June 2 to July 3, 2012
These are wildlife sightings made during my Western Pond Turtle field season
June 6: By this date, we’d seen our first Western Pond Turtle out of the water, along with this gorgeous Southern Alligator Lizard.
June 7: More turtles out of the water. I took some photos meant to document parts of our data collection process, featuring one of my undergraduate assistants. I also spent some time up in our tree blind, which is installed on a Ponderosa Pine.
June 8: Today, we saw more turtles, and a gorgeous Ring-necked Snake.
June 12: This was a busy day, in terms of wildlife. I don’t have any photos of turtles out of the water, but I had the opportunity to induct several of my field crew into the Slug Club, when we found a magnificent Button’s Banana Slug. We also found a Western Skink, and evidence that a Columbian Black-tailed Deer died on this site some time ago, considering that only bones remain.
I also had an extremely interesting sighting: a Sierran Treefrog and Western Forest Scorpion hanging out in the same little shallow hole in the dirt very near the edge of the lake. Are they friends? I’ve decided that they are, since I have no evidence to the contrary haha.
Another great sighting today was this gorgeous Valley Garter Snake, captured right at the edge of the Tules (Hardstem Bulrush).
June 13: More turtles.
June 14: More turtles! Also, an adorable tiny California King Snake. Pacific Poison Oak is present on the reserve, but not overly abundant. I also found what appears to be the skeletal remains of some sort vehicle, but have no idea why it might have ended up here.
This place is genuinely lovely, and will always be close to my heart.
June 21: Turtles, amongst the Manzanita and Ponderosa Pine, along with a tree that shows evidence of Acorn Woodpecker activity.
June 26: Found these skeletal remains of another Columbian Black-tailed Deer.
June 30: Field season is winding down now, but we are still finding turtles out of the water. The one pictured below is wearing a radio telemetry transmitter, that we use to track their movements during the field season. As soon as she completes laying her nest, we’ll remove the transmitter. I also spotted a Columbian Black-tailed Deer today (not just the skeleton).
July 3: Last day of this year’s field season. I don’t have any photos of turtles, but I did find a nice Jerusalem Cricket.
Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata), Columbian Black-tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus), Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi), Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus), Sierran Treefrog (Pseudacris sierra), Button’s Banana Slug (Ariolimax buttoni), Western Forest Scorpion (Uroctonus mordax), Western Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus), Valley Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchii), Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata), California King Snake (Lampropeltis californiae), North American Jerusalem Crickets (Ammopelmatus), Hardstem Bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus), Common Manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita), Pacific Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa), California Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii). Possible species: Whiteleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos viscida), Greenleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula), Birchleaf Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides), Sidewalk Firedot (Xanthocarpia feracissima), Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislizeni)
Let me know what you think!