Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

NORCAL: the Year '09 in review... VERY PIC HVY! (DUW)

bewilderbeast

New member
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
190
Reaction score
10
Location
Northern California
This is my highlights reel for 09 herping.... upward and onward for 2010.
ben.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
Enjoy...
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Aneides flavipunctatus… sans punctatus
RakFo.jpg

Aflavipunctatus07.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
Aflavipunctatus08.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Aneides flavipunctatus, Another individual.
Aflavipuntcatus10.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
aflavipunctatus09.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Aneides lugubris
dkEvN.jpg

Aneidesmacro.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
Aneides Lugubris<o>:p></o>:p>
_1010780.jpg

_1010783.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
juvie
aneideslugubris.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Aneides vagrans
_1010717.jpg

_1010726.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Ensatina picta<o>:p></o>:p>
ensatina02.jpg
ensatina01.jpg

ensatina03.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Ensatina oregonensis
eoregonensis.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Ensatina xanthroptica... very striking bright orange individual with blue spots.
FpM20.jpg

6ohzI.jpg

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Ensatina xanthroptica… I just like to say UNKEN…. Unken unken unken.. tee hee.
2Ensatinasunken.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
2 Ensatina xanthroptica down a hole… the hole is about 2foot deep. I often check utility holes for hapless animals that have become stuck and can’t climb the steep walls…
I have found Ensatina, Taricha and Aneides lugubris this way as well as black widow spiders.
Ensatinaculvert.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
after I saved his life, this guy gave me the unken reflex… that’s gratitude for ya..
ensatinaculvertunken.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
some baby Ensatinas… I see a lot of posts where people aren’t sure what these are…<o>:p></o>:p>
note the little blue spots.<o>:p></o>:p>
ensatinababy02.jpg

ensatinababyhead.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
A common site… multiple B. attenuatus.<o>:p></o>:p>
Battenuatus12.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
B. attenuatus... a very pretty bluish gray individual...
HiVRG.jpg

Battenuatus10-1.jpg


<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
B. attenutaus. A typical “red” phase.
battenuatus10.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
A nice looking “yellow” phase from my parent’s backyard.<o>:p></o>:p>
Battenuatusyellow01.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
Battenuatusyellow02.jpg

<o>:p></o>:p>


<o>:p></o>:p>
Batrachoseps. diabolicus
D63Ge.jpg

YEDBb.jpg



Dicamptodon ensatus, adult and larva
v3c7r.jpg

33FXG.jpg

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Diamptdon ensatus
Densatusadultweb.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
obi-wan.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
D. ensatus larva<o>:p></o>:p>
ensatuslarva03.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Taricha torosa
Ttarosa04head.jpg

Ttarosa03.jpg

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Some non-Caudates
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Pseudacris sierra
psuedacrissierra.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
treefroggreen01.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
psuedacrissierra.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
This is the most unique and beautiful pacific tree frog I have ever seen… the photos don’t really do them justice… If I hadn’t been in a State Park I would have collected her for a breeding project. This one was found by my girlfriend… she was pretty pleased that she had found something that made me as excited as it did… and that hers was “better” than the all-green ones I kept finding.
Pseudacrissierrabrown.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
treefrogbrown01.jpg

treefrogbrown02.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Western Toad
n88pV.jpg

UQFfv.jpg

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Northern Red legged frog
redleggedfrog01.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
grabbed this to ID it and it turned out to be a red legged frog, which means I should have kept my hands off it… but you can see where they get the name from.<o>:p></o>:p>
redleggedrog03.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
REPTILES
Western fence Lizard glamour posing. An underappreciated but interesting little lizard...
They do pushups to show off their blue bellies…
WesternFenceLizardonhand10-14-09.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Alligator lizards are also common<o>:p></o>:p>
alligatorheadcloseup.jpg

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
northern Pacific ringneck snake… a real Gem and also underappreciated animal because of how common they can be in some places… I am always happy to see one though finding one often means whatever salamanders I was looking for are probably in it’s stomach.
diadophispunctatus.jpg

ringneck1.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Arthropods… OR…REASONS TO WHERE GLOVES WHEN YOU FLIP LOGS…
I always where a pair of rubber, palmed work glove… they are cheap and leave me dexterous enough still that I can use my camera… here are a few good reasons to where gloves.
urictonusmordax01.jpg

urictonusmordax02.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
it was a good year for scorpions…
uroctonusmordax03.jpg

uroctonusmordax1.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
I wasn’t kidding about the black widows… perhaps the best reason to where gloves…<o>:p></o>:p>
What I didn’t notice while I was taking this shot was that her millions of babies were swarming all over the rest of the piece of tin that I was holding in my hand..
blackwidow.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Some nice scenery here… makes any trip out worth it.
ensatushabitat3.jpg

