My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

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MichaelCravens
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Joined: July 3rd, 2010, 9:05 am
Location: Phoenix, AZ

My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by MichaelCravens »

This has been my second spring in the southwest and it has differed from last spring in a couple of ways. One, is that I’m father now and that can really put a dent into your field time, and funds, and the other is that last year I had checked lot of common AZ herps off of my life list. For both of these reasons, this year I focused my field trips on more specific targets. This came at the cost of diversity, but was worth it as far as I was concerned.

Two apologies:

1. I’ve been a very lazy photographer this year and the vast majority of the following photos were taken haphazardly with an iPhone.
2. I’m going to make you sift through photos of my family to get to the animals.

My “herping” season started with a January camping trip to south central Arizona where I knew I wouldn’t see any herps but I would get to see the habitat of my most wanted species of this year and a very cool cactus.

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Land of the Mexican rosy boa

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Mary, Fielding, and Quinn next to an awesome organ pipe cactus

A big part of my spring was spent searching for the, above mentioned, Mexican rosy boa. My enthusiasm encouraged me to start way too early and I ended up wasting a lot of limited time and money.

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In early February we got some rain and this prompted me to try flipping for my boa. I got to explore a range I had never been in before and flipped this desert patch-nose but no boas were seen.

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Come March, I was back after the Mexican boa with the first warm spell. I met up with Chris Meachum and Dave Webber for some flipping and road cruising. Per usual, no boas but I did get to flip this great little tortoise. Unfortunately, the rock the tortoise was under was next to a bee hive and I ended up with an angry bee’s stinger in my face for my efforts.

After a few more unsuccessful Mexican rosy boa trips I decided to give the desert species a try. Last spring I failed to find a desert rosy boa despite putting in considerable effort. It was still early in the season and I had it on good advice to try a couple of low mountain ranges in the western part of the state.

As usual, I didn’t see any boas in a couple days of searching but I did see three speckled rattlesnakes.

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This one was crossing a trail in front of a group of Canadian off road enthusiasts. It was a refreshing change of pace to see that they were a friendly bunch and were very happy to see and photograph it with no intent to harm it.

Another in the rocks

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From one side…

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…and the other

Back after the Mexican boa, I took a night hiking trip into a roadless range with Kris Haas, Dave Webber, Chris Meachum, and Chris’s son Jackson. We put in some serious miles and had a great time but all that was found was a couple Sonoran lyre snakes.

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Chris photographing a lyre snake

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On the hike back to the cars, we came across this sidewinder.

Taking a break from boa hunting, I saw in a Facebook post that Jeff Jaffo Miller had found a couple migrating long-eared owls that were using a wash in the Phoenix area. Being a species I had never seen, I asked Jeff if he could guide me to one. Jeff graciously accepted and it didn’t take long to get our target.

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Jeff’s photo of our long-eared owl

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My guide

Again, back to the Mexican boas. Over a few more trips, the area I was hunting was producing snakes, just not the one I wanted to see.

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On my last trip to Mexican boa country I ran into husband and wife out hunting. They told me that they, and some others, had been out all weekend and had seen nothing. Going our separate ways, I was in a funk. There I was again, hours from home, girlfriend mad at my continued absence, and money wasted just to hear that nothing was moving. I called Mary to kill time as I made another pass on the road. Just as I was complaining about my situation, I could hardly believe my eyes when I finally spotted my first Mexican rosy boa in the headlights.

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This view made all the previous unsuccessful trips worth it and it’s an image that will stick with me for a while.

I had a chance to volunteer with Arizona Game and Fish Department for a black-footed ferret survey. The opportunity to not only see, but to trap and get hands on experience with, a very cool species that was considered extinct not that long ago was just too much to pass up, so I jumped on it and signed up.
The evening was a blast; I spotlighted one ferret but it turned out to be too smart for me and evaded my trap. I also life listed a badger that night that let me watch him for a while from only twenty meters away.

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Since I failed to trap my ferret, here’s another some other friendly surveyors allowed me to photograph.

