Field season begins in Oregon

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Richard F. Hoyer
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:14 pm

Field season begins in Oregon

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

My one post for the year --- copied from the NW Chapter forum.

At around 2 PM this afternoon, the fog had burnt off in N. Corvallis and the temperature had risen in to the low 50's. I had attended a bird symposium on Saturday so missed out on the suitable conditions for making searches that day. So despite marginal conditions, this afternoon I decided to head out to some of my boa sites west and north.

But when I got south of the OSU campus on 35th and all the way west into Philomath, it was foggy and 48 degrees. However, up Hwy. 20 west to Wren, the sun was out and the air temperature was 53 degrees. I stopped at three of my sites an came up with two male Rubber Boas at one site and one male boa at another site.

Then on to Airlie and my former Common Sharp-tailed Study site. But the region north in southern Polk Co. was fogged in and the temperature was 46 degrees. Despite those unsuitable conditions, I made some searches and came up with a juvenile S. All. Lizards for my troubles. So my field season is getting off to a bit earlier start than normal in 2015.

Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis)
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SurfinHerp
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Re: Field season begins in Oregon

Post by SurfinHerp »

Glad you were able to get out and find some boas in January Dr. Hoyer! :mrgreen:

I still have never found a rubber boa. I'm planning to change that this year though. I'll let you know if I have any luck.

Jeff
Richard F. Hoyer
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 1:14 pm

Re: Field season begins in Oregon

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

Jeff:
I have a degree in wildlife science which means, just like the vast majority of individual on this forum, I am just another rank amateur herpetologist.
But thanks for the 'honorary' PhD degree. Hah.

Richard F. Hoyer
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Speckled Rosy
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Re: Field season begins in Oregon

Post by Speckled Rosy »

Sounds like a great early season day! Im still wondering if I can find rosy boas in North Los Angeles co., this early in the year.. I think I need to take a page from your book, Mr Hoyer.. If the weather is permitting, why not try?

-Daniel
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Field season begins in Oregon

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Now, if Richard could just learn to take pics of what he sees and enter them in the database life would be perfect... :lol:
Al St. John is now on board entering his finds...YAY
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Field season begins in Oregon

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Speckled Rosy wrote:Sounds like a great early season day! Im still wondering if I can find rosy boas in North Los Angeles co., this early in the year.. I think I need to take a page from your book, Mr Hoyer.. If the weather is permitting, why not try?

-Daniel
Danny, I think you would have no trouble finding an alligator lizard right now in L.A. county... :lol:
Richard F. Hoyer
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Re: Field season begins in Oregon

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

As it turned out, finding 3 adult male Rubber Boas on 1/26 was just a start for the current 2015 season here in northwestern Oregon. With another herper along, on 1/30 we encountered 4 more adult male boas, two juvenile Common Sharp-tailed Snakes, and a juvenile S. All. Lizard. The next day, I encountered 4 more juvenile sharptails and another juvenile SAL.

I am aware that few individuals are into research beyond reporting locality records. But for the few in which basic research is of interest, below I have copied what I posted on the NW sub-forum. The percentages are 'relative tail lengths' (tail length divided by total length).

So why mess with the tails of snakes when the widely accepted convention in herpetology is to record body lengths, that is, snout-vent length or SVL. And what value is there to determining 'relative tail lengths'?

Richard F. Hoyer

=======================================
1/29/15
female: 0.4 grams, 93 mm total length, 11 mm tail length, 11/93 = 11.83%
male: 0.7 grams, 129 mm total length, 18 mm tail length, 18/129 = 13.95%

1/30/15
male: 0.6 grams, 99 mm total length, 13 mm tail length, 13/99 = 13.13%,
female: 0.7 grams, 116 mm total length, 14 mm tail length, 14/116 = 12.07 %
male: 0.9 grams, 135 mm total length, 18 mm tail length, 18/135 = 13.33%
male: 0.6 grams, 103 mm total length, 14 mm tail length, 14/103 = 13.59%
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regalringneck
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Re: Field season begins in Oregon

Post by regalringneck »

... good to see you're still @ em Richard, hope your still gettn after the bunnies w/ your hawk. the other reason for my response tho., was to acknowledge you for one of the deep ?'s/ paradox identities of our time ; just how does one go about measuring the tail ... of a 2 headed rubber snake ? 8-) :P
Richard F. Hoyer
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Re: Field season begins in Oregon

Post by Richard F. Hoyer »

John:
Still hunting my female Harris's Hawk Conchita but have cut back to hunting every third day from every other day. Today was suppose to be our day out with Conchita and my three 'kids' (beagles) but is has rained all day. Conchita, going on 15, is very consistent at snaring rabbit and hares.

As for determining which end of a boa is the head vs. tail, I use the two best available scientific methods. The first is to agitate the snake to the point it voids on you. You quickly note which end that is and assign that as being the tail end. If that doesn't work, the other proven technique is to flip a coin.

Richard FH
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