Snakey Day

Today was the first good snake day of the year.

I was up in the forest (looking for owls), and caught two Gopher Snakes (Pituophis catenifer). Both were sunning on the pavement, one early in the day, and one late. I also found (but couldn't catch) a Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea, the most snake-like lizard in our area) and found a D.O.R. Yellow-bellied Racer (Coluber constrictor).

When I arrived home, I found that the boys (Nathan and Jasper) had ventured out into the canyon east of our home, where they had caught two Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) in only an hour of searching.