Two years ago, 2015, I saw this rather rocky, barren spot on Google Earth and decided to go take a look. In late March and late May of that year, I visited the site with Jimmy Billstine, looking for birds of interest. On the May trip we were successful in locating Poorwills, one of our target species. No other specialty birds were found, but it was clearly an interesting site and worth additional visits. On the first trip we accessed the site via the Quines Creek drainage, and the second trip via the Starvout Creek Drainage. The last leg of either route is not recommended for low-clearance vehicles, though you can get closer with a passenger vehicle by going up Starvout Creek. The east side of this serpentine site is on BLM land, while the west side is private industrial forest land.
On May 28 this year I went alone to look for Sagebrush Lizards! I am uncertain at this time if there are historical records for the species in Douglas County or the Umpqua Basin, as some published range maps show different boundaries (some crossing Douglas County, some not), but based on their habitat preferences and range, I figured that if Sagebrush Lizards did occur in southern Douglas County, this site would have a high likelihood of having them. I also figured I would enjoy some interesting flowers at this unusually large, open serpentine site.
The site has abundant exposed serpentine rock and very little soil. Dominant trees include Jeffrey Pine and Incense Cedar. Buckbrush, Canyon Live Oak, and Dwarf Silktassel are present, and numerous rocky site plants; otherwise, in this 6-hour visit I did not find any rare plants (that I know of). I was surprised to find a half-dozen Monadenia species snails (probably M. fidelis). Click on the landscape photos below to get a 360 degree look at the site.
As for the lizards, they were nowhere to be found in the early morning, but by about 10:00 and 75-80 F degrees, small Sceloporus sp. were scurrying this way and that to hide in the brush as I approached. These remained unidentified. However, all of the small and large lizards I adequately observed and/or photographed were Western Fence Lizards (see the many photos). While I can't say there aren't any Sagebrush Lizards here, the abundance of Western Fence Lizards lowers my expectations and hopes of finding a Sagebrush Lizard here. But if they are not here, I wonder if they are anywhere in southern Douglas County? After all, I thought I picked the best looking spot! Well, who knows? I'll have to try a couple other locations, and I've got a couple in mind....
Here is a bird list for the visit (some birds in the list were heard from the open serpentine area, but were in the nearby forest), and see below for documentation of some of the life I observed (click for more info and additional photos).
Serpentine site at 4200 ft elevation.
Mostly less than 50 cm tall here.
I was wondering if this might be something more exotic on this serpentine soil, but it looks like hookeri.
On serpentine site at 4200 ft.
This set not quite open. See others from same day and area.
Only other in this genus is P. truei, which has longer tail and ears. These look pretty standard size. Mouse was under rock w/a small amount (1/4 cup) of grassy insulation.
4200 ft serpentine site. Fairly widespread, scattered, at the site.
Fairly common over much of the site, but not dense as in nearby more grassy meadow adjacent to forest.
Shrub growth form on 4200 ft serpentine site. Scattered here and there.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. Under rock (see other observations, all under wood at this site). I hesitated just putting this in M. fidelis because I wondered about M. chaceana, and it didn't seem to fit any M. fidelis ssp perfectly (in Burke's book). Input appreciated.
I thought I might find a different Calochortus on this 4200 ft elevation serpentine site, but this just looks like tolmiei.
I'm less than certain about this. Input desired.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. I wondered if something more unusual might show up here, but these look like tolmiei.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. No flowers yet. Perhaps S. oregonense or S. obtusatum?
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. Closeups of one individual. There were three more under log.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. Only one I saw here. Quite common in Starvout Creek drainage.
4200 ft serpentine site. Leaves on this individual more toothed and pointy than my previous example, but I don't find another option.
4200 ft serpentine site. Seems too densely hairy under leaves for the more common G. fremontii.
4200 ft serpentine site. Habitat shot where small lizard was, on top of largest rock. Camera focusing malfunctioned, so only got a couple decent photos. Time on Canon camera about an hour earlier than cell phone.
4200 ft serpentine site. I considered if this might be something different because it was small and on serpentine, but seems like just B. a.?
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. As with many things today, I had hoped/wondered if I might find something different on this site, but this keys out to E. oregonum. Beatiful nonetheless.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. In/under rotted log.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. 62/142 mm.
4200 ft serpentine site. 35/80 mm.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. Photographed with Canon camera, then captured. 58/140 mm. Note that my Canon camera was set an hour earlier than my cell phone.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. Under bark piece.
4200 ft serpentine site.
4200 ft serpentine site. Phlox in more grassy area between rocky area and forest.
4200 ft serpentine site.
Nectaring on Collinsia linearis. What are those three little yellow things on its back? Mites?
One photo of cone next to P. jeffreyi. I suspect this tree was planted after timber harvest.
Small fence lizard on log inside Ceanothus cuneatus. Updated time from photo; set ahead one hour because my Canon was recording time an our earlier than my cell phone.
Wish I could have caught this one for closer examination. It appears to have lots of blue and some black on its belly (like a male S.o.), but only a small amount of blue on the throat (like a female S.o.), and only on the sides, like an Eastern Fence Lizard. This is definitely a paler variety than a couple of the obvious males that were very dark and blue underneath. I adjusted the time on here (put ahead one hour) because my Canon had time set back 1 hr from my cell phone.
Small Sceloporus ran into bushes. No photo.
Small Sceloporus ran into bushes. No photo. Did a 360 site photo.
Small Sceloporus ran into bushes. No photo.
Small Sceloporus observed, not captures or photographed.
Photo'd with Canon only, which had time set 1 hr earlier than cell phone (so adjusted ahead one hour in this report).
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