TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

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todd battey
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TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by todd battey »

Roll call for TR trips. Most specifically, if you are planning to attend the March 28 trip (this coming Saturday), please PM me with contact info (phone, email, mailing address). We'll be going to the north side of Bear Mountain where we have a few boards to check, more boards to put out, and probably crazy wildflower displays. Previous trips have turned up Yellow-blotched Ensatina, CA Kings, etc. So far I have for this trip ... Jim, which I have penciled in on the list due to the uncertainties of the transportation side of the equation. Jim, are you in? Any others? If this trip does not reach critical mass, it may implode.

If you are interested in future trips, make sure you let me know to put you on the list. I need names and contact info before each trip. Here are the dates and planned destinations:

- 03/28/15 (Sa) - Check boards on the north side of Bear Mountain and one or two other destinations
- 04/19/15 (Su) - Tejon Canyon to El Paso Creek
- 05/31/15 (Su) - Comanche Point (prime habitat) and 2 study pastures for Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard surveys
- 06/14/15 (Su) - Comanche Point and 2 different study pastures for Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard surveys

Thanks and enjoy your spring.

Todd
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mattg
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by mattg »

Wish I could go , :( . I'm in a wedding on Saturday . If it was Sunday I would be in I'd even pick Jim up.
RobertH
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by RobertH »

As I indicated before, Nicholas and I unfortunately also cannot make it because it's my daughter's 16th birthday.

To those who haven't been to (this part of) Tejon Ranch: You should really go. It's an awesome area with interesting herps, fantastic landscape, and a good chance of seeing CA Condors and/or Golden Eagles. Here are some shots from the CV side of the ranch taken in spring 2013:

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Robert
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Jeff Lemm
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by Jeff Lemm »

Hi Todd,
Thanks for all of your hard work on this - I almost forgot that the 28th is my Anniversary, so we are a no-go (although I almost talked her into coming for the flowers)!
RobertH
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by RobertH »

Todd,

I am just wondering: Since a lot of people, including myself and Nicholas, cannot make it on Saturday, is there any way you could move the survey to Sunday? I know, of course, that surveys need to be coordinated with Mike of the TR Conservancy, and that moving the survey simply may be out of the question for that reason alone. But I thought I would at least bring up the possibility.

Thanks,

Robert
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Phillodactylus
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by Phillodactylus »

I'm in, as well as Jacob Anderson.

Though not if it were to change to Sunday.

-Phil
hellihooks
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by hellihooks »

It's not that I don't have a vehicle that can make it... just that i need to get my escort smogged to get it tagged, and my truck just takes a LOT of gas. don't think I'll have my Geo tracker ready to roll by then either. I'd prefer to rideshare with someone, and am working on that. I could make it to your house Todd... we've done that before... :crazyeyes:
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todd battey
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by todd battey »

Robert, I don't think it's going to work to move the trip to Sunday at this point. I tried to do a mix of Sat and Sun trips this year, because some people can only do one or the other. The trip this weekend is the only open NAFHA trip planned on a Saturday. I'm leaving town Sat night, so Sunday is out for me at this point. Thanks for posting the photos. I hope to see you and Nicholas next trip.
RobertH
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by RobertH »

Todd, sure, I understand. Makes perfect sense. I hope that you'll find enough people in the end to make it worthwhile to go ahead with the survey on Saturday.

Robert
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todd battey
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by todd battey »

We're off to the Ranch tomorrow with the Victorville crew. Everyone attending this San Joaquin Valley trip tomorrow are from the high desert. We've got old boards to flip and new ones to place. With the early dry-out this season, this trip will be the best bet for some species, like the salamanders , and for snakes under boards. We'll see...
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gopher
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by gopher »

How did it go?
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Phillodactylus
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by Phillodactylus »

Hey all, we actually kinda had a rough day out there, in the end only observing 7, maybe 8 herp species.

As we were getting close to our starting area, we found about 4 DOR Pacific Gophers around 9:30am. We should have road cruised during this beginning portion of the trip, because after we placed and flipped existing boards, we ended up seeing another 10-13 DOR Gophers on the road, and the only King of the trip. Also DOR.

During the AC part, (and throughout the day) we were able to see a crapton (yes, that is an actual measurement) of San Joaquin Fence Lizards,
ImageSJFL by phatcattbone, on Flickr

ImageSJFL by phatcattbone, on Flickr

and were lucky enough to come across a large male California Alligator Lizard.

ImageCAL by phatcattbone, on Flickr

After this, it was about 11:30 or so and we ventured to our next spot to seek out some Sierra Garter Snakes near some small cattle ponds and lay some cover boards in the hopes of turning up herps in the future. We saw a few amphibs around there, nothing too special. Here's a metamorph Sierran Treefrog we came across:
ImageSTF by phatcattbone, on Flickr

We continued down the dirt road and found a small stretch of riparian habitat, and decided to have a look around. I should note that we were somewhat discouraged due to our lack of live snake finds for the day, but as luck would have it, we turned up this nice 3'+ Pacific Gopher Snake.

ImagePGS by phatcattbone, on Flickr

It was well after 2 pm at this point so we decided to call it a day. Though we didn't find a whole lot of herps, the trip was a lot of fun for us. We don't get these subspecies in the High Desert, and I was able to cross a few off my annual list. I will absolutely do my best to get out to subsequent surveys as the season progresses, and would wholeheartedly suggest you guys do the same. Its a really special place.

Species list:

San Joaquin Fence Lizard
Western Side-blotched Lizard
California Alligator Lizard
Pacific Gopher Snake
California Kingsnake (DOR)
Sierran Treefrog
American Bullfrog
some tadpoles that I'd bet were Southern California Toads.


See you in the field!
-Phil
hellihooks
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by hellihooks »

wow... thats uhhh... surprizing? pretty sure the treefrogs there are still baja... http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/ma ... ecies2.jpg
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Phillodactylus
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Re: TR Roll Call for 03/28/15 Trip

Post by Phillodactylus »

I used that as my source, Jim. We were in the Northwestern part of the county. P. sierrae. Thanks for checking though.
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