COUNTY PARKS
Herp habitat in a California County Park.

A Southern Alligator Lizard that I found in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The common name "alligator lizard" is a reference to the fact that the back and belly scales of these lizards are reinforced by bone, as they are in alligators.

A greenish Santa Cruz Garter Snake.

Yellow Monkeyflower is a member of the figwort family, the same family as Snapdragons, which I grow in my garden. The resemblance is clear.

Young Western Skinks have bright blue tails that easily break off to distract predators.

Non-native Red-ear Sliders.

Wild Turkey were seen on a number of locations.

Pacific Ringneck Snakes tend to have read or orange undersides, while eastern types are most often yellow underneath.

Deer Crossing.

An adult male Western Skink.

Not a snake, but an insect known as a Snakefly.

After not being about to visit the Golden State in 2020, it was great to get out again and find cool stuff like this Coast Garter Snake.