Like most eastern field herpers, I had dreamt of seeing California mountain kingsnakes since I was a child. Chris Meachum and I loaded up and headed out for a quick weekend of herping southern California where the mountain king was our primary target.
Along the way, we stopped at some sand dunes to see fringe-toed lizards, which didn’t take long.

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Meachum taking photos
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Dogs like Quinn aren’t made for this kind of country.

That evening was spent hunting for desert rosy boas in a southern California range but, maybe due to the bright full moon, none would be seen.
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Southern California boa country
The next day found us in zonata country. Conditions were scarily dry, and I really didn’t think it was going to happen for us, but a couple well sealed rocks held enough moisture to keep these two on the surface.

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We were carful to get their rocks back just right before letting them crawl back under them.

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A few of these large scorpions (sp?) were seen.

By the end of this trip we were exhausted and ready to get back home, but a green mountain meadow with a creek running through it was just too much for me to pass up. The habitat looked perfect for another species I wanted to see, the two-striped garter snake. Chris elected to nap while I searched, but he didn’t get much sleep before I was back with my target.

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After photographing and releasing this guy, we embarked on the long sleepy drive home.

Needing to get some family time in Mary, Fielding, Quinn, and I headed down to the Santa Ritas for some birding. We saw many of the Southeast Arizona stars such as the elegant trogon and the Arizona woodpecker. In the evenings we road hunted for green rat snakes, but they never materialized.

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This mountain patch-nosed snake and Sonoran whip snake were consolation prizes in place of the rat snake.

Having seen the Mexican rosy boa, I was anxious to see the desert rosy too and I didn’t want another spring to slip by without it happening. Kris Haas and I put an evening trip together with hopes of him seeing a speckled rattlesnake and a boa for me.

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It didn’t take long for Kris to see his rattlesnake.

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And then another

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And finally, a desert boa for me.

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One for the NAFHA database

As the valley heated up Mary, Fielding, Quinn, and I started making trips up north.
One of the first was a backpacking trip to the Blue Range, home of the Mexican wolf.

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Mary and the boy happily waking up under our tarp on the first morning.

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Beautiful country

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Fielding and I enjoying a campfire

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And the only herp of the trip, but a first for Fielding, a short-horned lizard.

Another trip we took was into West Clear Creek Wilderness. The hike into the canyon was about as sketchy as I’d be willing to take the boy on, but once in it was beautiful.

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This pack has been one of my best investments.

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Quinn in his element.

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Arizona columbine

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Fielding checking out a wandering garter snake.

My last spring target was the green ratsnake so I took one last trip down south with Meachum and Webber. Snakes where not to be found but I got to life list a Sonoran mud turtle and photograph the following Chiricahua leopard frogs.

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Finally, I’ll part with a pic of me checking the California condor off my life list (wish I had a pic of the bird instead) This bird had foiled me on many previous trips to the Grand Canyon. On this trip, we got out of the car, walked up to the rim, Mary called my attention overhead, and there was an adult condor fly low over our heads, it was that simple. I went on to see eight more that day, go figure.

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I would usually end with a list and a thank you of those that offered advice or directly helped me in finding my targets, but I’ve learned that while Arizona herpers are great people individually, they’re a fickle bunch collectively and many don’t care for each other. So, instead, I’ll just say thanks and you know who you are. :)
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Kyle from Carolina
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by Kyle from Carolina »

Cool post and nice work on finding your target boas. That iphone picture is better than a lot of the photos I take with a dslr...
josh_r
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by josh_r »

Very nice post! Your scorpion is Anuroctonus phaiodactylus.

Josh
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azatrox
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by azatrox »

Great stuff Mike!

Looks like you've had a productive spring....Let's get out again soon!

