Early 2015- some notable finds

[Zach_Lim]

I realized that I have been pretty absent on the Forums. Work and tour planning has really taken a lot of my time. However, despite these impediments, I am still herping non-stop whenever I get the chance!

Inspired by Jeff SurfinHerp's post, here are some notable finds from my beginning of the year----> or rather, with how dry it has already gotten, possibly notable finds for the year! I've already contemplated giving herping a rest for some much needed fishing sessions with lots of beer. We really need rain....

January 2015

Northern Rubber Boa- Marin County, CA





CA Red-sided Garter Snake- Marin County, CA




Northern Pacific Rattlesnake- San Mateo County, CA





CA Night Snake- San Mateo County, CA



Arboreal Salamander- San Mateo County, CA



Pacific Ring-necked Snake- San Mateo County, CA



Santa Cruz Garter Snake- Santa Clara County, CA



Western Yellow-bellied Racer- Santa Cruz County, CA



Hopkin's Rose Nudibranch- San Mateo County, CA



Berthella Sea Slug- San Mateo County, CA



February 2015

Coast Garter Snake- San Mateo County, CA



Red-bellied Newt- Santa Clara County, CA



Santa Cruz Black Salamander- Santa Cruz County, CA



Took a trip up north into the Shasta area. I am kicking myself for not bringing my DSLR....



Shasta lineage Speckled Black Salamander- Shasta County, CA



Sharp-tailed Snake- Alameda County, CA



Northern Pacific Rattlesnake- Santa Cruz County, CA



Gumboot Chiton- San Mateo County, CA



Pacific Gopher Snake- San Mateo County, CA



CA Tarantula from the Santa Cruz Mountains- Santa Cruz County, CA



NorPac Rattlesnake- San Mateo County, CA



And...the best find from February, on the 28th....

Coast Mountain Kingsnake- San Mateo County, CA







March 2015

CA Giant Salamander- San Mateo County, CA



San Francisco Garter Snake- San Mateo County, CA

Looks like hawk predation?



San Francisco Garter Snake- San Mateo County, CA





Northern Rubber Boa- San Mateo County, CA

I found this boa under a log in a place I've never found one before!



Yet ANOTHER boa from ANOTHER new spot!



A break from the West Bay. Enter the East Bay-

CA Night Snake- Contra Costa County, CA



Western Yellow-bellied Racer (injured, found under rock- predation?)- Contra Costa County, CA



A buddy of mine spotted one of my favorite Bay Area snakes basking by a rock outcrop-

Alameda Striped Racer- Contra Costa County, CA





Northern Pacific Rattlesnake- Contra Costa County, CA



Diable Garter Snake- Contra Costa County, CA





CA Red-legged Frog- Contra Costa County, CA



And a crote to welcome me back to the West Bay-

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake- San Mateo County, CA



That is it for now! Hopefully things get wet again so that the herping window opens up again! Going to be a lot of things going on for me these next coming months, including my leaving of my job to go on a full USA tour with my band. Change is good, I hope.

Scalped- "Burden"

[JAMAUGHN]

Great work, Zach. The zonata's very nice, but I'm most drawn to that Alameda Whipsnake...beautiful. I suspect I should probably hold off listening to your band's track until I get home, since my students are currently doing peer review...but, on the other hand...

JimM

[gopher]

Nice work Zach! I really enjoyed the salamanders, especially the Speckled. Looking forward to herping with you soon. Those rubber boas make me jealous, I have to tell myself those are doggie poops to move on with my day.

[RobertH]

Yeah, looks like conditions are REALLY TOUGH up there - NOTTTTT!

Especially the Alameda Striped Racer is a great find, and captured pretty well on camera as well.

Have fun herping with Greg when he's in the Bay Area. He's a herping machine.

Robert

[SurfinHerp]

Excellent post Zach! A lot of cool finds and many great photos

I especially love your photo of the Shasta Speckled Black. The lighting seems different and better than the rest.

How many boas have you found so far this season?? Seems like you've really figured out how to find them.

Hope your nationwide tour rocks dude!

Jeff

[yolodave]

Great stuff Zach. Night Snakes in Nor Cal still amaze me. Nice photos.

DAve

[Porter]

Nice rubber-tailed rattler snake I think that may be a morph...

[rocamontes]

Great pics!
Specially the alameda racer

[Speckled Rosy]

Nice dude! Love the Z's and rubber boas..

-Dan

[Wonderjeep]

I am just in awe. I only discovered this forum last year. I have been learning a lot. I loved hunting for herps as a kid, but then kinda stopped. I have only just rediscovered how much I love it, but I am blown away by the finds and the pics that I see here.

[mark buck]

that first pic of the boas is epic.
and how's the orange on that alameda whip!
nice post.