Some recent NMHS activities

On Friday April 29, 2011, NMHS had a display at The Bosque School. A few members were present including: Tom Eichorst, Scott Bulgrin, David and Tara Wheeler and me. We all brought some specimens and were able to answer the children's questions and even allow them to touch some of the specimens. When I arrived, I parked near a small pond and saw these:

American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
Here are some of the critters that were present:




Patternless Bullsnake

Yellow Mud Turtle

Gopher Snake



Desert Box Turtles

Patternless Gopher Snake

Albino Black Rat Snake

Overall it was a great success! We got to hear and dispel several snake myths. My favorite was that coachwhips will wrap their tails around the feet of cattle and kill them! Here is a picture of me after I got home and got everyone back into their cages:


On Saturday April 30, 2011 NMHS set out to open the traps on Sandia Pueblo.


Everyone gathering in Scott's office

Scott signing permits

We added some funnel traps to the sites this year



Round-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum) caught by Logan


Photographing Logan's Horned Lizard

Eastern Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana stejnegeri)

Black Widow Spider

Rincon Ridge

People helping with the traps

New Mexico Whiptail (Aspidoscelis neomexicana)

You can tell how these things can run so fast! Check out those toes!

Coachwhip found by Nancy and caught by Scott

It measured 49 inches, that's over 4 feet!

Nancy holding her prize


Another roundtail found in one of the traps that was not open


Leopard found in the same area

Longnose Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii)



Logan holding the lizard

Sam holding the lizard

We all finished up and then met back at Scott's office. Many of the group went to El Pinto afterwards, we were not able to go. When I arrived home, I went to check on the snakes and found my 4 1/2 foot gopher snake was missing. I tore up the house looking for this snake and then I looked in the cage again and lifted up his half log hide which is actually made of plastic and it was heavier than normal. I looked inside and saw the snake. I started to break apart the log and eventually freed the snake







I was so relieved that it wasn't missing! I later checked on my turtles and noticed that they had come up! I looked closer and found them!

Thanks for looking!

Josh

Newly acquired gopher snake

Just picked this guy up, I can't get over his pattern and how placid he is!












Josh

Ever feel like you are being watched?

I was out fighting the wind today and felt like I was being watched. I looked up and I was:








I also found some herps today:

Prairie Rattlesnake Crotalus viridis







Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox



Also, a lizard was found, but it scurried away too fast to tell what it was, either a Southwestern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi) or an Eastern Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana stejnegeri). I also saw a Hernandez's Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi hernandesi) on the way home.

Josh