-Kris
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MattSullivan
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by MattSullivan »

nice! the baby tortoise and long eared owl were my favorites
hellihooks
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by hellihooks »

very nice, specially the rosys...do you flip for rosys or just cruise for them? cause usually, when still to early (cold) to cruise for them, it's prime-time for flipping... :thumb:
Shiny cuts n shallow ruts... jim
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Kent VanSooy
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by Kent VanSooy »

Fabulous! I enjoyed the pictures of the family outdoors. I really like those mountain patchnose snakes, they're so clean and pretty. And congrats on the boas!
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justinm
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by justinm »

Awesome, it was super good to see my buddy Quinn and that boy of yours. Fielding is a good looking kid. I need to call you soon and check in.
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sjfriend
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by sjfriend »

Excellent story telling and photos. Congrats on the lifers. Love the tortoise!
Brian Eagar
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 12:59 pm

Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by Brian Eagar »

I loved the quest for the mexican boa. Congrats on your well earned lifer and recording fun times with your family.
I'm curious on the night hiked lyres, were they found at the base of outcrops or on the rocks? In cracks?

Thanks for sharing,
Brian
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MichaelCravens
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by MichaelCravens »

Kyle, thank you very much!

Josh, thanks for the ID.

Kris, thanks buddy. How about this weekend?

Matt, thank you! Both were cool finds. I can't take credit for the long-eared owl photo, it's Jeff's image.

Jim, I tried, unsuccessfully, flipping early in the season. The rest of the spring I either road hunted or lantern walked.

Kent, thanks so much! When I was a kid back in Missouri, I always thought the mountain patch-nose was the coolest looking snake in the field guide.

Justin, thanks, I think he' a good looking kid too. He dresses nice too, thanks to you. Make that call.

sjfriend, thank you very much.

Brian, one of the lyres was crawling along the base of an outcrop in the upper reaches of a wash. The other was just out on the crawl on a rocky slope above the same wash.

Thanks again to all, the comments are very much appreciated,

Michael Cravens
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Dell Despain
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by Dell Despain »

I always enjoy your post Mike, and this was another good one. Congratulations on the Boa finds, but the Long eared owl sighting would make the top of the list for me anytime. Great shot too, did you get any good shots of the owl yourself?

Nice to see you herping w/ K. Haas. I recognized his poor excuse of a cowboy hat right away. Has he told you how much he enjoys Mexican Hot dogs yet?
MichaelCravens wrote:I would usually end with a list and a thank you of those that offered advice or directly helped me in finding my targets, but I’ve learned that while Arizona herpers are great people individually, they’re a fickle bunch collectively and many don’t care for each other. So, instead, I’ll just say thanks and you know who you are.
This got a chuckle out of me. Very diplomatic of you.

-Dell
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Tim Borski
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by Tim Borski »

Absolutely excellent in all respects. Thanks for a great ride!

Tim
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MichaelCravens
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by MichaelCravens »

Hey Dell, I sold my telephoto to pay for that Costa Rica trip, therefore no owl shots from me. This is also why I never have any lizard shots from this great state. I'll be sure to ask Kris about the Mexican hot dogs.

Tim, thanks!

Michael Cravens
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azatrox
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by azatrox »

So Dell bags on my "reasonably lucky herping hat AND my choices in fine dining?!?

First of all, my "reasonably lucky hat" is exactly that...reasonably lucky. 60% of the time it works EVERY time!

As far as the Mexican Hot Dogs, they are DELICIOUS!!!! (If you don't mind being bed ridden and close to death for the next day and a half!)

Good to hear from ya Dell! :)

Mike-PM sent

-Kris
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Will Wells
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by Will Wells »

Awesome post Mike!!! I found out this year too that kids take away alot of herping time but it's fun to take them with you.
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reptilist
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by reptilist »

Great post!

And by far the rarest of all sightings on this forum... Jeff Miller!

:beer:
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Mike Pingleton
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by Mike Pingleton »

Excellent, Mike - I like seeing the family shots mixed in there, and I'm not in the least bit surprised you've got the young fella out there digging the planet already. Congrats on all the great finds too!

-Mike
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MichaelCravens
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Re: My Spring in the Southwest (this is a long one)

Post by MichaelCravens »

Will, thanks a lot. We have fun now, but it will be a bit easier to take him out when he's not permanently attached to mom.

Terry, thanks!

Mike, I sure with I was going to Peru with you :( have a great trip.

Michael Cravens
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