California Desert Roadtrip - May 2009

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Here are some pics of herps my friend Brad and I discovered on our trip to Pisgah Crater (Mojave Desert), Joshua Tree National Park, Box Canyon, and Anza Borrego Desert State Park.


Chuckwalla (Pisgah Crater lava fields, San Bernardino County)
(May 23, 2009)


Chuckwall (juvenile) (Pisgah Crater lava fields) (May 23, 2009)


SW Speckled Rattlesnake (darker "lava" phase) Pisgah Crater lava fields
(May 23, 2009)


Pisgah Crater habitat

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Desert Spiny Lizard (White Tank Campground, Joshua Tree NP)
May 23, 2009)


Great Basin Whiptail (White Tank, Joshua Tree NP) (May 23, 2009)


White Tank habitat

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Side-blotched Lizard (male) (Lost Horse Mine Trail, Joshua Tree NP)
(May 24, 2009)


Great Basin Whiptail (Lost Horse Mine Trail) (May 24, 2009)


Desert Patch-nosed Snake (Lost Horse Mine Trail) (May 24, 2009)


Lost Horse Mine habitat

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Coachwhip (unfortunate roadkill south of Cottonwood Springs out of Joshua Tree NP) (May 24, 2009)


Zebra-tailed Lizard (off Box Canyon Road near Mecca CA, Riverside County)
(May 24, 2009)


Desert Iguana (the only pic I was able to take before it zipped away!)
(off Box Canyon Road) (May 24, 2009)


SW Speckled Rattlesnake (pastel "desert sunset camouflage" phase)
(Sheep Spring Oasis Trail, off Box Canyon Road) (May 24, 2009)


Box Canyon roadside habitat


Sheep Spring Oasis habitat

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Side-blotched Lizard (Palm Canyon Oasis Trail, Anza Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County) (May 25, 2009)


Side-blotched Lizard (Palm Canyon Oasis Trail) (May 25, 2009)


Granite Spiny Lizard (Palm Canyon Oasis Trail) (May 25, 2009)


Palm Canyon Oasis habitat


California Chorus Frog metamorph (Palm Canyon Oasis Trail) (May 25, 2009)

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Red-spotted Toad tadpole (Palm Canyon Oasis Trail) (May 25, 2009)


Red-spotted Toad metamorph kill site (possibly chytrid or other pathogen)
(Palm Canyon Oasis Trail) (May 25, 2009)


CA Chorus Frog tadpoles grazing upon dead Red-spotted Toad metamorph
(Palm Canyon Oasis Trail) (May 25, 2009)


Palm Canyon Oasis Trail habitat

Well, that's most of the trip! It was pretty hot, but we had a great time! I reported the toad mortalities to the park, the San Diego Zoo, and Roland Knapp.

Steve

[mustang]

Coachwhip (unfortunate roadkill south of Cottonwood Springs out of Joshua Tree NP) (May 24, 2009)


Zebra-tailed Lizard (off Box Canyon Road near Mecca CA, Riverside County)
(May 24, 2009)


Desert Iguana (the only pic I was able to take before it zipped away!)
(off Box Canyon Road) (May 24, 2009)


SW Speckled Rattlesnake (pastel "desert sunset camouflage" phase)
(Sheep Spring Oasis Trail, off Box Canyon Road) (May 24, 2009)


Box Canyon roadside habitat


Sheep Spring Oasis habitat

its a red coachwip...we got western coachips that come in may colors (including red) and few sitings of red coachwhips which have a distinct black collararound neck...sorry perfectionistism syndrome

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

its a red coachwip...we got western coachips that come in may colors (including red) and few sitings of red coachwhips which have a distinct black collararound neck...sorry perfectionistism syndrome

Must be a sighting of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; I have it too! Yes, it's officially a "Red Racer", the common name for the subspecies of Coachwhip - Masticophis flagellum piceus; it is the only subspecies of Coachwhip found in that locality. It is the first time I have sighted this snake, and gosh darn, WHY DO ALL THE ONES I REALLY WANT TO EXPERIENCE END UP ROADKILL??!!! I hear this is one feisty snake, a real adventure to wrangle, at least until it gives up...

[guidofatherof5]

Great looking Chuckwalla. I had one as a kids. Haven't seen one in a long time. Thanks for posting all the pics.

[gregmonsta]

Excellent ... thanks for sharing