Utah/Arizona over Memorial day weekend.

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bushmaster W30
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Utah/Arizona over Memorial day weekend.

Post by bushmaster W30 »

So I started my memorial weekend on Thursday afternoon. My brother drove into the basin to Perforate a well in Duchesne so we met up for dinner. Afterwards I stopped off at a resovoir to have a look around. Apparently it was a really good place to break beer bottles but the lizards didn’t seem to mind.

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IMG_20130523_190309_404edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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IMG_20130523_190806_406edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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IMG_20130523_193206_998edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

I half heartedly flipped a few of the rocks around but only found a few mice and a ute or two. Until I walked up on a couple of Gophers.

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IMG_20130523_192823_600edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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IMG_20130523_192009_165edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

Friday

After a few hours of sleep it was time to hit the road south. I would be lying if I said my main objective was anything other than just getting out of the basin(and the hotel) for the weekend but, Leopard lizards in Utah and my first trip to Arizona were pretty high on my agenda as well. As I cruised south down 191 with Pearl Jam playing on the XM radio my hopes were still pretty high. As I reached Moab it was apparent that herping was the last thing I wanted to do there. It reminded me of branson ,mo on a busy weekend. I stopped long enough to grab fuel and food and continued south.

Shortly thereafter I reached my destination. It didn’t take me long to catch a glimpse of a medium sized lizard standing in the middle of the road. I quickly stopped and backed up since there wasn’t any traffic. That’s where I found my first Leopard lizard in Utah. Standing on the yellow line at 14:00 with a temperature of 86 degrees. By the time I pulled to the roadside and got the camera out it was long gone. Turned out to be the only one of my trip. A search of the area turned up a few whiptails and Ornate tree lizards.

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DSC_6816Edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr
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DSC_6827edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

I continued to cruise the area spotting lizards on the rocks. Most were smaller Sceloporus sp.

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DSC_6909edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_6848edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_6902edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

And a few Side-blotched lizards

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DSC_6925edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

Then I spotted A huge one that broke and ran as soon as it saw me. I got close enough to Id it as a spiny lizard ( Orange headed?) before it vanished beneath its rock.

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DSC_6830edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

A short distance away I spotted a second and as I crept closer I walked up on these two.

Eastern Collared Lizards
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DSC_6898edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

The second Spiny lizard escaped as well but I ended up flipping another beneath a piece of mattress foam.

Orange headed spiny lizard

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DSC_6938edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_6948edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_6966edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

By then it was getting on into the afternoon so I decided to stop for food and fuel. Now I had heard stories from the locals in the basin about the Utes getting drunk and driving around at night hitting things. I had just assumed this was a form of “western Racism” until I went into the gas station to pay. The woman in front of me bought 5 40 oz beers and the guy behind me was so drunk he could barely stand there holding his 30 pack. Even then I didn’t think much about it until I watched them both walk out to separate cars and drive away. The rest of the evening I was so paranoid I pulled off the road everytime I saw headlights behind me. Cruising turned up nothing however so I found a spot to park for the night. The spot I found was a good way off the highway and was mainly bedrock with patches a fine sand I decided to shine around some of the grass patches in the sand and was kinda surprised when I started finding Toads.

Red Spotted Toad

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DSC_6969edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_6976edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

Saturday

Saturday morning found me on the road again. I arrived in Flagstaff, AZ at around 08:00am and began scouting some of the areas I planned to herp. I need to take a minute to thank Chris Williams(gretzkyrh4) for helping me out. And my buddy Glenn(ksuglennj) for vouching for me. You guys made my trip. I had big dreams of pyros and cerbs however it wasn’t to be on this trip. I turned up the usual lizards and even swung by a snake exhibit at the ranger station (just a walk through too many tourists). Then I decided to go east and cruise for Night snakes and Hopi’s. On the way spotted a bunch of old rock buildings and decided to look around. Found the usual side-blotched lizards and a single whiptail. Can anyone Id?

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DSC_7005edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_6988edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_6991edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

Further east I found an old corral that had fallen apart and decided to flip some of the boards. Turned up a ton of Lesser Earless Lizards.

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DSC_7043edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_7053edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

And just when I thought I would be the first herper to leave AZ snakeless I flipped this little Night snake.


Chihuahuan Nightsnake
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DSC_7085edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

Shortly thereafter I began to find more and more snakes (mostly Hopi Rattlesnakes).

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DSC_7115edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_7133edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

And then A glossy. (Painted desert Glossy snake by range maps?)

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DSC_7156edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

The glossy ended up being my last snake on Saturday and I fell asleep in my truck still undecided as to what Sundays plans would be.

Sunday

I woke up with a sore back and a decision to make. Keep looking for cerbs and pyros or head further south in hopes of Blacktail rattlesnakes and Mojave’s. Mojave and Blacktails won out so I hit the road again. I arrived at my next locaion at 09:30am and headed up the trail watching the Earless lizards and Gila Spotted whiptails scatter.

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DSC_7161edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_7185edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_7196edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr


About a mile and a half down the trail I Spotted a Cali King getting some morning sun.

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DSC_7207edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

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DSC_7228edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

After a few photos I let it be on its way and continued on to the Blacktail spot. I left the trail and made it a couple hundred yards into the rocks before a miss step and a blown out ankle ended my day and my hiking for the weekend. I got a hotel and a shower and waited for it to cool off so I could cruise a little. The last snake I found in AZ was a Sonoran Gopher followed by a dor long-nosed snake that I didn’t photo.

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DSC_7269edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr

Monday

I slept late Monday morning and got a late start back to Vernal, Utah. I arrived back around 7:30pm and went straight past the hotel for one last round of cruising. Shortly outside of town I found my first Midget Faded Rattlesnake of 2013. Thus ended my Memorial day herpathon .

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IMG_20130527_214258_050edit by Bushmaster W30, on Flickr


Thanks for looking -Thomas
gretzkyrh4
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Re: Utah/Arizona over Memorial day weekend.

Post by gretzkyrh4 »

Glad my advise worked out for you Thomas. Looks like you had a pretty good trip. And congrats on the king. I knew they were there, but never managed to find one along that trail.

Chris
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rosy-man
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Re: Utah/Arizona over Memorial day weekend.

Post by rosy-man »

NICE STUFF
reako45
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Joined: June 12th, 2010, 9:38 am

Re: Utah/Arizona over Memorial day weekend.

Post by reako45 »

Wow! Your Memorial Day weekend was better than mine. Judging by the herps you saw looks like you covered quite a bit of territory in AZ. The Hopi Rattlers and the Midget Faded were awesome :thumb: . Hoping to see those when I visit AZ later this year.

reako45
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ksuglennj
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Re: Utah/Arizona over Memorial day weekend.

Post by ksuglennj »

Excellent pics man. Glad you had a good trip. Was worried with the temps it wouldn't go well, but I was wrong.

Glenn
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bushmaster W30
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Re: Utah/Arizona over Memorial day weekend.

Post by bushmaster W30 »

Thanks guys. I Forgot to thank Brian Eager and Jimi from the Rocky Mountain chapter as well. Help from Friends/aquaitences makes limited exposure trips alot more productive. You guys helped alot and hopefully if you're ever in my home range I can repay the favor. -Thomas
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