Week 3 - Notes from the field

Our first week in southeastern Colorado went well!  We recorded a number of observations both opportunistically and on survey sites.  We recorded our first observations of several species for 2014 including: Gophersnake (Bullsnake), Eastern Collared Lizard, Sceloporus sp. (likely Plateau Fence Lizard, but see review of current taxonomic uncertainty of Sceloporus spp. in Colorado here), and Texas Horned Lizard.  We were unable to find any of the whiptail species or Ornate Box Turtles on this trip, but with the rain that came late in the week and some warmer temperatures in a few weeks we should begin to see those species soon!

Most weeks we'll try to post a few thoughts from the field crew, including species or exciting new observations.  Week 3 was our first full week in the field - spent in southeastern Colorado on Comanche National Grassland...

Celina - "My favorite thing about our first week in the southeastern part of Colorado was seeing a new part of the state, for me, and witnessing how well our team is meshing together already. We might not have gotten to see what we came for (those rascally whiptails), but at least we got to climb down (and back up) a canyon and see tons of Sceloporus!"

Beth - "Besides dipping into the mouth of a canyon and snapping some shots of an Eastern Collared Lizard, one big Bullsnake caught my eye this week.  A common species in Colorado, this buff and black large snake is a new species to me and stunning nonetheless. A long winter has deprived me of snake spottings, so seeing my first Bullsnake, wearing black bars on its upper lip like a Halloween mask, reminded me why I love to go herping."