May 13th-May 15th Virgin River Area Crew: Finds?

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klawnskale
Posts: 1211
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:09 pm

May 13th-May 15th Virgin River Area Crew: Finds?

Post by klawnskale »

Just curious to know what the attendees found on their herp survey this past weekend (since I have been there before). See any Great Basin Rattlesnakes
or Pyros? Do you have a list of finds?
Jimi
Posts: 1955
Joined: December 3rd, 2010, 12:06 pm

Re: May 13th-May 15th Virgin River Area Crew: Finds?

Post by Jimi »

There were just a few of us, like last fall. Me, Steve, Seth, and Carrie (my wife).

Weather was pretty good (a little warm at first, but it cooled down, plus we had south wind and some overcast), conditions (e.g., soil moisture levels) were quite good, enthusiasm was good. Moon phase was 50% visible. We walked, flipped, and cruised. Steve and Seth did the HERP app thing for a lot of records.

We got some good stuff and also missed a few "gimmes". And of course, failed to find certain good stuff.

Let's see, a herp species list would go something like this:

anurans
chorus frog
red-spotted toad
leopard frog

squamates
Uta
S magister
S graciosus
Xantusia
whiptail
coachwhip
Salvadora
lyre
Hypsiglena
ringneck
sidewinder (hordes...)
scute

I think that's about it. See what I mean? Cruised a lyre (a pretty big one) and flipped a ringer (also a nice big one, gorgeous!), but saw no lutosus, whipsnakes, gophers no matter what...

Anyway, gorgeous place, I'd go back in a heartbeat. The place cries out for more effort.

cheers
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klawnskale
Posts: 1211
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:09 pm

Re: May 13th-May 15th Virgin River Area Crew: Finds?

Post by klawnskale »

Jimi wrote:There were just a few of us, like last fall. Me, Steve, Seth, and Carrie (my wife).

Weather was pretty good (a little warm at first, but it cooled down, plus we had south wind and some overcast), conditions (e.g., soil moisture levels) were quite good, enthusiasm was good. Moon phase was 50% visible. We walked, flipped, and cruised. Steve and Seth did the HERP app thing for a lot of records.

We got some good stuff and also missed a few "gimmes". And of course, failed to find certain good stuff.

Let's see, a herp species list would go something like this:

anurans
chorus frog
red-spotted toad
leopard frog

squamates
Uta
S magister
S graciosus
Xantusia
whiptail
coachwhip
Salvadora
lyre
Hypsiglena
ringneck
sidewinder (hordes...)
scute

I think that's about it. See what I mean? Cruised a lyre (a pretty big one) and flipped a ringer (also a nice big one, gorgeous!), but saw no lutosus, whipsnakes, gophers no matter what...

Anyway, gorgeous place, I'd go back in a heartbeat. The place cries out for more effort.

cheers
Great to hear. No Tortugas near Gold Butte? Hmmm.
Jimi
Posts: 1955
Joined: December 3rd, 2010, 12:06 pm

Re: May 13th-May 15th Virgin River Area Crew: Finds?

Post by Jimi »

No Tortugas near Gold Butte? Hmmm.
None seen, but we weren't walking and flipping low-down on the frontside. Lowest we got (~3400' if I recall rightly) was on the backside, the AZ/NV border area where we flipped the ringer & night lizard. No DT's back there. Lots of Mojave stuff not back there, it's a strange, strange contact zone between Mojave, Great Basin, and CO Plateau.

So, "no DTs seen" means nothing whatsoever. Zero effort = zero result, almost every time. 'Specially in the not-so-misnamed No-jave.

Sorry you had to skip, good luck in the SW Sierras this summer. Hope it doesn't all burn to hell...be extra careful where you park, etc.

cheers
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