2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the sequel

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2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the sequel

Post by Porter »

As continues....


One day I was happily driving about. Wondering where Dave is... Davis... Daveeee… Isss? Is Dave...? Davis around here somewhere, I know it. Then a voice shook the ground from the heavens, "Dave's Not Here...." :o This was getting annoying, so I turned left down a country road and next thing I know, I'm approaching a road side vehicle of work project rejects huddled around staring upon the ground. Even appearing as ant sized humans from a distance... I could make out one truth of their guilty postures. "SnAkEeeeeee…." ;) 8-) :thumb: I pulled up to the bunch like greeting old high school buds I had once acquired a shitty life from. I quarried, "whatcha looking at there...snake?" as the members of this popped band of bandits began to reload their transport carriage. Horse power included :| "Yeah, bro... its white dare" I further inquired, "what did it look like?" Then from inside the safety of a locked rear passenger door... muttered the shaky pronounced words from trembly nicotine lips, "it was stipe-it and yellow wit black!!" Hmmmmmm… I thought... musk be a garter :!: :?: :roll: The leader of the gang, unaffected by the serpents threatening presence, then began pointing with much enthusiasm in the general direction within the towering dry thick abundance of old and new cattails. I inspected the scene. Over a little to the left of the sighting zone, I saw whom which they referred to. Slowly slithered a nice specimen of California kingsnake. Looked nearly identical to the one I saw crawling through the edge weeds and down a hole, nearly 5 minutes prior on a close but different rode of the same habitat. I thought to myself, wow cool. Another crawling Cal King. Apparently snack searchin' or love hunting. I wished I had my camera in hand, because although this calmly moving 3-foot character was feeling at ease under the observation of his fellow thieves, He was slowly descending down a squirrel hole. Pausing. Then continuing. But the coolest aspect of this photo opportunity which was quickly falling away from me, was the huge old granddad gopher snake that comfortably lay coiled & basking within the scattered shade next to the burrow's entrance. Instead of trying to run for the cam.... I decided to have a little fun 8-)

I carefully grabbed onto his royalty with one hand, and then the huge relaxing sleepy gopher into the other. Then turned quickly to the half opened backseat window behind me full of curious suspense-filled beady eyes... and Trophy-ed the two snakes out proud & surprisingly to the vehicular viewers. Sending out thumps, jumps, and roars of terrified smiling faces of enthusiasm as they viddy-ed their first up close wild In-hand snake encounter. 8-) They gang leader smiled unfearful next to me as I let a member pet the snake. And I could tell the lads were gracious of my entertainment :beer: ..and then, I savvyed on.

But not before picturing the old gopher's unique and interesting color scheme...

ImageDSC_0657-4 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0678-4 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr





Following that fun feeled day... I had a pretty awesome extensive day of nice finds. Firstly, I then came across this interesting Sutter King. Never before have I seen such an outrage. The stain of a delta refrain dyed to the scales in vein. However, could ye be the mark-of-birth that thumbprinted this snake like a god given name...? Part of the ventral suggested it was grown out with natural scale-enlarging maintain... However, the opposite DNA suggestive info on the ventrals above it, clearly remained. If anyone has info, please don't hesitate to kindly explain.... :mrgreen:

ImageDSC_0298-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0701-3 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0710 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0715 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



Next, I then found this pretty little injured gigas a little further down the road. I escorted it out of paved danger and noticed as I photographed, that there were small drying bloody chunks of its own mouth meat glued to it's lips. I felt sad for the young serpent and hoped he would heal enough to capture a meal. When needs be. I photoged and let the young lad crawl into a plowed field of protected land set aside for the species. Sometimes all we can do is what we can...

ImageDSC_0823-4 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0808-4a by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0835-4 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



Then, a little more further down the road... I flipped this beautiful angry gopher snake. He grumpily said, "you want art buddy...?? I gotcher art!!" And the rest as follows...

ImageDSC_0863-4 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0876-4a by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0880-4 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0881-4 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0898-4 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0947-3 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0057-3a by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



Then, even a little MORE further down the road.... Another artistic opportinity came to light :idea: :mrgreen: :thumb:

ImageDSC_0097-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0146 (2)-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0129-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0189 (2)-2a by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



There were many lazy lizards seen on this glorious day. However, this one caught my eye. Soaking up the stone warmth and not caring one bit that I was sticking a giant spaceship in his face. He had encountered aliens before... and even an abduction. Do what you want he mutter with disinterest. Why don't you take a picture of my asphalt while your at it :| ...you young punk. And, "meh..." :x ...then was like, "on second thought. You're alright kid..."

