Suizo Report -- Some Summer and Fall Highlights


Happy New Year Herpers,

I'm going to take a minute to try to persuade some of you to step up for the Tucson Herpetological Society. If any of you have a herp-related presentation of any sort that you would like to give us, please let me know. Currently, we have openings from March 2013 through infinity. We normally offer an honorarium, a free year membership, and a T-shirt or hat.

So, if some of you out of town folk are going to be coming this way any how, please try to time your visits for the third Tuesday of any given month. We likely can't afford travel expenses from far off places, but if you're planning to come to town anyway, why not?

Thanks!

My duties with the THS have made it difficult to send out these reports with any kind of regularity. Many cool things happened this year that I didn't get the chance to share with you all. Now I'm taking the time to make it so.

Image 1: Male Crotalus tigris #10, Jeff, 29 July 2012. I'm showing you this image because I think of it as a "classic" color phase for a tiger. Get a load of the next one.
Image 2, by Steve Ressel: What I call the "Silver Phase Tiger" From Sabino Canyon, 18 July 2012. Sweet!
Image 3: Quoting Dennis Caldwell, as he is aiming his camera at something in the Huachuca Mountains. "I got this fat tree lizard on a rock here--and oh, oh, I think she's about to $hit---Oh--and she did!" 8-)
Image 4: The same day that the tree lizard crapped, (22 July 2012), we found a gorgeous short horned lizard.
Image 5: Still the same trip, a DANDY Madrean Alligator Lizard (posed).
Image 6: John Slone and Marty Feldner led us to a land we dare not speak of to show us many wonders. This sweet little Crotalus cerberus was one such wonder.
Image 7: A Grand Canyon Rattlesnake, from John and Marty land. If I told you where it was, they would have to kill all of us.
Image 8: A Wandering Gartersnake, near the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

Image 9: In late August, the Chicago Herp Society was kind enough to fly me out for a presentation. They were also kind enough to take me herping in Carl Koch-land in Southern Wisconsin. They were NOT kind enough to let me find anything, but at least Gery was able to locate the purpose of the trip-- a  hog-nosed snake. This is a very young snake.
Image 10: Our biggest male Crotalus molossus, CM12. 29 September 2012
Image 11: This is the last image that I will ever get of female Crotalus atrox #121, Tracy. While the image is grainy, it clearly depicts how well these things can blend with their surroundings. But in Tracy's case, not good enough! We found her transmitter on the ground a week later. Bummer!
Image 12: My interest with Iron Mine Hill/Suizo Mountains began with lyresnakes. The crevice that this snake is in contained the third-ever lyresnake found there. It was used regularly from 1993-1995, and then only sporadically after. This image was taken on 22 December 2012--a week ago. I'm hoping to see more of this snake in the days and years ahead.
Image 13: What would a Suizo Report be without our beloved fat head "Gus." Here he is in situ on 22 December 2012.
I'm off to join the Suizo gang tomorrow. My last visit was on 22 December, and things are looking up. We've received close to 2 inches of rain the past two weeks. The annuals are starting to pop out of the ground. Three Gila Monsters can now be seen routinely, and we now have two active lyresnake crevices--one of which contains two snakes. Usually, when a few lyresnakes bask for us, several others will as well. We have three tiger rattlesnakes that can be seen regularly, as well as several atrox and a couple tortoises.

Things are looking up!

Here's hoping that our paths will cross again in 2013. Until that time, happy herping!

Best, roger
others do as well.