HumboldtHerps.com
ELGARIA - SIGHTINGS
Northwestern/Shasta intergrade mouth of the ELK RIVER (Humboldt County) - APRIL 2006
I call the peninsula that juts out into Humboldt Bay at the mouth of the Elk River Stinky Beach. So named because of a rendering plant once
nearby, Stinky Baeach may be accessed by taking the Elk River Rd. exit off of Hwy 101 near the south end of Eureka, CA and keeping west of
the bridge.
The Northwestern Alligator Lizards we find at Stinky Beach appear to show characteristics of both the Northwestern and Shasta subspecies:
not quite the bright overall yellow-orange flush found in "classic" Shasta males, but more subtle variations of the sort, including attractive
gold-yellows; presence of the gray head of Shasta males; as well as the Northwestern traits of dorsal blotching and overall darker tones of
melanin (including hypermelanistic traits).
These lizards are mostly found in driftwood piles small and large closer to the inland side of the peninsula (near a pond) avoiding the wetter
marsh grasses near the high tide mark. Here they share their habitat with Pacific Tree Frogs. They may also be found towards the bay side in
the dunes providing there are larger woodpiles or logs available; this side is less sheltered from the coastal winds, so small cover offers little
shelter from the elements; no frogs here.
The April outings were during partially cloudy weather which averaged in the high 60's during the mid-late afternoon.
Each of the following pictures is an individual specimen.
April 17, 2006 April 19, 2006
April 24, 2006
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California Alligator Lizard OROVILLE, CA (Butte County) June 17, 2006
We found this gem under a piece of plywood in some grassy oak woodland behind "The Oaks" retirement development in Oroville. It was fat,
and its shape and size appeared to be that of a male, although it almost looked as if it were a gravid female (early for a Southern in our range,
but not necessarily for one in Butte County; summer often arrives early). See additional photo on page Elgaria (2)
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Northwestern/Shasta intergrade KINGS RANGE - Coastal dunes south of the mouth of the Mattole River (So. Humboldt County)
October 9, 2006 This Northern Alligator Lizard was found among the giant "driftwood" logs that separate
individual camping sites at the Mattole Campground. We don't know exactly how you would
describe this specimen. The fusion of bands and spots with the dorsal and lower lateral
yellows suggests a strikingly beautiful mutt!
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Oregon Alligator Lizard KNEELAND - Open embankments along the sides of Kneeland Rd (Humboldt County) March 25, 2007
Beware of cattle! The Kneeland to Bridgeville trek is a mostly single track road (25-35mph) that courses through miles and miles of private
land and open range. Access to prime alligator lizard habitat is often impeded by trespassing signs. During this particularly foggy Sunday
drive in the country, heading just south of the Kneeland school where the road truly begins to wind and the land opens up into grassy hillsides
wooded with oak, I pondered. Certainly I wouldn't get shot if I just stepped off of the road a bit. And so... I searched under fallen wood and
bark on the declines (that drained into streamlets) near the perimeter of the road and found nothing - too soggy. Level areas were
unsuccessful as well. Then, on the other side of the road where the hills continued to rise I saw some oaks upon a hillock with a lot of
wooden debris. Moisture in the air was heavy, and rain was expected , but here, because of the rise in the hill, excess water was
well-drained, and much of the substrate underneath the debris was kept dry. It wasn't long before I found my first 3 Oregon Alligators!
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Shasta Alligator Lizard STUART FORK CREEK - Trail to Morris Meadows, Trinity Alps (Trinity County) July 4, 2007 (5:42PM)
My first true Shasta!
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Northwestern Alligator Lizard HUNTER CREEK - Grassy edge of dry river bed, 1 mile east of Hwy 101 (Del Norte County)
August 6, 2007 This was my first sighting of the "classic" Northwestern. Rich dorsal browns with black dorsal spots. We found two of
these lizards (One was too quick for the camera!) underneath a pile of large half-rotted logs around four o' clock
in the afternoon. The day was a mix of cool balminess (mid-60's F), and the sky wasovercast. The pictured
specimen was lethargic from the cool retreat from which we had snatched it, however, a couple of minutes in
my warm hands was all it took to transform the lizard into a bona-fide "wriggle-worm." We, of course, returned
the lizard back to its log-pile
sanctuary.