ImageDSC_0245-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0254 (2)-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0256-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



Then, I flipped this little guy who immediately hauled off into the wide stretch of road in a frantic unsuccessful escape attempt. I thought to myself...I can never get a photo of that cool iridescence because they always run at the flipping experience. So, before he could rid himself of me. I snatched him up in a snap for a quick shot and away I went.

ImageDSC_0276-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



As the day carried on, the weather shifted. I was reminded of something I wanted to photograph last year. Something I hadn't seen in a very long time except for a DOR. The first time I ever saw a brown kingsnake, I was a young boy and flipped a seemgly black & white baby in a field debris pile and right after, flipped a light brown & banana yellow king of the same size. My buddy Scott was with me and I think each of us flipped one of the snakes. I had flipped the brown & yellow... I think. Either way, it was super cool and an eye-opening experience. Before then, I thought all kingsnakes were black & white. So, last year I was thinking. In the past 5 years of flipping these farmland kings. I still haven't come across a light brown & and high "banana" yellow. I found a few jet black & banana yellow... but not the equivalent of that first original brown king encounter. So, I thought... I know exactly which direction to drive.... Wouldn't it be cool to end this day with a find like that to add to the king variation count. So, off I drove... and score, I did 8-) :thumb:

But FIRST......... Before I could take my first photo of the beautiful sedimetal royalty. (After lifting a half burried caked-down ply board submerged in water, that extended out into a muddy drainge ditch, barely being able to lift that stinky board high enough to peer deep back into it's shadow, to see the dark faded remnants of suggestive king coloring, to influence me to reach full arms legth, into the deep unknown, far back as I could, while breaking my back to hold up the mud-coverd wood, solo handed, to reveal the very sought out prize I had driven all this way for....) I saw this young hawk, Screeeaaammmming as he made a slow getaway from this threatened attacker. I mean, you could seriously feel this raptors pain. Lol Vocal tone displaying clearly the open wounds on the back of his head. Even as the little wacker retired his attack, dressed in his red badges of courage, the hawk continue to scream in pain as it sorely soared away.

ImageDSC_0312-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0312-2aa by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0313-4a by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0313-4 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0320-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0330-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0335-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0354-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0369 (2)-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0384-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0388-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr





I mean, who doesn't like to see swimming frogs...…... :arrow:

ImageDSC_0073-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0076-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0077-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0078-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0079-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0080-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0082-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0083-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0182-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0211 (3)-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr





How many turtles are in this photo... If anyone actually gets this, I'll be amazed :) fare warning. If you click the image it will take you to the Flickr page. Then doubele click to enlarge & click-n-hold to scan. I included two other images in line behind this one that can be viewed to second guess your guess :mrgreen: :thumb: Good luck :beer:

ImageDSC_0257 (2)-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0298 (2)-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0301-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0312 (2)-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0316-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0323-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0328-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0342-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0349-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr





Around this time RenoBart had contacted me and we agreed to do a day in the field. Looking for giants, they weren't easy to find. Once discovered, they were gentle chaps. Imposing no harm. And if you were gentle natured back, they let you snap a rewarding photograph. This tank of a snake was seriously the brownest I've seen since my lifer, quite some time ago. Something I've wanted to see again for a long time. This one, far more enriched in brown. Here's some highlighting photos. To view the original post and photoset for this outting, click this link: http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... art+porter

ImageDSC_0376-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0423-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0435-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0444-2A by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr





There's this really amazing road out near El Dorado Hills. Beautiful scenery and habitat as far as the eye can see.... Enough time had passed for me to forget all about it and why. Boy does it suck for cruising :lol: :lol: :lol: I mean, wtaf :shock: I did find a garter, a gopher, and small buzztail on different nights. But talk about a disappointing waste of time. Each night, after giving full hours of effort, I drove out to my tiny stretch of awesome road I found a few years back. Just to get some kind of herping satisfaction before making the 30 minute drive back home. Even after missing the good temps, the road still produced finds. This was an awesome gator found on it tho :thumb: Large and super colorful. Photoged in low setting sunlight

ImageDSC_0534-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0565-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0574-2a by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr





If I farted... someone may say, "Dayuuuummmm, Porter. Someone stepped on a duck." However, you also could say, "Dayuuuummmm, Porter. Someone stepped on a bullfrog." But what I'm saying is, if you don't take a 2nd look at this photo, you're gonna miss it....

