Nice topic!



Here are my favorite finds of 2009:



We had lousy weather in Cleveland (big surprise) so I had to go to California to find my first herp of the year. This Pacific Gopher Snake was found under several layers of corrugated tin in early April in Northern California:







Shortly thereafter I found something I've always wanted to see - the one-striped version of a Santa Cruz Garter Snake - basking in relatively cold weather (low 50's):





Although many common herps were encountered (Ringneck Snakes, Sharptail Snakes, Fence Lizards, Slender Salamanders, etc.) this Black Salamander was a "lifer" and cause for a great deal of excitement:





The best looking Northern Alligator Lizard I've ever seen was found on Easter Sunday:





This Yellowbelly Racer was found on a day where the high temperatures were in the 40s (it was under a board). Due to the weather being so flippin' cold, the snake posed nicely for photos (instead of darting away, like racers usually do).





This Jefferson's Salamander, found in Central Ohio in early May, had a lot of blue flecking:





I also got to see my favorite Ohio snake - a Black Rat Snake (as found, surrounded by poison ivy):





A "lifer" was found on this trip as well - a Midwest Worm Snake, found hiding under a large rock near the shoreline of a lake.





In Las Vegas, I hit the "lifer jackpot" finding five herps that I've never encountered in the field before.



The first "lifers" were Great Plains Toads found near a waterway:





Although I've found them before, Blind Snakes are kind of crazy:





We went to Arizona for a day and although we didn't find anything out of the ordinary there, when we got back to my friend's house in Boulder City, we were discussing where we should go to dinner in the backyard when something crawling along the sidewalk caught my eye. Lifer #2 Ground Snake:





Horned Lizards are always a welcome sight:





Roadhunting revealed the third lifer on the trip - something that's eluded me for a very long time - a Longnose Snake. A second one was found on the same night as well.





This Tree Lizard (which incidentally, are usually found on rocks) was lifer 4 - and seen in Arizona:





The last full day of the trip brought with it lifer #5 - a Speckled Rattlesnake:





Not a bad year in the field at all. I hope everyone has a good 2010!



Tim
Third Eye

[ Show Entire Thread ]