Snakes and Lizards (like Chutes and Ladders) 7/08

[anna in boots]

This is a long overdue follow up to Splintercat's Rubber Boa post on the 4th of July http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/vie ... f=17&t=235 Tom, I promised you a high-adventure snake story, so here we go....

Long ago, in a land far, far away....

On the dusty trails of Weldon Wagon Road,

I heard a ruckus as I approached a stand of oak.

When I crept up on the scene, the grass was flowing in a swift, narrow river of movement at least five feet long. I braced myself to witness a ginormous reptile crossing the trail, possibly in search of human flesh seasoned with a zesty coating of mid-day summer sweat and Herbal Armour, like I was.

Instead, a lizard shot out of the grass and up a tree and the snake that had been pursuing his dinner from a few feet behind followed him straight up the trunk!

This herpetological free-climber and his quarry--we'll call them Sir Edmund Hillary and Herbie the Wonder Lizard--completely ignored me as their life and death chase continued just a few feet away. Herbie made a beeline for the top and put all his chips on one hiding spot under a branch.

Sir Edmund lost the scent about half way up and reconnoitered a few branches.

He collapsed into a writhing pile and seemed to collect his thoughts on the matter. Meanwhile, Herbie was still frozen like a TV dinner.

I thought Sir Edmund might have given up but after a few minutes, he renewed his efforts and it looked like Herbie might be the main course after all.

Alas, sun-warmed lizard was not on the menu that day. Sir Edmund retreated to lower elevations but did not go very far. Herbie wasn't fooled, though. He was all over that bark like a cheap suit. After five minutes, I got bored and left.

On my way back past that spot several hours later, there was still a snake chasing lizards through the grass. I scoured the tree for signs of Herbie and Sir Edmund but for all I know, they were continuing the saga at my feet. I admit, I was pulling for Herbie all along. After all, snakes are cute but lizards are adorable. 'Specially the smart ones.

anna in boots

[baker9903]

Lucky you!! what a spectacular find! nature is so amazing.

[Waffle Stomper]

What a treat. Thanks for sharing.

[Peder]

Those are great pictures and an exciting story! I am often amazed at how well some snakes can climb. The green snake pictured below climbed the overhang above our heads as it hunted for food. Impressive, though the picture (not mine!) is of poor quality:



Looking (pretty much) straight up:


Many years ago I made my way through the cave pictured below. For reasons that must be obvious, we came out very dirty and smelly! There were a number of white snakes climbing around on the walls in the dark, hunting for bats. We were told that they were blind, but I am not sure that is correct. Inside the pitch black cave, note the flying bats:



I did not manage to get any snakes in my pictures, so here is one stolen off the internet:

They are called Cave Racers and can seemingly grow to 8 feet! The ones we saw were about 4’ long.

[anna in boots]

Can anyone fill me in on what snake and lizard I saw up there on Weldon Wagon Road trail?

anna in boots

[Splintercat]

Thanks for posting those, Anna - terrific sequence! I am certainly not an expert on rubber boas, having seen just one, but that looks identical to what I saw -- especially the shape of the head and how the skin is folded in the shot where he (she?) is curled up. The lizard looks like what I generally call a Western Fence Lizard. Love those guys - but not in the same way the snakes do..!

Nice pics, Peder. I'm quite certain that I would have turned back from that cave at first sight of a 4-foot albino snake climbing the walls.... and the bats are just frosting on the primal urge to RUN..!

-Tom

(note to Anna: I'm going to move this to the ID section, where one of our resident scientists will be able to nail down the identities)

[anna in boots]

Tom,

Agree on the Fence Lizard--what a cutie pie! Look at all these dapper styles: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... image&cd=1

The schnekkie didn't have the same look or moves as your boa. He was thinner, like a wire, instead of plump and sinuous, and he had fewer scales, it seemed, per square inch. Also, when he curled up, his skin didn't pucker and fold like a boa. I was hoping for a boa but I think this guy was some rock-n-prairie species. He didn't have the reddish cast of a Sharp-Tailed Snake and lacked the side runners of color that Garter Snakes sport. I've been all through my animal books and online but I can't find anybody who looks like him!

Any herpetologists out there?

anna in boots

[Cattrapper]

Anna, have you looked at Western Yellow-bellied Racer?

[anna in boots]

That sure does look like our boy! http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_q ... lied+Racer

Thanks, Cat!

Say, I saw medium-sized kitty cat prints at the top of Catherine Creek on Friday. Smaller than cougar, way larger than housecat--would that be a bobcat? What's the difference between a bobcat and a lynx? Do we have lynx around here?

Anna

[Cattrapper]

You're very welcome!

Most likely Bobcat, maybe a young Cougar. Unlike a lot of other animals, Cougars don't have a fixed breeding season. So it's possible, even if unwise, for a litter to be born any time of year. You can pretty much rule out Lynx, they have long been extirpated from Oregon and southern Washington. However, that's not to say one doesn't wander down here on occasion. Lynx tracks are about the same size as Cougar, but with a shorter stride and narrower straddle. Bobcat tracks are slightly more than half the size of an adult Cougar track. Also, if you have a good group of tracks to look at, the hind print of a Cougar is slightly smaller than its front.

Hope that helps,
Darin