New Kid on the Block
A Nafha Success Story
I first met Robert and Nicholas Hess at the 2010 Grassy Hollow Reptile Talk I was giving. Robert wasn’t ‘all in’ on reptiles, but being the kind of Dad he is, was supporting and facilitating his son’s interest in them. The rest is History, which most of us are somewhat familiar with, but I figured that in honor of this Father/Son team being the top data-enterers in Ca in 2014, I’d detail as best I could the development of 2 herping newbs to Chapter Champs…
That spring and summer of 2011, I started taking Rob & Nic out for lifers and basic herping techniques… like lizard noosing… which Nicholas LOVED…
Lifer Zebra Tail:
I think Nicholas noosed like 6 different species of Lizard that day… topping it off with this Female Collard, while Robert & I were rescuing it’s mate from a plastic 55 gal ‘death trap’ set in the ground. To this day… probably the nicest Collards ever seen from the Victor Valley…
A few more shots from the next year or so… some lifers some not… but most notably… Nicholas’s ever-growing commitment to quality photography… and we all know how good he’s become at that, with (believe or not) absolutely no help from me…
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San Diego gopher:
Robert and Nicholas:
Big SD Alligator lizard
Lifer Rosy:
But… their growth was not just herping more and more… early on they got involved in ongoing surveys, data entry, and public herp education efforts.
012 Tejon group photo shoot:
Tejon 013:
Grassy Hollow: Nicholas & Caden Torquato keying out a Sagebrush Lizard
Ranging further and further afield, like HA, AZ and Nor Cal… wasn’t long before they were taking me out, to help me get lifers
Robert & Nicholas scanning rocks for My Lifer Banded Rock Lizard
In the summer of 2012 Nicholas published several herp photographs in an article about
U.S. West Coast herping by Chris Carille that appeared in Tails and Scales magazine (Australia) ("Let's Go Herpin' USA" issue 30 – July 13).
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Later that year Nick also received the Jr. Herper of 2012 award from the LA Natural History Museum, and was recognized for his
herp photography.
In the fall of 2013 Nicholas exhibited photographs of 26 local herp species at the Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center, Calabasas.
Also in fall of 2013 Nicholas exhibited his herp photography at Reptile and Amphibian Appreciation Day of the Los Angeles Natural History Museum.
Sometime in 2013 Nicholas also started entering data
In May 2014 Nicholas started entering data in large quantities,
reaching 1,300 records by year's end. Robert entered the other 200 or so, and as a team, took 1st Place in Ca’s annual data entry Contest.
THIS… is how it’s supposed to go, here at Nafha, and as much as Robert & Nicholas deserve accolades (as do our many other ‘success stories’)…So does Everyone Else in the Ca Chapter, from our devoted Officers (past and present) who make the Surveys happen all over the State… to our friendly and accommodating members, sharing their local knowledge (and spots ) and last but certainly not least, Scott Waters, who was not only instrumental in the founding of Nafha but also for his continuing generosity in hosting the Nafha forums at Field Herping Forum, that makes all the good things we do possible…
Personally… I consider myself lucky to have been in some small way, part of this amazing journey of growth and adventure… and look forward to soon seeing my good friends Robert and Nicholas, at the Tejon Survey 015…
Thx for riding along, friends…. ‘Shiny cuts and shallow ruts’… Jim B.
New Kid on the Block... A Nafha Success Story
Moderator: Scott Waters
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Re: New Kid on the Block... A Nafha Success Story
This was fun. I'm happy to hear about this success too. I sometimes think we should have more youth oriented stuff, like a youth photo contest.
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- Posts: 8025
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 8:12 am
- Location: Hesperia, California.
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Re: New Kid on the Block... A Nafha Success Story
Years ago I suggested a 'kids korner' type forum. Ask those in the know what happened then... NOT good...
Technically... you're supposed to be 18 to be a Nafha member... but exceptions (IMO) should be made for exceptional folks.... specially one who will probably end up at least Chap Pres one day, and probably even IC...
Technically... you're supposed to be 18 to be a Nafha member... but exceptions (IMO) should be made for exceptional folks.... specially one who will probably end up at least Chap Pres one day, and probably even IC...
Re: New Kid on the Block... A Nafha Success Story
Great post. Even though I've been out of country for most of the time that Robert and Nicolas have been involved in NAFHA, I have some found Hess herping memories as well.
I think probably the funniest was when Robert and I were excitedly photographing a baby helleri that he had found in a really, really odd habitat...then we finally figured out that it was dead, and had probably gotten washed down there or something.
I think probably the funniest was when Robert and I were excitedly photographing a baby helleri that he had found in a really, really odd habitat...then we finally figured out that it was dead, and had probably gotten washed down there or something.