Yes.. you should come out! The more eyes the more finds.

Dave

So far this year our preserve staff volunteers have documented three species in the preserve. Tree Lizard, Red Spotted Toad, and Gopher Snake.

Maybe we should do a hike and get that number up closer to ten.

Tomorrows training class has been postponed.
My parents came out for the weekend and were involved in a car wreck today in Mesa. I'll be dealing with that for the next few days.

Dave

Oh geez...you gotta watch those "old" drivers in Mesa...hope they were OK...

I drove them back to Calif today. The guy that hit them was 90.

Hope your parents didn't receive any injuries and are ok, Dave....

Terry

Maybe we should do a hike and get that number up closer to ten.

With a number much larger than three, I'm hoping that people are splitting up and checking different areas...Otherwise, that's a lot of people all looking at the same ground...

-Kris

Kris, I think you misunderstood my post. I didn't mean close to ten people, I meant closer to ten species. As in respose to this

Kris

Anytime we have a large group I try to break up into smaller ones to spread out across the area.

Dave

Ahhh....indeed. Thanks for the clarification Ben & Dave.

-Kris

Kris

Hope to see you out at the preserve this year!

Dave

Greetings All

I will be holding the rescheduled training class for the Preserve volunteers (stewards) on Sunday March 11 at the Gateway.

I plan on our first outing of this year into the Preserve the afternoon of Saturday, March 17.

If anyone is interested in attending. please let me know.

Thanks

Dave Weber

Preserve Survey Day
Saturday March 17
12 noon

McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Sunrise Trail Area (SE corner of preserve)

From the Loop 101 in Scottsdale
Take Shea Blvd east
Left 136th St
Right Via Linda
follow Via Linda awhile
you will pass Lupine Dr on your right
you will pass a trailhead parking area on right
approx 2/10 mile past that parking area is a big circle in the road.
The trailhead is on the left at the circle.

Yesterday's trip into the preserve was a good time. We saw a number of species, unfortunately only one live snake (non crote).

Attending were myself , Bill Love, Josh Jones, and the preserve steward Joni Milovec.

Male Desert Spiny Lizard





Female Chuckwalla with a Male Chuckwalla just in front of her (back leg and part of red back visible)





Habitat Shot





Tortoise Scute Found by Bill Love





Another Female Chuckwalla





The only snake of the day, a Western Patchnose Snake found by Josh Jones.








Snake Shed found by Josh Jones (Kingsnake or Longnose Snake - we're not sure)





and another Habitat shot





Dave

We also flipped a Banded Gecko (but it bolted down a hole before a photo could be had), a female Desert Spiny that was too fast to photo,a couple of Utas, and Josh spotted a Tiger Whiptail (surprise surprise.. too fast for photo)...

Some more photos from yesterday. First, A juvenile gophersnake found on my drive out. In situ..



And on the crawl..



And angry at me..



Then some of Dave doing what Dave does best; recording data..





Took the easy way back..



And on my way home, found a DOR adult gopher. Don't know if you can tell from the photos, but someone actually ran up through the shoulder, into someone's yard to get this poor creature..





Well, that's the best of the photos I took. Sadly, I forgot to get a shot of Bill. I know Bill has a shot of Bill, though.

Made me proud to know you, Bill, keeping up the way you did. Every time I looked back, you were just doing your thing, soldiering on without complaint as we led you up that gnarly ravine. That's the kind of dogged determination I so admire in Ben. I'm glad our conversations and shared passion for herps has finally resulted in some time shared afield.

And Dave, as always, it was a pleasure herping with you, man. I look forward to the next time.

I'm glad you guys saw some good herps, some of them first of the year I think.

Sorry I couldn't join you. We had company all weekend, not to mention we're still getting over the flu bug, but I'm hoping to get out soon. Dave and I will be hitting CA next weekend, then I'm hoping to do some hiking in some remote montane habitat. I just hope this old body can stand the exercise and fresh air...haha!

TC

Josh

Anytime!

Terry

You'll survive...you're not THAT old!



Dave

Greetings All

Our next Herp Survey outing will be Saturday April 14.10am.

We will be meeting at the Lost Dog Trailhead (directions in earlier portions of this thread) at 10 am and then car pooling in High clearance vehicles to the Dixie Mine area of the Preserve.
Please RSVP for this trip as we need to be sure if we have enough vehicles to get everyone there without making double trips.
If you are going and have a high clearance vehicle and are willing to be a driver let me know that too please.

Bring enough water and food to last the day. Wear sturdy hiking boots and don't forget your cameras!

Thanks

Dave Weber

Due to a forecast of poor weather I have rescheduled the outing for the next day, Sunday April 15. See you all there!

Dave

Would it be okay if a friend and I show up at the outing on April 15... Also my brother will most likely be driving and he has a lifted Jeep Cherokee and would give anybody a ride if needed.
Jake

pm sent

Can anyone give a poor herper a lift? Down visiting from Alaska and don't have a car at present. Would need a ride from near the 17 and 101. If anyone could help, PM.

Thanks

Steve

Steve

You are on my way there. pm me the address and I'll come get you.


Dave

I would love to make this survey, but I can't commit without knowing my work situation first. Further, by the time I know, I'll be out of cell range until said Sunday. Would it be okay if I said maybe? If there was a lack of room, my Toyota has good clearance.

Michael Cravens

PM sent, thanks

Michael

As long as you can be at the meet up point on time you are welcome to come.

Dave

Everyone...

Our next outing into the preserve will be Sunday May 20 at 0700. Location and meeting point to be determined. Stay tuned!

