sleepykat's Identifications

April 22nd, 2024 at 1:23pm.
Aquatic garter snake
Thamnophis atratus
Location. Mad River Hatchery
Weather: Around 70 F, very Sunday day
Juvenile
Habitat: consists of various trees, the mad river, riparian plants, and grass areas with many trails occupied by humans. Lots of blackberry and poison oak.
Specimen was found near a hollow log underneath a coyote brush, seemed to be slithering away from me looking around the log. I found the snake and someone else caught it and handed it over to me. This area was more dry and farther from the river, but still close to the bank.
I identified this as aquatic garter snake due to the pale gray body with orange/yellow dorsal stripe and pale throat. Chin shields were not equal in length, indicating it was not thamnophis elegans. Lateral stripes not present.

Unfortunately I only had one pic of this one due to my excitement of seeing and holding it. I did not think to take more.

ID based on: Large body with robust limbs, clouded patterning on back
Adult, sex unknown. Found at the disk golf course sheltered under a large log
Weather: ~55 F, partially cloudy
Time: 3:00-4:00
Macrohabitat: second growth redwood forest
Microhabitat: underneath a redwood log in leaf litter
Other notes: After searching at the disk golf course for a while, I eventually found this big guy. He/she was very calm and allowed us to hold them without squirming or trying to escape, which in my experience is pretty uncommon for coastal giants. This individual seemed very well fed and healthy. No salamanders were found cohabitating under this log.

Private land between BLM parcels, within stream drainage.
64F, sunny and clear
Annual grassland/sage chaparral. Seen still and running within stream drainage before disappearing into vegetation.
Identified as U. stansburiana due to dark blotch at base of armpit.