January Herping

BWSmith · 01-20-05, 11:14 AM

While at the Rattlesnake Symposium , JD and I managed to duck away for a couple hours to do some herping. He is still there for a bit longer, so hopefully he will have some nice pics of tail waggers. But we did manage to find a beautiful Cali King and a couple other odds and ends.

I have some pics of JD with it as well, but they are still on my camera.

JD also managed to catch this little fence lizard (I think).

We did spend a few minutes trying to catch a Kangaroo Rat. Why? Why not?

We kept at them in this bush until one made a run for it. It ran as fast as it could and ran head first into a rock! :w No wonder they get picked off by snakes.

The scenary was breathtaking

I had to get this shot

Lifeguard?

ydnic · 01-20-05, 11:27 AM

LOL -

Nice pictures

daver676 · 01-22-05, 12:10 AM

Maybe the lifeguard sign is for the huge pool of garbage I see...

Nice pics.

Brent Strande · 01-22-05, 11:32 AM

Sweet shots man!

As for the lifeguard thing... I'd still dive in!

snakehunter · 01-31-05, 02:17 PM

That fencie looks like a fringe toe.

C.m.pyrrhus · 01-31-05, 02:43 PM

The little lizard is in fact a Sceloporus species, also known commonly as "fence Lizards."

It is not a fringe-toe lizard (genus Uma) but is included within the same family (Phrynosomatidae) along with the Horned-toed, Zebra-tailed, Earless and other like lizards. Some Urosuarus would be a closer guess to what the lil' guy is.

What species it is to be exact, I have no clue but would guess it to be Sceloporus occidentalis longipes, just for fun.

Fieldnotes · 02-01-05, 09:43 PM

Cool Pictures. Actually guys that lizard is Uta stansburiana (Common Side-blotched Lizard), an abundant desert lizard. From the pictures, it looks as though you are in the Coachella Valley, Sceloporus occidentalis is not very popular there, well… except in the riparian ecosystem of Whitewater Canyon and rocky, transition zone of Peninsular Range.