sidesplotch's Identifications

San Diego Night Snake (Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha klauberi)

This small 14" adult native snake was encountered during herpetofauna surveys conducted one week each month on Point Loma by NPS staff and volunteers from Cabrillo National Monument. Largely nocturnal or crepuscular, this individual was discovered under an intentionally placed plywood cover board adjacent to one of the pit trap arrays. Although mildly venomous, Night Snakes are not considered a threat to humans. They are a rear-fanged species with a toxic saliva that helps sudue their prey. Typical foods include lizards, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, insects and reptile eggs.

This site is located on U.S. Navy property and not accessible to the public.

A video of this snake recorded moments after the photo is posted to YouTube at the following link

https://youtu.be/EH6rx1h0Z8o

Ref: Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of the San Diego Region, Jeffrey M. Lemm, California Natural History Guides, University of California Press, 2006

Ref: http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/h.o.klauberi.html

Technical:
Sony DSC-RX100 Digital Camera

Sighted at Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego, California, during 6 March 2016 a "Tidepool Pre-Blitz" event, a preliminary survey and practice run for the upcoming Nation-wide Bioblitz scheduled this coming May. This individual was first encountered exposed in a small pool shortly after low tide. It was observed browsing on submerged algae as can be viewed in a video recorded at the same time and posted to YouTube.

https://youtu.be/j4m86AXGmOA

Technical:
Sony DSC-RX100 Digital Camera