California and Beyond 2003-2006

Here's some photos from 2003-2006, in chronological order. Most are from California, with a few from Hawaii. Lots of reptiles and amphibians, with some family and friends. There's also a good number of landscape photos.

Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana), showing its characteristic "side blotch". Riverside County, California, August 2003.

A young Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister). Riverside County, California, August 2003.

Another young Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister). Riverside County, California, August 2003.

Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores), male. Riverside County, California, August 2003.

Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores), female. Riverside County, California, August 2003.

Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater), male. Riverside County, California, August 2003.

Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater), female. Riverside County, California, August 2003.

Scenery, near where the above lizards were seen. Riverside County, California, August 2003. Curiously, this exact spot is depicted on the back cover of the book "California: Vanishing Habitats and Wildlife" by B. "Moose" Peterson... Same cacti, same rocks. Don't ask me how I noticed this...

Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei), as found very early in the morning. Riverside County, California, August 2003. One of the advantages of traveling to California from the east coast is that time offset makes it easy to get up early, at least for the first day or two you are there.

A closer look at the above Long-nosed Snake.

Red Racer AKA Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum piceus), as found in a sandy area early in the morning. Riverside County, California, August 2003.

A closer look at the above snake.

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii), as found, just waking up for the morning. Riverside County, California, August 2003.

Another look.

Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma scoparia). Riverside County, California, August 2003.

A juvenile Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma scoparia). Riverside County, California, August 2003.

Tiger Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris). Riverside County, California, August 2003.

Zebra-tailed (Callisaurus draconoides), female. Central San Bernardino County, California, August 2003. This animal found during the middle of a very hot day. Notice how it is minimizing its contact with the very hot lava rock.

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii), Central San Bernardino County, California, August, 2003. It is shown as found. I spotted it when I stopped to tie my shoe. It was a very large one, over 5" SVL. It showed tiny traces of the orange pattern characteristic of a gravid female. This one is definitely postpartum.

A pair of Desert Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus magister), as found in Northwest San Bernardino County, California, August 2003.

A large male Desert Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus magister). Northwest San Bernardino County, California, August 2003.

A closer look.

Impressive ventral colors.

Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater). Northwest San Bernardino County, California, August 2003.

Ryan, Northwest San Bernardino County, California, August 2003.

Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Northwest San Bernardino County, California, August 2003.

Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Same snake as in previous photo.

Ryan in some desert riparian habitat. Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Desert Hairy Scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii), which had not warmed up yet. Kern County, California, August 2003.

California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Desert Night Snake (Hpysiglena torquata deserticola). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Western Shovel-nosed Snake (Chionactis occipitalis occipitalis). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

A closer look.

Scenery near the Sierra Crest in Inyo County, California. August 2003. You don't get views like this in Ohio!

Scenery near the Sierra Crest in Fresno County, California. August 2003. The surface of the lake is at 11,000'.

Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog (Rana sierrae), as found at the shore of the above lake.

A closer look at the above frog.

Another one photographed as found nearby.

Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog tadpoles (Rana sierrae) found nearby.

A young Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Zebra-tailed (Callisaurus draconoides), female. Inyo County, California, August 2003.

A young Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei). Ryan found this snake out on the crawl in the afternoon. Kern County, California, August 2003.

A young Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis), as found on a road after dark. Inyo County, California, August 2003.

A neonate Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes). Inyo County, California, August 2003.

Ryan with Grandma and Grandpa in Ridgecrest. August 2003.

Roxanne and Ryan on the beach in San Diego. August 2003.

Ryan in Death Valley, December 2003.

Roxanne and Ryan in Death Valley, December 2003. The sign in the background says "Sea Level."

Trona Pinnacles, December 2003.

Lower slope of Owens Peak, December 2003.

Zebra-tailed (Callisaurus draconoides), male. Central San Bernardino County, California, June 2004.

Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Mojave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus), found by Ryan. Or should I say it found Ryan... Northwest San Bernardino County, June 2004.

Habitat, Northwest San Bernardino County, June 2004. The above Mojave Rattlesnake was found in the foreground. We've also seen Sidewinders and a Panamint Rattlesnake here. Some of my Ridgecrest friends may recognize this as a "party" spot...

Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos), as found in the late afternoon. Kern County, California, June 2004.

Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer) found crossing a dirt road. Kern County, California, June 2004.

Another look.

Red-spotted Toad metamorph (Anaxyrus punctatus). Argus Mountains, Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Ryan, checking out the tadpoles. Argus Mountains, Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater). Argus Mountains, Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Ryan with a Chuckwalla, Kern County, California, June 2004.

