2011 - so far in SoCal

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Kent VanSooy
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2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Kent VanSooy »

Now that the summer solstice has arrived, it’s time for me to share what we’ve seen so far in 2011. The CA NAFHA chapter continued its work surveying for amphibians in San Diego county, and I’ve learned to photograph tadpoles from every angle. Relax and enjoy the show!

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For reasons that remain unclear to me, my wife just LOVES happy cow shots. So, to appease her (and perhaps even you, dear viewer!) I leave you with happy cows.

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ColdBloodedHerps
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by ColdBloodedHerps »

Woah! Epic post! :thumb: Love the crotes and get enough rosies! haha
hellihooks
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by hellihooks »

WOW!!!!!!!
WHAT in the world is this thing? :shock:
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq21 ... 240024.jpg

Is Bill holding a baby helli? :shock:
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Toxic
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Toxic »

Absolutely awesome post! Loved the rosies and the first Ruber! I really need to get myself down to SoCal... :thumb:
Taylor Henry
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Taylor Henry »

Very nice set of pictures Kent! Lots of great variety. I really liked seeing a daytime shot of a glossy. You don't see those too often... The boas and zonata of course are all awesome. Thanks for the post! Congrats on a great year so far :thumb:
hellihooks wrote:WHAT in the world is this thing?
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq21 ... 240024.jpg
I've only seen one or two that look like this. I call em "brubers" cause they are usually much more brown in coloration. Very cool though.
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JAMAUGHN
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by JAMAUGHN »

Incredible variety, and wonderful photos! And finally, someone's posted pictures of cows! I mean, it's always with the snakes and lizards...
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geckoguy747
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by geckoguy747 »

awesome post kent! love the xantusia! and everything else too!
josh
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SurfinHerp
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by SurfinHerp »

Incredible post Kent! Thanks for taking the time to share so many awesome photos!!
The shot of the bright red ruber with the green valley below is my favorite (and I don't even like Crots very much).
I really look forward to seeing what you find in the second half of the year....
Have fun out there,
Jeff
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todd battey
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by todd battey »

Great post, Kent. Loads of boas, huge variety, and some beautiful habitat shots. It looks like another great season.

Todd
hellihooks
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by hellihooks »

Taylor Henry wrote:
hellihooks wrote:WHAT in the world is this thing?
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq21 ... 240024.jpg
I've only seen one or two that look like this. I call em "brubers" cause they are usually much more brown in coloration. Very cool though.
I'm guessing a juvie 'desert-phase' ruber... if so... that's one you don't see very often... :shock:
Wish we had 'happy cows' up here...this is what I have to deal with...
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getting around these guys, to look for pond turtles, is 'hell and gone' from 'happy' :( :crazyeyes: :lol: jim
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SDherp
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by SDherp »

WOW! Can't get enough of the Boa and Zonata shots! The Night Lizards are cool and I love the shot of the Longnose crossing the road. Thanks for sharing the pics Kent.

Evan
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Fundad
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Fundad »

Good Job sir, great photos and killer year.. :thumb: :beer: :beer:

Did you guys flip those Glossies down there?

Congrats
Fundad
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Correcamino
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Correcamino »

Awesome post and pics Kent! I noticed we photographed one of teh same kings...
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Who knopws, might be some other stuff, I just recongnized this one right away.

Cheers,

RIch
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Kent VanSooy
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Kent VanSooy »

Thanks for all the nice comments! This has been a great year for rosys and striped kings. That dark ruber is a young coastal animal that we found just a couple miles from the beach (like alot of snakes, the coastal versions are darker than those from the desert). Neither of us ever touch the rattlers! - I think that's a boa you're talking about Jim. I'm glad you noticed the longnose shot Evan - that was one of my favorite photographs of the year. I had never seen one stretched out on a road like that in full daylight (and it was a busy road at that - I was lying flat on my belly taking the shot and worrying about both me and the snake getting run over!). Brian, I flipped the dark glossys under a piece of wood in southern Riverside county - they were a nice surprise. Rich, that's definitely the same snake - it was under the same board for about 10 weeks straight this spring.
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Steve Bledsoe
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Steve Bledsoe »

Nice work, Mr. President.

