JiminMD
Trail Wise!
Unrepentant Smartass
Posts: 955 
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Post by JiminMD on Jun 4, 2018 12:32:06 GMT -8
As found in the backyard this afternoon...   |
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Post by Coolkat on Aug 16, 2018 12:02:48 GMT -8
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Post by trinity on Aug 16, 2018 16:08:16 GMT -8
I take it this snake is dead? It is very dull in color for a Green Snake, but they typically lose their bright green color when dead. It clearly has unkeeled scales, so I think Smooth Green Snake is correct.
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foxalo
Trail Wise!
Life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind could invent.---Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Posts: 2,359 
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Post by foxalo on Aug 16, 2018 18:49:57 GMT -8
Could be getting ready to shed. The eyes look a little milky. Green snakes are very pretty. My son almost stepped on one a couple years ago while we were on a hike.
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Post by Coolkat on Aug 17, 2018 4:29:48 GMT -8
I take it this snake is dead? It wasn't dead. However, I would have never seen this little guy if I hadn't accidentally kicked over a small mound of moss. He was a bit lethargic but as the sun warmed him up he became more active and then slithered away. It was getting cool at night so I think he was trying to stay warm. Could be getting ready to shed. The eyes look a little milky. That was my thought also because of milky eyes. |
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Post by cweston on Aug 17, 2018 7:46:20 GMT -8
I shooed a basic vanilla garter snake away from our front door the other day. I took a close look at it's patterning, and was reminded that even this most common, unremarkable snake is really quite a beautiful creature. The patterning on the belly is quite elaborate.
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Post by Coolkat on Aug 17, 2018 9:49:52 GMT -8
This guy was the same size as the last one. He had a super bright orange belly and I've been told it's probably a Northern Red-Bellied Snake. I had never seen one of these either.   |
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foxalo
Trail Wise!
Life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind could invent.---Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Posts: 2,359
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Post by foxalo on Aug 17, 2018 10:12:52 GMT -8
Coolkat We had one of those poke it's head out of a little hole near the top of our pool. My husband tried to grab it to let go into the grass, but it went back in. Same description you gave. Brown snake with bright red belly. We get a lot of DeKay's brown snakes around here in the Fall, but they don't have the red belly. They are similar in size though, tiny.
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davesenesac
Trail Wise!
Our precious life is short within eternity, don't waste it!
Posts: 1,706
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Post by davesenesac on Jun 14, 2019 7:48:53 GMT -8
In a sandy wash noticed an uncommon southern desert horned lizard, phrynosoma platyrhinos calidarum. Coyote Canyon, Anza Borrego State Park.
Bakersfield legless lizard, anniella grinnelli. Carrizo Plain National Monument.
More here:
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davesenesac
Trail Wise!
Our precious life is short within eternity, don't waste it!
Posts: 1,706
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Post by davesenesac on Jul 4, 2019 7:37:54 GMT -8
While on the trail loaded with pack backpacking last Sunday in the John Muir Wilderness, passed by a boulder where a male Sierra Fence Lizard, sceloporus occidentalis taylori, did not quickly scurry away as they normally do. Instead it froze keeping an eye on this person ready to make its escape with my slightest next move. Instead I slowly removed my tiny Cannon ELPH190 compact digital camera from pocket, and took a first photo. Next zoomed in 12x taking another, and then slowly inched closer to shoot a third image below.
A a child growing up in the northeast Sacramento outer urban area, I caught many of these "blue belly" lizards that are most common. The below lizard is one of the most colorful males I've ever encountered with vibrant blues and aqua colors on its top scaly side. Most of these lizards have little of that color on that top, remaining mostly black scaled. All have beautiful blue bellies. A interesting behavior is after capture if one turns one upside down and then gently strokes their bellies and takes one's hands away, they may lay there as in a trance not trying to escape. But a quick poke and they spring back to life. (mouse click to enlarge)
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desert dweller
Trail Wise!
Power to the Peaceful...Hate does not create.
Posts: 6,290
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Post by desert dweller on Jul 11, 2019 9:59:15 GMT -8
Python vs Crocodile. Which wins? link |
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Post by swimswithtrout on Jul 14, 2019 13:40:20 GMT -8
I've made the short hike to a Burrowing Owl nest 4 times in the past 2 weeks. On all 4 hikes, I've seen 1 to several of these guys lurking 1' off the trail.  |
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walkswithblackflies
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Resident terrorist-supporting eco-freak bootlicker
Posts: 6,762
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Jul 29, 2019 6:48:07 GMT -8
I saw the tiniest toad this past weekend. About this size (photo not mine):  The fact that I spotted it in my lawn just proves that I have superhuman abilities to spot wildlife. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2019 13:21:11 GMT -8
I saw the tiniest toad this past weekend. About this size (photo not mine): Perhaps the Dwarf American Toad ?-Don- |
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walkswithblackflies
Trail Wise!
Resident terrorist-supporting eco-freak bootlicker
Posts: 6,762
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Aug 1, 2019 4:26:48 GMT -8
I assume it was just a "regular" newly-transformed American toad. According to your link, it doesn't appear the Dwarf variety can cross the Pennsylvania border. LOL! |
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Image Credit / Coolkat