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I call the peninsula that juts out into Humboldt Bay at the mouth of the Elk River Stinky Beach. So named because of a rendering plant once
nearby, Stinky Baeach may be accessed by taking the Elk River Rd. exit off of Hwy 101 near the south end of Eureka, CA and keeping west of
the bridge.
The Northwestern Alligator Lizards we find at Stinky Beach appear to show characteristics of both the Northwestern and Shasta subspecies:
not quite the bright overall yellow-orange flush found in "classic" Shasta males, but more subtle variations of the sort, including attractive
gold-yellows; presence of the gray head of Shasta males; as well as the Northwestern traits of dorsal blotching and overall darker tones of
melanin (including hypermelanistic traits).
These lizards are mostly found in driftwood piles small and large closer to the inland side of the peninsula (near a pond) avoiding the wetter
marsh grasses near the high tide mark. Here they share their habitat with Pacific Tree Frogs. They may also be found towards the bay side in
the dunes providing there are larger woodpiles or logs available; this side is less sheltered from the coastal winds, so small cover offers little
shelter from the elements; no frogs here.
The April outings were during partially cloudy weather which averaged in the high 60's during the mid-late afternoon.
Each of the following pictures is an individual specimen.
April 17, 2006 April 19, 2006
April 24, 2006
________________________________________________________________________________________________
California Alligator Lizard OROVILLE, CA (Butte County) June 17, 2006
We found this gem under a piece of plywood in some grassy oak woodland behind "The Oaks" retirement development in Oroville. It was fat,
and its shape and size appeared to be that of a male, although it almost looked as if it were a gravid female (early for a Southern in our range,
but not necessarily for one in Butte County; summer often arrives early). See additional photo on page Elgaria (2)
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Northwestern/Shasta intergrade KINGS RANGE - Coastal dunes south of the mouth of the Mattole River (So. Humboldt County)
October 9, 2006 This Northern Alligator Lizard was found among the giant "driftwood" logs that separate
individual camping sites at the Mattole Campground. We don't know exactly how you would
describe this specimen. The fusion of bands and spots with the dorsal and lower lateral
yellows suggests a strikingly beautiful mutt!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Oregon Alligator Lizard KNEELAND - Open embankments along the sides of Kneeland Rd (Humboldt County) March 25, 2007
Beware of cattle! The Kneeland to Bridgeville trek is a mostly single track road (25-35mph) that courses through miles and miles of private
land and open range. Access to prime alligator lizard habitat is often impeded by trespassing signs. During this particularly foggy Sunday
drive in the country, heading just south of the Kneeland school where the road truly begins to wind and the land opens up into grassy hillsides
wooded with oak, I pondered. Certainly I wouldn't get shot if I just stepped off of the road a bit. And so... I searched under fallen wood and
bark on the declines (that drained into streamlets) near the perimeter of the road and found nothing - too soggy. Level areas were
unsuccessful as well. Then, on the other side of the road where the hills continued to rise I saw some oaks upon a hillock with a lot of
wooden debris. Moisture in the air was heavy, and rain was expected , but here, because of the rise in the hill, excess water was
well-drained, and much of the substrate underneath the debris was kept dry. It wasn't long before I found my first 3 Oregon Alligators!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Shasta Alligator Lizard STUART FORK CREEK - Trail to Morris Meadows, Trinity Alps (Trinity County) July 4, 2007 (5:42PM)
My first true Shasta!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Northwestern Alligator Lizard HUNTER CREEK - Grassy edge of dry river bed, 1 mile east of Hwy 101 (Del Norte County)
August 6, 2007 This was my first sighting of the "classic" Northwestern. Rich dorsal browns with black dorsal spots. We found two of
these lizards (One was too quick for the camera!) underneath a pile of large half-rotted logs around four o' clock
in the afternoon. The day was a mix of cool balminess (mid-60's F), and the sky wasovercast. The pictured
specimen was lethargic from the cool retreat from which we had snatched it, however, a couple of minutes in
my warm hands was all it took to transform the lizard into a bona-fide "wriggle-worm." We, of course, returned
the lizard back to its log-pile
sanctuary.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Elgaria
juvenile older juvenile yellow male nw spotting
juvenile older dorsal spots yellow male hypermelanistic gold-yellow
juvenile on yellow
juvenile on yellow
older juvenile increased black
juvenile juvenile belly sub-adult juvenile
Two more of these lizards were photographed on this day
(too blurry) and an additional one got away!