ImageDSC_0038 (2)-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0046-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr





Around this time, I met up with ilikesnakes. He was a mellow fellow and I could tell right away he was a nice guy. Both of us retired skateboarders, we had a lot in common and it felt kinda like seeing an old friend. He had found some old untouched fallen down barn sheds and I have to say... it felt great to flip that shit! Took me all the way back to my childhood herp hiknig adventures through the then undevelpoed gold panning camps of Roseville foothills. Which is all but gone now. Me along with my other pre-teen rascal friends would get dropped off by Scott's dad after scrounging up gas money between the lot of us. Then spend a summer day of fishing, carp swim goggle gigging, and snake flipping all day long as we Stand-by-me'ed our little asses though what seemed to be open unexplored prairie. Running around like wild Native Indians. :mrgreen: :thumb: To view the original post and photosets, click this link: http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... es#p267354

ImageDSC_0114-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0171-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0186-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0202-2aa by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0264-2aa by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0347-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0403-2a by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0457-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0513-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0695-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0698-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0101-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0289-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0312a-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0266-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0327-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0404-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0436-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0514-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0586-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0639-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0679-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0690-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0732-2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr





To Be Continued.....




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Richard F. Hoyer
Posts: 639
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:14 pm

Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

Porter,
Unforutnately, my computer will not show all of your photographs. But what does come up are very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Richard F. Hoyer
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Porter
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Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Porter »

Richard F. Hoyer wrote:Porter,
Unforutnately, my computer will not show all of your photographs. But what does come up are very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Richard F. Hoyer
Thanks Richard :beer: I'm living in Roseville CA again as of November. I work evenings but there's still a good chance I can get a photo of that contia basking behavior we talked about. I live about five minutes from there now. Again, thank you!
Richard F. Hoyer
Posts: 639
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:14 pm

Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

Porter,
I am not certain if I have ever observed a Sharp-tailed Snake on the surface. But because they occur in grassland habitat without any natural cover objects under which to thermo-regulate, it stands to reason the species would coil up in grass to do so. I know they do come to the surface at times as I have found a couple of road kills. And one of the Sharp-tails I tagged was recaptured on the opposite side of the road from where first captured.

Wheatland is about 25 miles north of Roseville. That is where John Stephenson took me one day and in about 2 hours, we encountered something like 100+ Contia in large field on the northwest side of town between the highty to Marysville and a railroad right-of-way. That was about 18 years ago and I wonder if that vacant field is still undeveloped.

Richard FH
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Kelly Mc
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Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Kelly Mc »

Mr Hoyer, when I was a young child I found a pasture, abandoned in Hayward California, where there were large populace blooms of Contia, it was on a hill named Kelly Hill, and ironically I flipped my first snakes there, which were sharp tailed snakes, lower where it was damp and ca kings. Higher on the hill were decrepit barns with lots of pallets and more then one horse skeleton. There were Gopher snakes in this area. It has completely disappeared, even the hill seems to be gone.

But the contia in that area were so abundant that they were sometimes seen on the crawl around the house of the lady whom took care of me while my mother was at work.

This was in the late 60s, a span of 4 or 5 years and I remember a year that they attracted the attention of neighborhood teenagers who would collect them in empty soda bottles and it caused me much distress, and bullying as I attempted to stop them.

I have no idea now, why such a secretive snake would come to the surface so abundantly. One factor as I type this I also remember a rampant gopher population there.
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Porter
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Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Porter »

Richard F. Hoyer wrote:Porter,
I am not certain if I have ever observed a Sharp-tailed Snake on the surface. But because they occur in grassland habitat without any natural cover objects under which to thermo-regulate, it stands to reason the species would coil up in grass to do so. I know they do come to the surface at times as I have found a couple of road kills. And one of the Sharp-tails I tagged was recaptured on the opposite side of the road from where first captured.

Wheatland is about 25 miles north of Roseville. That is where John Stephenson took me one day and in about 2 hours, we encountered something like 100+ Contia in large field on the northwest side of town between the highty to Marysville and a railroad right-of-way. That was about 18 years ago and I wonder if that vacant field is still undeveloped.