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii). Kern County, California, June 2004.

Western Shovel-nosed Snake (Chionactis occipitalis occipitalis). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Inyo Mountains Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps campi). Inyo Mountains, Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores), as found. I love the lazy posture with the rear legs relaxed. Inyo Mountains, Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Habitat where the above Inyo Mountains Slender Salamander and Great Basin Collared Lizard were found. Inyo Mountains, Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Looking across the Owens Valley to the Sierras from the same location the previous photo was taken. Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Common Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Brad Alexander, Inyo County, California, June 2004.

A young Owens Valley Web-toed Salamander (Hydromantes platycephalus?). Eastern Sierras, Inyo County, California, June 2004.

A larger Owens Valley Web-toed Salamander from the same locality, June 2004.

An adult Owens Valley Web-toed Salamander from the same locality, June 2004.

A closer look.

Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Panamint Rattlesnake (Crotalus stephensi), as found. I almost put my hand on this snake as I reached down to lift the rock it was partially under... Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Same snake, posed for photos.

The snake and the habitat near where it was found.

A closer look.

A young Panamint Alligator Lizard (Elgaria panamintina). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Ryan and Mount Whitney in Lone Pine, Inyo County, California, June 2004.

California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes). Inyo County, California, June 2004.

A closer look at the above snake.

Habitat, Kern County, California, July 2004.

Desert Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus magister). Kern County, California, July 2004.

Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis). Kern County, California, July 2004.

Curt, Carl, Chris, Owen, Ryan, and Kyle Brune in my folk's yard. Ridgecrest, California, July 2004.

Panamint Rattlesnake (Crotalus stephensi). Inyo County, California, August 2005.

Same snake as in the above photo.

Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) on a pole. Maui, Hawaii, September 2005.

Cane toad (Bufo marinus). Maui, Hawaii, September 2005.

Coqui Frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui). Maui, Hawaii, September 2005.

Jackson's Chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii). Maui, Hawaii, September 2005.

A closer look.

Ryan with the Chameleon.

The beach, Santa Barbara County, California, March 2006.

Black-bellied Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps nigriventris). Found just inland from where the above photo of the beach was taken. Santa Barbara County, California, March 2006.

Baja California Treefrog (Pseudacris hypochondriaca). Found just inland from where the above photo of the beach was taken. Santa Barbara County, California, March 2006.

Coastal Foothill habitat, Santa Barbara County, California, March 2006.

A closer look at one of the rock outcroppings near where the previous photo was taken. Santa Barbara County, California, March 2006.

A subadult Coast Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata multifasciata), found in the rocks shown in the previous photo. Santa Barbara County, California, March 2006.

A closer look.

A young Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii). Santa Barbara County, California, March 2006.

A young Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

California Legless Lizard (Anniella pulchra). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

A closer look. A face only a mother could love...

A young Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

A young Red Racer AKA Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum piceus). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

Another look at the above snake.

Desert Night Lizard (Xantusia vigilis). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

A subadult Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

Western Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

Ryan with the above Western Skink. Riverside County, California, March 2006.

A young Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

California Treefrog (Pseudacris cadaverina). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

A young Western Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus). Riverside County, California, March 2006.

Desert Night Lizard (Xantusia vigilis). Kern County, California, March 2006.

A closer look at the above animal.

The southern Panamint Valley, Inyo County, California, March 2006.

Baja California Treefrog (Pseudacris hypochondriaca). Argus Mountains, Inyo County, California, March 2006.

Baja California Treefrogs (Pseudacris hypochondriaca). Showing some color variations. Argus Mountains, Inyo County, California, March 2006.

A young Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister). Argus Mountains, Inyo County, California, March 2006.

Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes), as found, basking amongst the rocks. Northwest San Bernardino County, March 2006.

Ryan wanted to catch a lizard... Northwest San Bernardino County, March 2006.

The lizard from the above photo, a Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana).

A Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes), as found. Northwest San Bernardino County, March 2006.

A closer look at the above snake.

I spotted something interesting here. Northwest San Bernardino County, March 2006. Perhaps you can see Ridgecrest in the background.

Let's look more closely, here.

A pair of mating Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)! One of the cooler things I've ever seen. They were not disturbed. Northwest San Bernardino County, March 2006.

A Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes), as found, basking amongst the rocks. All five Sidewinders shown from March 2006 were seen on the same day. Conditions must have been just right for them to emerge from hibernation and bask. Northwest San Bernardino County, March 2006.

That's it!