Spent Saturday looking for reptiles and I found quite a few. Here are some of my photos. Western fence lizards were out sunning themselves on the many rock piles. A few snakes were circulating. I found one whipsnake. The Alameda whipsnake is listed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as threatened. http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=C04A I [...]
Archive for the ‘snakes’ Category
Spring is Here and Reptiles are Out
Posted in photography, reptiles, snakes, Threatened species, wildlife, tagged lizards, snakes, Wildlife photography on May 4, 2012 | 1 Comment »
April Weekend at the Ranch
Posted in California newt, Coyotes, Endangered species, photography, reptiles, snakes, wildflowers, wildlife, wildlife conservation, wildlife management, tagged Wildlife photography on April 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
It was a good weekend to be in the hills. Here are a few of the photos I was able to take while traveling around the ranch. (Click to enlarge.) Surprise. It’s unusual for ranch road coyotes to pose for a broadside photo. Another rarity, only in spring will you see two great [...]
Spring in the Altamont
Posted in amphibians, bird watching, birds of prey, burrowing owl, Endangered species, outdoors, raptors, snakes, special status species, wildlife management, tagged Burrowing Owl, California tiger salamander larvae, King Snake, Pacific Tree Frog Tadpole, Seine Netting, Swainson's Hawk on April 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Joe spotted a couple Swainson’s hawks gliding high overhead. Red-tails were hanging around a stand of eucalyptus trees and a ferruginous hawk was spotted on the horizon. Joe also found a young king snake under a board. We took quite a few photos of the willing snake. Burrowing owls were in their usual [...]
I Hate Running Over Critters
Posted in Archery hunting, reptiles, snakes, Valley Quail on July 18, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Yesterday was a very hot day at the ranch. I chose not to hunt, just scout and prepare for next weekend. As I drove past my tree stand I noticed that a doe was laying in the shade about 15 yards from my seat. Wonder if I buck had been around. Quail were everywhere and [...]
Ranch Ponds in Spring
Posted in amphibians, Endangered species, reptiles, snakes, wildlife, tagged California newt, California red-legged frog egg mass, California tiger salamander larvae, garder snake on May 9, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
During March, April and May, the ranch ponds come alive. The early breeders are tiger salamanders, tree frogs and newts. Shortly thereafter come the red-legged frogs. Although you seldom see the adults in winter, their eggs appear each March. As early as December, the tiger salamanders lay their individual eggs on grass stems and small [...]
Turkey Season ends on Low Note, but First Hunt Still a Success
Posted in Hunting, kids in the outdoors, outdoor education, reptiles, snakes, turkey, wildlife, youth in the outdoors, tagged Hunter Safety, youth in the outdoors on May 4, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
When I invited my young cousins to come turkey hunting, I knew it might be slim pickens. However, being their first hunt of any kind, I figured it would be worthwhile training. A couple of weeks ago, I retook the hunter safety course along with my cousins, Orion and Max, 13 and 15 respectively. I was a [...]
The Rattler and the Ground Squirrel
Posted in outdoors, reptiles, snakes, wildlife, tagged California groundsquirrel, nature, rattlesnakes on April 25, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Turkey hunting was unproductive Saturday morning. By noon it seemed unlikely that a turkey would show, so I stopped at the cabin on our property, which is used by another former owner, and sat in the shade relaxing and eating some lunch. Movement caught my eye as a rattlesnake slithered towards a wood pile. It [...]
A Couple more Road Critters
Posted in blacktail deer, photography, reptiles, snakes, wildlife, tagged gopher snake, roadside wildlife on September 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
No matter how hard we try, the majority of the critters we see are either in or next to the road we drive. I guess we just cover too much ground while driving. Passed this buck on the way home the other day. He’s not a huge buck but he is pretty. Gopher snakes are [...]
Reptile Survey
Posted in birds, butterflies, deer, photography, snakes, wildlife, tagged checkerspot butterfly, wildlife survey on April 30, 2009 | 1 Comment »
One of our management practices on the ranch is to monitor for reptiles and amphibians. May is reptile month as the snakes respond to warm weather. Today was my day to survey for whipsnakes. Although I didn’t find any whipsnakes, a few other critters found the eye of my camera. The weather was cool and [...]
The Snakes of Spring
Posted in outdoors, photography, snakes, trout, wildflowers, wildlife, tagged rattle snakes, spring wildfowers on April 9, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
On our trip to the Ranch last Monday, we observed many of the rights of spring, golden eagles feeding their young in a roadside nest, vulture eggs inside a hollow oak, a turkey gobler strutting and gobbling, trout smolt heading downstream, a gopher snake in the road, plump does ready to give birth and [...]
