Last Week in the Southwest Desert

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tspuckler
Posts: 355
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:40 pm

Last Week in the Southwest Desert

Post by tspuckler »

A cold spell was still in force when I paid a visit to this well known spot.
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The cool, rainy weather probably helped when it came to me finding one of my favorite amphibians - Red-spotted Toad.
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"Spotless" Red-spotted Toad.
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There didn't seem to be as many desert plants in bloom compared to recent previous years.
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It rained for a short while on the first couple of days of the trip.
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Side-blotched Lizard.
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Tarantula Hawk.
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I checked out this mountain range in Arizona.
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A thumbnail-sized "Arizona Blond" tarantula.
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Plateau Fence Lizard
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I saw several of these blue flowering shrubs.
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The damp conditions under rocks were ideal for geckos.
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An "in situ" Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.
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Conditions were favorable for finding scorpions like this one.
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Eaton's Firecracker.
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Darkling Beetle.
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Desert Deer.
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White-tailed Antelope Squirrels were more commonly seen than usual.
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I visited this mountain in the Las Vegas area.
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A Zebra-tail Lizard trying to keep her toes cool in the desert sun.
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Sacred Datura.
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Spiny Lizard feeling defensive.
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Spiny Lizard feeling relaxed.
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Big Blue Bee.
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A very dark Great Basin Fence Lizard.
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Scrub Jay.
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Great Basin Gopher Snake.
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Whiptail.
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Nuttall's Linanthus.
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Western Sagebrush Lizard.
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Cactus Wren.
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The first "lifer" of the trip was this Gilbert's Skink.
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Zebra-tail Lizard.
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Chuckwalla.
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Desert Iguana.
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I traveled to SoCal to hang out with Jim Bass. Here's a striped Western Fence Lizard on the railing.
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Jim can catch turtles.
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Melanistic Red-eared Slider.
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Flame Skimmer.
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Baja Treefrog.
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Everyone loves gigantic Jerusalem Crickets.
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I caught this fine looking Gopher Snake.
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Solifuges were seen on night hikes.
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A Western Toad with some nice color and pattern.
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One day we visited San Bernadino County.
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I found this "lifer" San Diego Alligator Lizard.
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We checked out this creek.
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I found this "lifer" Two-striped Garter Snake.
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Ensatina.
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Jim found three Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes.
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Side-blotched Lizard.
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I found this "lifer" California Mountain Kingsnake.
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We also came across this juvenile.
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Close-up of the third king found that day.
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A full-body shot of the same snake.
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The next day we visited Riverside County.
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I caught this "lifer" Granite Spiny Lizard.
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It was an awesome adventure.
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hellihooks
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Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:12 am
Location: Hesperia, California.
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Re: Last Week in the Southwest Desert

Post by hellihooks »

Best day, and most fun herping I've had all year Tim... :thumb: As I'm sure many know... getting a granite swift by hand is no small feat... and (been thinking about this)... this is one time when saying 'we caught it' is literally true... as I pinned it and you got it. not at all sure either of us would have caught him alone... :shock: :)

If you have more pics of the Gilberti... check to see if the lateral lines go down the tail... If they do... I'm sorry to say you have a big Skiltons. On Gilberti, the lines stop at the rear legs.

Shiny cuts n shallow ruts... :D
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Kent VanSooy
Posts: 1100
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:51 am
Location: Oceanside

Re: Last Week in the Southwest Desert

Post by Kent VanSooy »

That's a bunch of wonderful shots! I really dig the shot of the Great Basin gopher. And that granite spiny is really striking!
ramblon
Posts: 77
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 10:14 am

Re: Last Week in the Southwest Desert

Post by ramblon »

I agree, that GB gopher is beautiful! Do you have any other full body shots? You did well given the unseasonably cool, wet weather. Sucks for your roadtrip, but we'll take the moisture any way we can get it out here!

Nice shots :beer:
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AndyO'Connor
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:14 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Last Week in the Southwest Desert

Post by AndyO'Connor »

I third the request for more pictures of the GB gopher. snakes from that area can be amazing, and that looks like my favorite "type" of color and patter with a really faded head and the mid-dorsal saddles taking on a salmon/orange faded look.
double d
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Joined: December 27th, 2012, 5:46 pm
Location: lakeland, florida

Re: Last Week in the Southwest Desert

Post by double d »

Wow , it looks like everyone beat to the compliment on the GB gopher, thats a clean pattern on that GB, well done!! And 3 mountain kings , phenomenal !! Im out of florida , but in 2012 I wired up the 1,000,000 sq ft. Family dollar distribution center in st. George , utah, so evertime I see vegas terrain and the like ,my heart melts, thats gods country man, I have got to get back out there and do some serious herping!! CHEERS!!
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tspuckler
Posts: 355
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:40 pm

Re: Last Week in the Southwest Desert

Post by tspuckler »

Here's another photo of the Great Basin Gopher Snake.
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