2017 May 14--A Quest for Snails at Home Reveals Much More

1530-1700. We've had some rain over the past week. Not having looked much for snails or slugs at our property, I decided to go out looking to see what I could find, and I figured the rain we've had over the last week would help my quest. I primarily looked in the closed-canopy oak woodland west of our house. I did find two species of snail and one slug species (two specimens); all native species. Both of the snails were with or in the process of laying eggs (see photos). A very green Pacific Treefrog revealed itself by hopping from its perch in the grass. They breed in my neighbor's pond to the north.

On my way to the oak woods I began to look at grasses, which I haven't studied for some time, and checked a couple sheets of metal roofing along my gravel road. A familiar, large (3-4 ft) Gopher Snake was present and gave me good photos and an impressive striking and hissing video (links in comments on that species; click photo below). While on the search for gastropods, I incidentally found a new vertebrate species for our property (not easy to do these days): an Ensatina (salamander). It was in a pile of scrap wood near our treehouse.

Rain has many positive sides.

eBird checklist for the outing.

Publicado el mayo 15, 2017 07:26 TARDE por umpquamatt umpquamatt

Observaciones

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Cañuela Alta (Lolium arundinaceum)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 03:37 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:09 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:21 TARDE PDT

Descripción

I see some kind of vertical line on the upper part of the head/face of this individual, but it seems limited to the upper half, and the face is very much patterned like Julida in https://www.polydesmida.info/millipedesofaustralia/img/juliform_faces.jpg, as is the bottom mouth area. Since on this individual and my previous millipede face the vertical line is on the "forehead" versus down near the mouth as on the web image, I'm wondering if this forehead line is NOT the cleft referred to in the face images. Your thoughts @pileated?

There are those little mites again!!!

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:14 TARDE PDT

Descripción

Very fuzzy.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Rana-de Coro del Pacífico (Pseudacris regilla)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:33 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:38 TARDE PDT

Descripción

Under wood.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:45 TARDE PDT

Descripción

I'm striking out on this one.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Pastos Y Cereales (Familia Poaceae)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 03:40 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Bromos (Género Bromus)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 03:40 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Bromo (Bromus diandrus)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 03:42 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Gallo (Dactylis glomerata)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 03:43 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 03:45 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Topera (Pituophis catenifer)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 03:48 TARDE PDT

Descripción

Snake was under a piece of corrugated sheet metal roofing. It is a 3-4 ft snake. The snake was hissing loudly--it would breath in slowly and hiss out slowly. It was "rattling" its skinny tail in rattlesnake fashion. It struck at me once. See video here: https://youtu.be/qwJl5Dbfrv4

Here's another one with plenty of loud hissing: https://youtu.be/FuyeyKX2hCs

I have seen what was likely this same snake in the general area a couple times before.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Zacate Primavera (Anthoxanthum odoratum)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:03 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Arañas Verdaderas (Suborden Araneomorphae)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:46 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Salamandra Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:48 TARDE PDT

Descripción

Under scrap lumber near treehouse.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:54 TARDE PDT

Descripción

In process of laying eggs, including on my finger.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:57 TARDE PDT

Descripción

Under scrap wood pile.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Arañas Verdaderas (Suborden Araneomorphae)

Observ.

umpquamatt

Fecha

Mayo 14, 2017 a las 04:13 TARDE PDT

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