Richard FH

I just tried to find the original conversation we had about it. I don’t see anything here in my FHF mailbox and I searched your name in my emails. But I think you gave me your personal email around the time I found that trippy looking Rubber boa up in the Sierras. And I think I mentioned that I road cruised a shirt tail up there.m. You were surprised to hear that. So then I told you that I had seen them several times out in Roseville on this bike trail that they’ve paved through the land that used to herp when I was a kid. when I was living in Roseville in 2010, I did some evening walks and saw on a few different occasions, sharp tailed snakes and alligator lizards basking on the bike trail in the evening going unnoticed by passersby. The Snakes lay in a straight line and blend in with the broken twig sticks just like the alligator lizards do. I’ve taken some in situ photos of the alligator lizards doing this on different roads (ranch’s Cordova, Natomas, Folsom). But I don’t have one of the sharp tailed snakes. I never thought much of it and I just got them out of the roads so the bikes wouldn’t run them over. A

Anyways , I don’t remember what else was said. If you want to send me your email in a private message I can search my email box for our messages. I think you were just asking me to get a photo of it for you… And maybe time and date or something like that.I’ll do a walk out there at some point this year and try to come across one and photograph it or video it. Again, I thought it was something that was common like the alligator lizards and didn’t realize it was unusual behavior. It could just be something they do for that area. I’ll be in touch
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Kelly Mc
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Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Kelly Mc »

A few years back, per IRL convo Zach mentioned that Natalie McLear got a picture of a Sharp Tailed Snake basking.
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Porter
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Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Porter »

Kelly Mc wrote:A few years back, per IRL convo Zach mentioned that Natalie McLear got a picture of a Sharp Tailed Snake basking.
That’s awesome! I’m sure she seen it several times. She should send a photo of it over to Richard.
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Zonata Don't Exist
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Joined: May 18th, 2018, 11:18 pm

Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Zonata Don't Exist »

Nice gigas, check out my profile pick of a nice dark one (handled with permits)
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Porter
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Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Porter »

That is without a doubt the coolest gigas I’ve ever seen :thumb:wow :) I’d like to see the original photo if you don’t mind posting it and any additional photos. Feel free to just posted it my thread.
Richard F. Hoyer
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:14 pm

Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

Kelly, Porter,
In reviewing may mental notes, I recall observing some juvenile C. tenuis coiled in grass or on the small gravel piles I use as capture sites. So one explanation for observing C. tenuis on the surface is where the species occurs in high densities. I recall having two other reports of high densities of C. tenuis occurring at sites south of Oakland.

As speaking of observing snakes as a child, I believe the first snakes I ever encountered were juvenile Sharp-tails in amongst eucalyptus leaves in a vacant lot in the Glennfield District along Park Blvd. in Oakland. I likely was in the firsts or second grade at that time. That would have been in the late 1930’s. It wasn’t until I was in about the 5th. grade when I found my first ‘genuine’ big snake, a large dead garter snake up Dimond Canyon in that same region of Oakland. It was at that time I became ‘hooked’ on snakes.

I have pretty much put my involvement with species of Contia behind me except for recording new locality sighting, especially that of the Forest Sharp-tailed Snake. Waiting to have that species possibly documented from San Francisco and Marin Counties. At my age, I am now trying to wind up my efforts on the Rubber Boa. Have one paper near completion and hope to get a draft of another paper started and done before I ‘expire’.

My email address is the scientific name of the Rubber Boa all run together and lower case (charinabottae) followed by @earthlink.net.

Richard FH
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Kelly Mc
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Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Kelly Mc »

Mr Hoyer, that is a wonderful thing you share. We were the same age and gosh, I can remember how spectacular that little snake was to me - so interesting every little detail so very tiny and perfectly formed.

That is all I need to know to wish you the best always. Thank you for every thing you have done, and discovered.
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Zonata Don't Exist
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Re: 2018 End of Year, End of Flickr, & On to Video - the seq

Post by Zonata Don't Exist »

Here's some better shots of the melanistic gigas. I'm not exactly sure what's going on here, but the patterning looks a little abberant even for melantistic ones.

Image 1
Image

Image 2
Image

Image 3
Image


And a few more cool gigas:

Checkered lookin' like an Eastern Gartersnake
Image


Huge female with SVL over a meter:
Image

Once again, all handled with permits.
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