(too blurry) and an additional one got away!
At least four more specimens are
missing from this day's counts.
missing from this day's counts.
We lost count of the additional specimens found on this
day as we were racing for low tide to catch sand crabs
day as we were racing for low tide to catch sand crabs
PICS TO BE ADDED SOON
Northwestern/Shasta intergrade SOUTH JETTY (near glider drop) (Humboldt County) March 11, 2008
Pictured here are 4 of 6 Northern Alligator Lizards I came across south of Humboldt Bay's South Jetty. Anguid #3 has a close resemblance to
last year's "Mouth of the Mattole" specimen and Bradford Norman's Tolowa Dunes specimens.
1 2 3
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Shasta Alligator Lizard
BLAIR ROAD west of Hoopa, CA * EAST FORK WILLOW CREEK
(eastern Humboldt County) * (campground) (eastern Humboldt County)
May 9, 2008 * May 10, 2008
The HCHS' 1st group hike of the year, guided by Bradford Norman, uncovered this beautiful
specimen of the Shasta subspecies. This is an adult male with the typically broad-shaped
gray specimen with the bright yellow dorsals. The poor guy had ticks behind his ear
openings (not uncommon in this hot summers area).
We also found a few juveniles
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Northern/Shasta intergrade near RYAN'S SLOUGH
(behind Redwood Acres, Myrtletown) (Humboldt County) May 12, 2008
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Oregon Alligator Lizard KNEELAND RD (Kneeland to Bridgeville) (Humboldt County) June 4, 2008
Brian Bausermann, Brad Fisher, and I came across these 2 beautiful Oregon specimens (under boards on a cloudy afternoon)
We also came across a rather friendly
Shasta Alligator variant.
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Pictured here are 4 of 6 Northern Alligator Lizards I came across south of Humboldt Bay's South Jetty. Anguid #3 has a close resemblance to
last year's "Mouth of the Mattole" specimen and Bradford Norman's Tolowa Dunes specimens.
1 2 3
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Shasta Alligator Lizard
BLAIR ROAD west of Hoopa, CA * EAST FORK WILLOW CREEK
(eastern Humboldt County) * (campground) (eastern Humboldt County)
May 9, 2008 * May 10, 2008
The HCHS' 1st group hike of the year, guided by Bradford Norman, uncovered this beautiful
specimen of the Shasta subspecies. This is an adult male with the typically broad-shaped
gray specimen with the bright yellow dorsals. The poor guy had ticks behind his ear
openings (not uncommon in this hot summers area).
We also found a few juveniles
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Northern/Shasta intergrade near RYAN'S SLOUGH
(behind Redwood Acres, Myrtletown) (Humboldt County) May 12, 2008
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Oregon Alligator Lizard KNEELAND RD (Kneeland to Bridgeville) (Humboldt County) June 4, 2008
Brian Bausermann, Brad Fisher, and I came across these 2 beautiful Oregon specimens (under boards on a cloudy afternoon)
We also came across a rather friendly
Shasta Alligator variant.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Elgaria Sighting and Picture by Bradford R. Norman
Bradford Norman found this strikingly
patterned Shasta Alligator in August of 1996.
Six Rivers National Forest
(Del Norte County)
patterned Shasta Alligator in August of 1996.
Six Rivers National Forest
(Del Norte County)
Northern/Shasta intergrade
Fieldbrook, CA (Humboldt County)
June 19, 2008
Fieldbrook, CA (Humboldt County)
June 19, 2008