zebra-tail
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Pair of Eastern Collared Lizards
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Female collareds
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Greater Earless
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Regal Horned Lizard
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Female Mojave collared lizard in the shade
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Male Eastern collared lizard
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Pair of eastern collared lizards
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Clark's Spiny
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Desert Horned Lizards
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Zebra tail
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Chuckwalla
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Clark's Spiny
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Desert Spiny
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Elegant Earless
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Gila Spotted Whiptail
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Greater Earless
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Plateau Fence Lizard
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Regal Horned Lizard
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Short Horned Lizards
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Roundtailed Horned Lizards
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Slevin's Bunchgrass Lizard
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Striped Plateau Lizard
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Tree Lizards
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Zebra-tail
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Desert Collared Lizards
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I crossed paths with quite a few gila monsters this year. Instead of heading to SE Arizona, I went west this monsoon and night walked the washes.
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What could be under this board?
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Wow!
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Desert Tortoises
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Canyon Tree Frogs
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Couch's Spadefoots
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Great Plains
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Green Toad
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Sonoran Desert Toad
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Sonoran Green Toad
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Coastal Rosy Boas
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Gophersnakes
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Kingsnakes
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Patchnosed
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Two Striped Garter
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Ringnecks
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Striped Whipsnake
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In situ Rosy Boa
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Coral snake
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Gophersnake
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Longnose
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Lyresnakes
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Nightsnake
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Patchnose


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Leafnose
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Gopher
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Patchnose
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Ringneck without ring
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Desert Kingsnakes
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Leafnose
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Longnose
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Lyres
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Patchnosed
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Rosy Boas
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Desert Kingsnake
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Tailless Whip Scorpion
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Motero
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San Diego County
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California Desert
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Arizona Desert
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Crested Saguaros
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Rocky Landscapes
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Beavertail
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Crested Fruit Saguaro
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Sun and Clouds
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New Mexico
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Arrowhead
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Arizona
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Saguaro Bloom
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Curious Jack
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Turkey Vulture
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Spider
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Tarantula Hawk
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Wild Donkey
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Monsoon Action from my yard
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Grasshoppers
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Fox
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Bobcats
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Owl
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Sunset
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Dave S
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Dave S »

Epic!!!!! I think you just made Gila History!!!!!!! :thumb:
Dave S.
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todd battey
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by todd battey »

WOW! Another one of your epic posts. I loved the various Phrynos, the Eastern Collared Lizards, the Rosy Boas, the Bobcats, the lightning shots, and many others. That was quite a crop of Gila Monsters. Thanks for sharing the many great shots.

Todd
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Fundad
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Fundad »

Ba Jeabas how many Gilas did you see?

Love the Gila- cave board flip, very nice.. :thumb: :beer: Two for one... How many times has that ever happened?

I have been in 15 to 20 of them darn things and have struck out every time,, LOL

Beautiful pics Will, as always
Fundad
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Cole Grover
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Cole Grover »

Holy... Too much to bad-ass to even comment on. Phenomenal post, Will. How far north do you find the Paraphrynus, if you don't mind me asking?
joeysgreen
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by joeysgreen »

Excellent and outstanding, thank you :)

Ian
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Norman D
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Norman D »

Very very nice photos Will! Those bobcats were really cool - I still haven't seen one of those, but I did see 5 black bears this year.

I never get tired of seeing gila monsters. As always, your collared lizards makes me want to go find some to photograph.

Look forward to part 2.

Fundad, I also wonder how common a two gila flip is...
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vincemartino
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by vincemartino »

You just blew my mind. Thank you Will Wells.
KevColubrid
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by KevColubrid »

Amazing! I'd love to get some background story on the bobcat kittens. Thanks for sharing all around!

Kevin
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Bill Love
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Bill Love »

That was a truly epic post, Will! Surely there can't be much left for a 'Part 2', but I look forward to it nonetheless. You've certainly refined finding monsters to a true art form; I've managed to find one in the last nearly 6 months. :( Hopefully the year ahead will allow more search time after getting settled in now. I really liked the rosy boas shots, and the landscapes too. Your landscapes show the real Arizona, not just calendar shots of saguaros (which I don't get tired of looking at either).
Zach_Lim
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Zach_Lim »

Excellent post, Will! I really enjoyed all the pictures, especially the habitat shots...just look at all those rocks haha!

Also, your post makes me want a bobcat... :lol:
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cayrip
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by cayrip »

Great post and I really appreciate the landscape shots. Thanks!
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M.J.FRANETOVICH
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by M.J.FRANETOVICH »

Will, great post :thumb: I really enjoyed the quality of the photos!! As well as the gilas :D awesome post :beer:



Mel!!
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withalligators
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by withalligators »

I will continue the trend by calling this EPIC! I also would love to hear about the bobby kits, how'd that happen?
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fins72
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by fins72 »

Wow aweosme post. I love the all the Gilas and that interesting coral shot. What was it doing in that picture with its mouth open?
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Carl Brune
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Carl Brune »

Great photos! Thank for posting.
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JAMAUGHN
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by JAMAUGHN »

We need an smily depicting picking one's jaw up off the ground after this post.
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pete
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by pete »

AMAZING!!!! Incredible diversity, fantastic photography!

Thanks for taking the time to put it together :thumb:
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Mike Rochford
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Mike Rochford »

Nice stuff as always. Looking forward to the rest. That Trimorph really stood out to me. And there were a lot of no-brainers in terms of nice animals. Can't wait to see the rest!

