Third Eye - Herping California 2009  
Third Eye Logo

tim@thirdeyeherp.com

Julia Black had not been out in the field since 1995, when she did research for a paper she co-authored titled The Effects of 60 Hertz Magnetic Fields on the Activity Level of Toad Tadpoles. We decided to do some "Urban Herping" within the city limits of San Francisco.

 

Herping with Julia
Freeway Freeway View
Reptiles and amphibians can sometimes be found in habitats well-used by people.
Slender Salamander Skinny Salamander
California Slender Salamanders have very long tails and tiny legs.
Julia
Frogger
Julia looks for Red-legged Frogs along a ditch - we saw several frogs, but could not confirm their identity.
Fence Lizard Bay Area Basking
Fence Lizards were frequently seen in sunny areas without much wind.
Ringneck Ringer
Finding the first Pacific Ringneck Snake on the trip caused a great deal of excitement...
Ringnecks Triple Ringneck Flip
...but then we flipped a board and found three more underneath it.
Ringneck Orangebelly
These snakes have bright ventral colors, which are used to scare off potential predators. We found a total of six snakes on the outing.
Click here to see another Urban Ringneck
Jerusalem Cricket Ugly Bug
Jerusalem Crickets aren't the most attractive insects.
Click here to see Part 5