I agree - the longnose shot in broad daylight is very impressive, not to mention unusual.
billboard
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by billboard »

Holy Crap! Where did you see all that stuff? Post of the year.



Jim,


I do not handle hots.

See you at the arc in a couple of days.



Kent,

love those coastal glossies!
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Judson
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Judson »

Great job Kent! Excellent photography! I hope to see 10% of this over the entire 2011! :thumb: :beer:

-Isaac
hellihooks
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by hellihooks »

billboard wrote: Jim,

I do not handle hots.

See you at the arc in a couple of days.
Yeah... my eyes are going, I guess...the look on your face says dor helli... I KNOW you don't handle 'live hots'... should have been more clear... :crazyeyes:
As for ARC... no longer sure. My daughter starts college 7/3... blew my rather meager savings on buying her a good car... had to replace a $500 stove an employee broke on a job...and my car just started overheating...like every 10 miles... :shock: Be there IF I can.

Kent, I really like the shot of Robert/Nicholas 'marooned' in the sea of grass and granite... :thumb: jim
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monklet
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by monklet »

Do you love SD er what Kent? :shock: You've got a special magic for taking such a wide variety of fascintating and often stunning images. Not to mention all the novel experiences and awesome animals behind them all!

So many images to comment on and ask questions about but I'll keep it to a few (in case anyone cares ;-))

Is this like an "aztec" morph glossy?
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Simply lovely!
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Fun stuff...
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Seems like the mormoni would be a pretty good snake eh?

...and on and on.

Thanks Kent, epic post.
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rpecora
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by rpecora »

Kent, spectacular post.

I too was very impressed with that stretched out Longnose.
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azatrox
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by azatrox »

Great post Kent! Wonderful variety, and the composition is outstanding! :)

-Kris
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by hellihooks »

Though I hesitate to ask... was the rubber from a 'regular' local, or from somewhere 'less known' I agree with Brad about the Mormon... killer find. Is the glossy a Ca. Glossy...hence the 'differences'?
This longnose from last year blew me away... right at dusk, on the backside of Silverwood (173) only one I've ever seen on that rd in 30 yrs... :shock:
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Kent VanSooy
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Kent VanSooy »

Thanks guys!

Billboard, I saw all that stuff behind the library in San Marcos - that places ROCKS - but you already knew that.

Jim, we don't even touch dead rattlers. Wasn't sure if anyone would notice Robert and Nicholas in the shot - we worked the young man pretty hard that day. And since you hesitate to ask about the rubber boa, I'll hesitate to answer...!

Brad, I do love SD county! Sometimes I think we should spend more time farther afield, but the biodiversity in our own backyard is incredible. The rosys for example vary dramatically from the coast to the border to the desert.

I appreciate the comments about composition. The animals can be so gorgeous it's hard not to focus entirely on them, but I've been working on trying to catch more of the scene and the feeling that the finds brought at the moment; I think those are the images that are most powerful.
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socalherper
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by socalherper »

Wow Kent.... Nice post ! I t has been a great year you guys thyat's for sure!

T
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jdustin
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by jdustin »

AWESOME post! All great stuff.
That's a weird looking glossy. Do they all look like that there?
I may be weird but I like this one best. The "as flipped" shots just really awaken my inner herper, and I love ones like this that make you feel like you're there too. Thanks for sharing.
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ramblon
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by ramblon »

Kent,

Man, sorry you had to endure such a slow season! It was nice running into you a couple times out there and sharing some finds.

I really like the shot with the handful of gopher heads for some reason, cool composition. Beach boa under the board as well, perfect in situ. Thanks for putting that together, a ton of great images in 6 months!

:beer:
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sauceman
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by sauceman »

Wow, it's a Boa extravaganza. Awesome stuff. Only, problem is that there is so much here it's hard to comment... you get overwhelmed. That Lyre has a HUGE meal in it. The zonatas are spectacular. So, the rhino really was day-cruised? I think that everything I would want to express has already been said here. Overall, an awesome post with some top-notch images.