mendoreststop.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
this is an area that supposedly has Ambystoma californiense. There were some amphibians and the habitat WAS perfect but I was skunked again.. maybe 2010 will be my year
roundvalleypano.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
ferncanyon2.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
This place is unbelievable… Pacific Giant salamanders, Torrent salamanders, Northwestern salamanders, Ensatina, Wandering salamanders, Tailed frogs, Redlegged frogs, Pacific treefrogs in every color, Western Toads, a number of snakes… not to mention I was able to get my beautiful better half to come along AND ACTUALLY HAVE FUN!!! Her favorites are the Pacific treefrogs.
ferncanyon02.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
I do like a good waterfall also…
Cataracttrailfalls_01.jpg

http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx303/bewilderbeast_02/Cataracttrailfalls_02.<o>:p></o>:p>
jpg<o>:p></o>:p>
part of the same waterfall as above during the late summer… I could get much closer to the top than in the winter… this is just the very top of the fall that is in the picture above… thought this pool would be good for Dicamps but upon inspection it was crawling with crayfish.<o>:p></o>:p>
cataracttrailfallssummer.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
I have spent 3 days formatting all these photos and writing this post… ugh:crazy:

I need to get back outside<o>:p></o>:p>
muirwoods1.jpg
<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
Enjoy Herping 2010…<o>:p></o>:p>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o>:p></o>:p>
<!--EndFragment-->
 

pete

Active member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
550
Reaction score
30
Location
CA
Nice gallery. Unfortunately, I only ever find black widows in utility holes.
 

slowfoot

New member
Joined
Oct 12, 2007
Messages
665
Reaction score
25
Location
Denver, CO
Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing. I wish I could get back to Northern CA to do a little hiking...
 

otolith

Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2009
Messages
484
Reaction score
22
Beautiful pictures, and excellent variety. I am from Sonoma county and used to regularly find a number of the species you posted, your trip really makes me miss home. Love the shot of the Dicamp. in the log; I found a large one while mushroom hunting a few years back crawling through a giant cluster of black chanterelles; wish i had had a camera for that one.
 

rust

New member
Joined
May 23, 2003
Messages
798
Reaction score
13
Location
North Carolina
Looks like 2009 was more than good to you! I especially like the pattern on the vagrans, much nicer than the trio I'm currently breeding.
 

Alejandro

Caudata.org Donor
Joined
May 17, 2007
Messages
208
Reaction score
6
Thank you very much for sharing all those beautiful pictures with us.
 

rick

2010 Research Grant Donor
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
114
Reaction score
1
what park did you go to its beautiful?
 

NewtZoo

New member
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
95
Reaction score
1
Location
Kentucky
Thats awesome! Looks like you had a blast! I miss living in the Pacific North West. Phoenix is not ideal for amphibian hunting...grrr. Ill be back someday.
 

ODell

New member
Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
18
Reaction score
0
Location
Arcata, Ca
Awesome finds, and pictures. I just moved to northern California from the south and I am being to enjoy the ease with which you can find most species. Admittedly I haven't found too many different species, but at least I have something to look foreword to during my time here.
 

tmarmoratus

2010 Research Grant Donor
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
Messages
756
Reaction score
12
Location
Sacramento, CA
Awesome pictures! Having lived in Portland, and now Sacramento for most of my life, I have seen more than my fair share of P. regilla, and that one is definitely one of the most unique and beautifully patterned individuals I've ever seen.
 

bewilderbeast

New member
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
190
Reaction score
10
Location
Northern California
Awesome pictures! Having lived in Portland, and now Sacramento for most of my life, I have seen more than my fair share of P. regilla, and that one is definitely one of the most unique and beautifully patterned individuals I've ever seen.


Yes... I want to go back to that location and see if there is a population of that particular color phase... It was the only one found that wasn't bright green, and ironically, blended with the habitat far better than its green brethren.
 

tmarmoratus

2010 Research Grant Donor
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
Messages
756
Reaction score
12
Location
Sacramento, CA
One of the most impressive specimens I've ever encountered was a few years back in my parent's backyard. A real interesting blend of gold, tan and lime green, and just as yours, the pics didn't really do him justice. I watched him for a good half hour, took a few snaps then let him be:
 

Attachments

  • regilla 001.jpg
    regilla 001.jpg
    67.2 KB · Views: 401
  • regilla 003.jpg
    regilla 003.jpg
    32.6 KB · Views: 219
  • regilla 006.jpg
    regilla 006.jpg
    48.5 KB · Views: 222
  • regilla 012.jpg
    regilla 012.jpg
    43.2 KB · Views: 219

josh

New member
Joined
May 25, 2007
Messages
79
Reaction score
5
Very nice post! I love the aneides. they are my favorite! The scorpions you are finding are Uroctonus Mordax. They are harmless. I would be more concerned about Calisoga Longitarsus!

If you want to see really nice regilla like the one you found, come up to the Olympia area of Washington. They are very commonly colored like that up here. What time of year are you finding all the aneides?? I always get skunked every year when i look for vagrans and lugubris :( Anyhoo, thanks you for sharing and good luck this year!

-Josh
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top