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This blog is predominately about camera trapping in California. We camera trap to save our souls and to teach primary school students about biology and conservation. We will also touch on other camera trapping news and musings, sets from afar, mediocre herpetology, sucky birding, and other natural history discussions.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

SC Mt. Herping

A few weeks back a handful of us went out for a little spring herping in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We had a productive day even if we struck out once again on L. zonata. I am bordering on Adam Dunn territory for this species. On the day we got 9 species of herps. Not pictured in this blog post are: Arboreal Salamander, Slender Salamander, Alligator Lizard (Likely Southern), Western Fence Lizard, and Ensatina. To make up for it I included photos of two non-herps.

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Neonate Western Rattlesnake, Crotalus oreganus


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Uroctonus mordax, I believe. Two different subspecies have been described in the area.


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The prize of the day. A very small Pacific Giant Salamander, Dicaptodon tenebrosus


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Young Western Skink, Plestiodon skiltonianus


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Adult Western skink with an almost thrown tail (not because of anything we did. We found it that way)


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A missed focus shot of a juvenile Santa Cruz Black Salamander, Aneides niger. There is little to no yellow in the armpits which distinguish it from the juvenile Arboreal Salamander which we also saw. I really should have taken a picture of one for comparison.


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Banana Slug AKA Dicamptodon dinner


And a few additional images of two of the individuals above.


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All in all a good day.

3 comments:

  1. Also, clicking through on that K link... Bobby Abreu played for 17 years? File under weird reminders I am getting old.

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  2. Awesome! I've always wanted to see an oreganus in the wild (well...and a Dicamptodon, for that matter).

    nice pics....

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