Mike
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TNWJackson
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by TNWJackson »

All these epic year-end SW US posts at the moment are making my head spin. Awesome stuff! :thumb:
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rosy-man
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by rosy-man »

good stuff will, i too love the bobcat pics and all the gilas and boas, you find 2 gilas under one board i found 2 all season lol somethings wrong their lol
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Will Wells
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Will Wells »

Thanks for all the kind remarks. I set a goal last year to see 10 gila monsters and I would get a gila tattoo. I ended up seeing 12 so I started on this tattoo.
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This season I was feeling the gila karma and ended up seeing 46 different gilas. Yesterday, I got more ink and will post it once it's completed.
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azatrox
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by azatrox »

Well done Will! Some of those scenery shots are absofreakinlutely fantastic!

-Kris
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Ross Padilla
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Ross Padilla »

Holy Crap, man!!!! What an amazing post! That last Desert king was amazing. Looks like an AZ intergrade. All those Horned and collared lizards were really cool too. Loved the Gilas. That is beyond amazing in its self. Great habitat shots as well. A few of them look very much like the Lake Elsinore area. Those Cal kings were pretty nice. Too bad they hadn't recently shed. The AZ boas are beautiful. I'm surprised you were able to find baby Bob cats. That is amazing. Great post and thanks for keeping this forum a place worth checking out. :thumb:
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Dell Despain
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Dell Despain »

Gadzooks! That was awesome, you are the Gila man...46!!! :shock:

I love this photo, and I believe it's the first shot I've ever seen of a Coral w/ it's mouth open in "threat display"/"strike mode", very cool.
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-Dell
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by hellihooks »

Wow. Always look forward to your posts Will, and now I remember why... :D
Those ain't 'Mojave Collards'... these are:
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Gladly trade their locality info for the info to see one of those AWESOME, BEAUTIFUL, SPECTACULAR.... earless lizards. :crazyeyes: (whatya think I was gonna ask for...Gilas? :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol: )

Can't wait for part 2... :thumb: jim
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ChrisNM
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by ChrisNM »

I don't think you saw enough halloween geckos.
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Will Wells
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Will Wells »

hellihooks wrote:Wow. Always look forward to your posts Will, and now I remember why... :D
Those ain't 'Mojave Collards'... these are:
Image
Gladly trade their locality info for the info to see one of those AWESOME, BEAUTIFUL, SPECTACULAR.... earless lizards. :crazyeyes: (whatya think I was gonna ask for...Gilas? :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol: )

Can't wait for part 2... :thumb: jim

Those are nice looking desert collareds! The ones around where I live have been mixed with C. collaris genes over the past few million years. The ones on your side of the Colorado River are pure C. bicinctores.
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Will Wells
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Will Wells »

Dell Despain wrote:Gadzooks! That was awesome, you are the Gila man...46!!! :shock:

I love this photo, and I believe it's the first shot I've ever seen of a Coral w/ it's mouth open in "threat display"/"strike mode", very cool.
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-Dell
I'm not sure what the coral snake was doing. I looked down and saw the mouth open, I think it may have just yawned. I free handed it over to let it go so I don't think it felt threatened.
hellihooks
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by hellihooks »

Seeing a collaris is also a goal of mine for next year... would you know if the petrified forest collies would be pure collaris or X's?
Not quite a coral... but here's a yoy lyre post-yawn, from this year...
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:D jim
Crote Junky
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Crote Junky »

:beer:
Jackson Shedd
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Jackson Shedd »

Side-blotch
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Look at the tail on that thing! It's like a Urosaurus!

Impressive Heloderma action! I was expecting a number like 14 or something. 46 is outrageous!

As always, great post. I really liked all the landscape and monsoon storm shots. I love AZ.
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Will Wells
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Will Wells »

Jackson Shedd wrote:
Side-blotch
Image
Look at the tail on that thing! It's like a Urosaurus!

Impressive Heloderma action! I was expecting a number like 14 or something. 46 is outrageous!

As always, great post. I really liked all the landscape and monsoon storm shots. I love AZ.
Jackson,
Thanks for pointing out that side blotch tail, I didn't notice it before but it does look longer than usual.
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Speckled Rosy
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Speckled Rosy »

So many beautiful photos and neat finds, I don't know where to start. You have a great eye for photography... I guess I liked the rain shots the best. Great job bro!

-Dan
Brian Eagar
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Brian Eagar »

Amazing post Will and wonderful photography.
Congrats on becoming one with the gilas. That is an amazing number of animals.
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Fundad
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Fundad »

46 is way more than I have seen in my lifetime.. :lol:

And a Ridiculous number of Gilas, congrats on your success..

Fundad
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Mike Pingleton
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Mike Pingleton »

Dang! Gila-palooza!
desertwalker
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by desertwalker »

Fantastic post!!! The lightning and bobcats wow! Truly on the running for best post of the year
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DaveR
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by DaveR »

Holy Moly. All that (and more) in a year ? Incredible. Thanks Will.
Y.Morgan
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Re: Snakes, Torts, Toads, Lizards and Landscapes Part 1

Post by Y.Morgan »

Man-O-Man, you really get out and enjoy yourself! I dig all the Gila shots (46 different gilas in 1 year? Sick) but it's hard to beat the tarantula hawk and the baby bobcats. More than anything, I'm just happy to see that you are still making critter posts.
Thanks!
York
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