Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Rothdigga » Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:09 pm

So I rolled out to Kimberley to judge and organize a pretty big skateboard contest we had out there. $100K first prize (about what, $720,000 Rand?), so it was a good days pay for Ishod Wair from Philly who won. I arrived on Wed, Sept 28th and went out hiking pretty much right away at a place called Marrick Safari. The owner, Trevor, was super cool and let me hike his property every morning I was there from about 6-9am. Following the advice of some of you trying to find stuff out and about. Unfortunately, while I was there it got COLD. First night was a very cool rain, then I think it dropped to about 5 C each night or lower. I tried road cruising as well but yeilded nothing (other than a very angry Samoan who I accidentally cut of driving and tried to beat my ass, the day they lost to the Bokkies, a little evasive driving got me out of there).
I did manage to find a recently deceased Tent Tortoise
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At the Big Hole, I found this Skink, I'll need some ID HELP on these Skinks I post as they're a bit tricky.
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Here's a view from the top of the Mini Mega ramp roll in, about 10 meters high, roll in, hit the first jump then hit the 6 meter quarterpipe on the other side, easy right?
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After the contest my wife and I were off to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. We took the long way on the R31 there in hopes of seeing some snakes and other critters out and about. We didn't see much until all of a sudden one stretch of the road was teeming with DOR's and a live Cape Cobra. But, the live one was quick to get off the dirt and into the tall grass and down a hole. Sorry for the DOR's if the bum anyone out.
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This one was a bummer as it was pretty fresh. I would have loved to see one of these big Rock Monitors alive.
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Since you guys are all herps on here I'll spare you any vacation pics or bird/mammal photos and go straight to all the mostly lizard photos I have from the park. I saw one other Naja Nivea in the park but since you can't leave your car I missed the shot when I had to back up and he was gone.
We stayed at a place called Kalahari Trails, just 30km south of the park entrance and it was awesome. I wanted to have the freedom to walk around and hike to try to find stuff. TONS of Bibron's Thick-toed Gecko's were in our place munching bugs in the lights.
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Was glad to find a live tort in the park with this Leopard Tortoise, but I did hate not being able to get on the ground to shoot a decent shot of it.
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Ground Agama or Rock Agama?
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Had these Skink's outside of our place, help with the ID on these?
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And also saw one of these guys at a waterhole, also need the ID.
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Pretty sure this one is a Ground Agama
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Not sure of this one at all, can't find anything like it in the book. These are probably so basic for you guys I know it's funny, ha.
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I did see this DOR snake on the road in the park and needed an ID, I was thinking Dwarf Beaked Snake? I was pretty pissed because it was still moving, meaning the car in front probably hit it. You could see it's trail across the road then it just stops, people need to pay attention more there.
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After being in the Kgalagadi for 4 days, we stopped by the Augrabies on our way to Upington before flying home from Kimberley. A few things from the Falls and park...
A couple Augrabies Flats Lizards
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Another unidentified Skink...
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And some really pretty Southern Rock Agamas
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All in all we had an awesome trip. We've got the contest there in Kimberley for 2 more years, so I've got a couple more chances to find some snakes, although I will definitely need a guide for road cruising as some of the roads just seemed too damn busy to cruise.
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Superciliaris » Thu Oct 13, 2011 6:17 pm

Some very nice Snakes there !!
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Wolf777 » Thu Oct 13, 2011 6:58 pm

Great post and very nice pics, you can post some other photo's of birds etc. as well, we all love nature.
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Rothdigga » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:00 pm

Wolf777 wrote:Great post and very nice pics, you can post some other photo's of birds etc. as well, we all love nature.


Ahh, nice. I'll throw up some raptors as well then in a bit. From looking at previous posts, seemed to be all herps so I didn't want to rock the boat.
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Mitton » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:47 pm

Damn, your photography is fantastic. The DOR's are really sad but that yellow Cape Cobra is amazing.
Thanks for sharing!
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Rothdigga » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:58 pm

Mitton wrote:Damn, your photography is fantastic. The DOR's are really sad but that yellow Cape Cobra is amazing.
Thanks for sharing!


Thanks Mitton. I did get to see 2 live Cape Cobras, but both eluded the lens. One, inside the park, hooded up on us but since I couldn't exit the car I had to backup to find it and it was gone. At least I got to see it with my eyes, but sometimes I don't feel like it counts unless you document it, damn!
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Sage » Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:33 pm

This is really neat man awesome! Inspired me. May i ask what camera you used :)

Fantastic thread.
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Rothdigga » Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:45 pm

Sage wrote:This is really neat man awesome! Inspired me. May i ask what camera you used :)

Fantastic thread.


Glad you liked it. I've got a Canon 5D Mark II with a few lenses, but most on here are with a 100mm macro and a 100-400mm zoom.
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby levi_20 » Thu Oct 13, 2011 9:34 pm

Great post and contest..Tommy Fynn represent!
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Fooble » Thu Oct 13, 2011 9:39 pm

Great thread Rothdigga!

The contest was rad watched it all on TV unfortunately!
But stoked it's going to be held annually fro the next two years will make it out next year for sure.

Nice shots of those Bibrons did you grab a few they have a monster bite on them for such a small gecko.
The First Agama is a Ground Agama.
And the "not sure of ID" lizard is a Sand Veld Lizard -Nucras sp.
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Blet » Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:09 pm

Snake in the pic is a juvenile mole snake. They eventually loose the markings and develop a uniform light- to dark brown or even black coloration. Saw plenty on our visit earlier this year.
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Rothdigga » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:00 pm

levi_20 wrote:Great post and contest..Tommy Fynn represent!


No kidding! Tommy was killing it. I was stoked he took home $40,000 USD. Love that dude.
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby Rothdigga » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:01 pm

Fooble wrote:Great thread Rothdigga!

The contest was rad watched it all on TV unfortunately!
But stoked it's going to be held annually fro the next two years will make it out next year for sure.

Nice shots of those Bibrons did you grab a few they have a monster bite on them for such a small gecko.
The First Agama is a Ground Agama.
And the "not sure of ID" lizard is a Sand Veld Lizard -Nucras sp.


It's really a fun contest. I know it's a year away, but hit me up before you go and I'll make sure any herpers down for skating get passes to the contest VIP style.
I did actually grab one of the Bibron's, it chomped on my finger so hard. I also fed one a moth and he grabbed my nail as well, funny.
Thanks for the ID help on those, I'll go and change them.
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby TH » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:41 am

Great photos! And a fantastic part of our country too – one of my favourites! I am a general wildlife freak (Some people might be able to confirm that I have a keen interest in birds and mammals too!) so I, for one, am certainly not going to complain if you post photos of things other than reptiles here, but I’ll leave it for the “masses” to make the ultimate decision on that one…

Fooble, are you sure about that Nucras sp ID? I would have called that lizard a Spotted Sand Lizard Pedioplanis lineoocellata lineoocellata, but then of course, I could just be smoking something really good…
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Re: Californian's photos from visit to Kimberley and KTP

Postby nvlooi » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:50 am

Brilliant brilliant pics...
Glad you enjoyed the Nothern Cape and got to see some nice herps!

It is unbelievable that people manage to drive over a massive animal like a monitor... except if it 'ran' underneath the car that does happen...

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