Dave

Greetings

We will be exploring the Marcus Landslide area on the East End of the Preserve.

Access will be the same as when we went to the Tom's Thumb Trailhead area. Except this time we will meet at the far east end of El Paraiso Dr (dirt road) past 132nd Street. Access is available through the houses east of Troon Mountain or off of Dynamite Rd.

0700 Sunday May 20. Bring lots of water and some snacks. This is an undeveloped area and no "services" are available a this time. It looks like there is about a mile or so hike before we get into the area.

See you there!

Here are directions to the parking area...

Get yourself to Scottsdale....
From Pima Rd go East on Happy Valley Road
pass through Alma School Rd. intersection
Happy Valley Rd will curve to the right and then eventually start heading north.
When it is heading north look for Buckskin Trail.
Make the first Right AFTER Buckskin Trl.
This is Ranch Gate.
Right on Ranch Gate. (look for herps while cruising this road)
This road will turn to dirt road at 125th Pl...keep going!)
Continue to 128th St (also a dirt road)
Right on 128th to El Paraiso (its a T and also another dirt road)
Left on El Paraiso. Continue til it dead ends where you can park.

Not much happened this morning...myself and two preserve stewards hiked all over the Marcus Landslide area of the preserve from 0530 until about 0930-1000.
Spotted some Uta's, Tiger Whiptails, and a snake shed. The shed may be from a Ground snake or similar colubrid.

Next month will begin our night time herping. Be ready!

Dave

Greetings All

We will resume the herp survey on Saturday night July 28. Time and
meeting place to be announced. Probably 730pm-ish depending on
Monsoon.

Thanks

Dave

Preserve Survey Day
Saturday July 28
8 pm yes its a night time outing!

McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Sunrise Trail Area (SE corner of preserve)

From the Loop 101 in Scottsdale
Take Shea Blvd east
Left 136th St
Right Via Linda
follow Via Linda awhile
you will pass Lupine Dr on your right
you will pass a trailhead parking area on right
approx 1/10 mile past that parking area is a big circle in the road.
The trailhead is on the left at the circle.
If the gate is not open go back to parking area on south side of road.

See you there!

Dave

Oh shoot! I arrive at 1pm on the 28th. Don't think I can get away that fast. Dave, maybe if you call my wife and tell her I have to be there? No, doubt that would work anyway. Will be in town for 3 weeks, so maybe another time.

Good luck

Steve

Ben and I should be there tonight.

well??? Did you find anything? Waiting for the usual wonderful report.

Just a couple Tiger Rattlesnake.

Nice photos, Ben. Tigers are one of my favorites, probably because of their habitat in combination with their cool looks...

Those two have a good range of color differences. I've always liked comparing the range of variation in a species. I also like studying the geographical range and habitat of a species. Before Dave started us on the McDowell project I didn't know that tigers were that far north. I guess they occupy most of the mtns around the Phoenix area that have the correct elevations and habitat. It's also interesting that they may occupy the same habitat as the speckled rattlers on occasion. Don't specks occur in the McDowell's too?

TC

It looks like perfect habitat, but I think it's just outside speck range.

Tell you what, though, that brown tiger made me do a double-take, there for a second.

Finding a speck in the McDowell's would be a great find...but I am fairly sure that is too far east for them.

Dave

Greetings All

Our next outing will be Saturday August 25. Meet time will be 8 pm. We will be surveying the Granite Mountain area. A meet up location will be announced soon as details are finalized. For those who do not know where Granite Mountain is located it is near the intersection of 136th St and Lone Mountain Road in Northeast Scottsdale.

Dave

Meet at Lone Mountain Rd and 136th St at 8 pm.

If you weren't there last night you missed out! And most of you weren't there. Thanks to Ben Jones and two members of the Arizona Herpetological Association for their assistance!

Photos to come ...but here is what we found:

6 Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnakes (4 were yoy)
1 Tiger Rattlesnake
1 Longnose Snake
2 Red Spotted Toads
1 Sonoran Desert Toad
2 Utas

Dave

Don't forget the Gila Monster.

I won't.

Last night we had one of our best nights ever....

The night started out sort of bad when I located a DOR neo atrox right at the parking area where we met...but it wasnt the bad sign I thought it would be. About 15 - 20 minutes into our hike we came across this guy coiled up in the sand of a shallow wash.



After the camera flashes started going he uncoiled and went up to the side of the wash and "hid" under a bush.



We spotted another atrox later under a ledge of a large boulder but I wont bore you with endless atrox pics.

Justin Bagby from Arizona Herpetological Association located this Long nosed Snake (the first one spotted on the Preserve in the Survey)



Later on after Justin scrambled up another boulder strewn hillside he found the lone Tiger of the night..






While walking on the trail I guess my attention was diverted in another direction as I walked right by this Gila Monster. Good thing Justin was right behind and he spotted it.



We also spotted a couple of these - Red Spotted Toad



At the end of the night I decided to road cruise the road that borders the eastern edge of the preserve in this area. Here is what I found...

Sonoran Desert Toad



The first of two neonate (yoy) C. atrox.



The second C. atrox neonate (yoy)



I hope to see more folks come out for these Preserve surveys. The more eyes we have, the more herps we find!

Dave

Sounds like Jeff, Brandon, and I missed out.

We spent all day trying to find them some lifers and only managed to track a Striped whipsnake, which got away. Got back too late to head out that way. I'll try to make the next one, though.

Congrats on a great night, Dave. Nice pics too...