San Antonio Valley Reserve Herp Survey

[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

[Owen]

See you then

[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

[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.

[yolodave]

Tomorrow is the day. If you want to wander in some awesome pristine Coast Range habitat, come on out!

Dave

[Zach_Lim]

Really wish I could make this- work is killing me. Good luck out there guys, miss herping with you all!

[Porter]

Wish I could wander...lol Everyday's a struggle. Looks beautiful out there...

[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.

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.

[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.



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



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





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



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



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






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





We also had a mystery skin.



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







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.






Dave

[Brian Hubbs]

See any good birds out there?

[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

[Brian Hubbs]

I like Larry's Goldfinches...

[Porter]

Dave, I can't see pics lol Only little X-boxes. I'll try again tomorrow. Prolly a loading error on my end...

[yolodave]

I have the same problem now. I'll try to fix that later today.

Dave

[Brian Hubbs]

I see the pics just fine.

[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


First stop at one of the ponds.


Coast Range Fence Lizards pretty common all day


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


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




Diablo Range Gartersnake at the third pond


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


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




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


California Alligator Lizard


Very fat juvie Pacific Gopher Snake crossing the road


The resident Tule Elk off in the distance


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

[Porter]

Tomorrow is the day. If you want to wander in some awesome pristine Coast Range habitat, come on out!

Dave

Cool

I see the pics just fine.

Well, I don't like you Nice bird shots Hubbs What's that thing called with the orange head? Looks like a Reg-winged Blackbird morph lol


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

[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...

[Owen]

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.

[Brian Hubbs]

I see the pics just fine.

Well, I don't like you Nice bird shots Hubbs What's that thing called with the orange head? Looks like a Reg-winged Blackbird morph lol


Screenshot (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.

[mark buck]

Looks like a nice day

[Porter]

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.

They look cool Reminds me of a breeding male skinkage 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.

[Porter]

Ok, I see em now Dave Nice Pond turtle shots Man, that looks like such a beautiful place to photograph... any diagnosis on that shed yet?