We saw several yellow bellied racers this morning, often in the heads-up position shown in the image.
Gopher snake was on earth dike just east of the paved trail.
Monarch (butterfly) was just across trail from King (snake).
This beautiful king snake was sunning itself a foot south of the trail.
Alligator lizard with several ticks behind its ear.
The first switchback on the Wild Rye Trail seems to be a favorite place for rattlesnakes to take the morning sun.
Several whiptails were actively walking about the lookout area on top of the hill in Foothills Park.
This turtle was enjoying a sunny day in Coyote Creek.
This alligator lizard was sitting on the trail showing off his or her exceptionally fine tail and kindly allowed us to take several pictures before dashing under a boulder.
At first thought this was a Witch's Butter fungus, but it looks more like web images of the Dog Vomit slime mold (yellow cauliflower rather than yellow butter lettuce).
Saw millipedes (about 3 inches long) crossing trail at two locations in Huddart Park
Garter snake hanging out at the edge of a beaver pond in Lundy Canyon.
This rattler, about a yard long, was sunning itself on the Meadowlark trail, but moved under cover when it noticed us coming.
Pheasant observed while walking along levee by San Francisquito Creek in East Palo Alto.
Ravens cleaning up roadkill near Yosemite Lodge.
A salamander that was hanging out under our compost bin. Thanks, loarie and invertboy, for the identification.
There were several loose clusters of these small flies on the outside of a bathroom window at our home. They resemble laboratory drosophila melanogaster in size and shape, but have dark gray or black eyes rather than red.
This turtle was pulled back into its shell at the side of a narrow trail about 30 feet from the edge of Lake Boronda.
From shape and size, I'd guess this was a garter snake, but I'd expect a darker body with stripes. This was colored more like a rubber boa, but without the blunt tail. Is it a juvenile garter or a color variant? Species?
Thanks to kueda and bob-dodge for identifying this as a Western Yellow-bellied Racer -- new snake for me.
A young western skink showing off its dramatic blue tail.
Blue tailed skink,
quick as a wink,
gone, I think.
After the first rain in more than a month, we encountered two California newts at separate spots near the Crystal Springs trail in Huddart Park.
This California Newt was crossing the Rogue Valley trail on a fairly cold day. Shaded parts of the trail were still covered with hoarfrost.
Lots of banana slugs active after our recent rains. Can someone tell if this is Ariolimax columbianus, dolichophallus or californicus?
After a couple November rain storms, noticed this jelly fungus peeking out of a yard long section of fallen tree trunk near the Canyon Trail in Huddart County Park.
Mantis on the north wall of our house posed nicely for this shot.
On a drizzly day, found this salamander under one of our recycling bins.