It's funny how common Rubber Boas and YBR's are up here and how SoCal folks get so excited by them. I know that those are significant finds down there, great job.
hellihooks
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by hellihooks »

Kent VanSooy wrote:
Jim, we don't even touch dead rattlers. Wasn't sure if anyone would notice Robert and Nicholas in the shot - we worked the young man pretty hard that day. And since you hesitate to ask about the rubber boa, I'll hesitate to answer...!


I appreciate the comments about composition. The animals can be so gorgeous it's hard not to focus entirely on them, but I've been working on trying to catch more of the scene and the feeling that the finds brought at the moment; I think those are the images that are most powerful.
Kent... not asking where the rubber came from, and don't need to know. just wanted to get the congrats level right..."regular'---Cool find. 'lesser known'--- FANTASTIC!
Many of your pics are getting to the point where you can tell it's a 'Kent Van Sooy' at a glance... seriously great! HOPEFULLY see ya in a day or two.... I would be remiss as a dad, if I didn't take my daughter's new car for an extended 'test drive'....yeah, yeah...THATS the Ticket... :crazyeyes: :lol: :lol: jim
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Chris_VE.
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Chris_VE. »

Awesome post! I am so jealous of EVERYTHING here! This many snakes is more like 6 years for me then six months!
hellihooks wrote:Kent... not asking where the rubber came from, and don't need to know. just wanted to get the congrats level right..."regular'---Cool find. 'lesser known'--- FANTASTIC!
It was my first Southern Rubber, so it was FANTASTIC! whether it was in a popular area or not :D
sauceman wrote: It's funny how common Rubber Boas and YBR's are up here and how SoCal folks get so excited by them. I know that those are significant finds down there, great job.
He was exciting! ;)

-Chris
TC Reptile
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by TC Reptile »

Post of the Season....thanks for taking the time to post it all!
hellihooks
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by hellihooks »

Chris_VE. wrote:Awesome post! I am so jealous of EVERYTHING here! This many snakes is more like 6 years for me then six months!
hellihooks wrote:Kent... not asking where the rubber came from, and don't need to know. just wanted to get the congrats level right..."regular'---Cool find. 'lesser known'--- FANTASTIC!
It was my first Southern Rubber, so it was FANTASTIC! whether it was in a popular area or not :D
-Chris
Well then.. don't matter where it was from... if it was someone's lifer, then THAT makes it fantastic! Congrats Chris....I have yet to flip a Southern... but getting 'OK' at finding Northerns... :crazyeyes: :thumb: jim
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Jason Hull
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Jason Hull »

Great post Kent.
The shot of that racer almost makes me want to throw up in the woods. :o

Jason
C-Holbrook
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by C-Holbrook »

Loved the photos of the Boas!!! Looks like you've had an amazing year so far.
RobertH
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by RobertH »

Wasn't sure if anyone would notice Robert and Nicholas in the shot - we worked the young man pretty hard that day.
Kent, I did notice the two of us in that shot right away and it brought back memories of what was a very exciting, memorable (if strenuous) day of herping with a great group of people. Needless to say, your other shots are most notable. Personally, I really like the little "bruber."

Looking forward to your next long post at the end of the year :thumb:

Robert
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by hellihooks »

While tough... it was good for you two (Rob/Nic) to get a taste of 'hard herpin'... after that place, you two know you could handle bout anything... :thumb: And BTW... very few people can keep up with Kent or Bill, going up a hill. :crazyeyes: jim
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LouB747
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by LouB747 »

Wow, great post!
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Ross Padilla
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Re: 2011 - so far in SoCal

Post by Ross Padilla »

Wow, California sure is awesome for herping. Definitely one of the greatest posts of all time, IMO. :thumb: :beer: :thumb:

Kent, Hate to keep bothering you about these kings (lol) but would you happen to have any pictures of the full body of this Newport?

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