‘WISCONSIN DESERT’, VISIT ON A SAND PRAIRIE

Six-lined Racerunner

Last Sunday we went to an unusual nature preserve in our neighbor state Wisconsin. Here is a quote from the Wisconsin DNR website that gives a much better description of this 1,104 acres (446.8 ha) preserve than I can ever give you.

Spring Green Preserve, known as the 'Wisconsin Desert', features a rolling sand prairie on an old Wisconsin River terrace and harbors a unique flora and fauna that are adapted to the hot, droughty environment. The dry sandy soils contain many desert-like plants such as false heather, three-awn grass, and prickly pear cactus. Nearly 40 species of annuals and biennials thrive here, a high number for a prairie, […} Several sand blows, with shifting dunes and open sand, are scattered throughout. Bird life is diverse and includes large numbers of rare open country birds […]

Small part of Spring Green Preserve, a sand prairie born about 17,000 years ago.

Although already late in the season we still found a good number of interesting plants and insects. The biggest thrill for me was the sighting of a Six-lined Racerunners (Aspidoscelis sexlineata), a sun-loving lizard that lives in a variety of habitats, including bluff prairies and sand prairies. I have never seen one before and was very happy to get a few shots of this fast critter.

At places like the Spring Green Preserve is always a good chance to meet people that enjoy nature and travel as much as we do. Thank you to the couple from Madison for the interesting conversation! 

Great to see some real bees in the flowers

All photos: Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM

BLUE SHOW OFF

Male Western Fence Lizard, San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, California -------

I don’t know if this male Western Fence Lizard displayed to attract a female or maybe tried to keep an intruder at distance. I saw only him between the rocks at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, California. Commonly called the blue-belly, it was showing off his blue patches on throat and belly right in front of me. I was actually focussing on the birds in the shallow water behind the lizard and therefor had the 1.4 tele extender added to the Sigma 150-600. This was the right combination to make this click without sacrificing any pixels because of the distance.

NATURE CLICKS #351 - WESTERN FENCE LIZARD

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California ---------

I was asked if there were any other critters in the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve beside birds. The answer is yes, although I only saw this nice looking fence lizard in one of the bushes near the border of the reserve. Just minutes later another local photographer showed me a picture of a coyote he just had seen. The same friendly guy reminded me to watch where I go in order not to come close to a rattlesnake. Two species of this venomous snake can be found around the wetlands. Unfortunately I didn’t see any. I also didn’t see any rabbits, cottontails, mice, ground squirrels, bob cats, sharks, or any other kind of lizards. Fish were jumping and I saw for the first time a ray at the bottom of the laguna. The ecological reserve is full of life but one day is just not enough time to explore all of it. I’m nevertheless happy with my image of the Western Fence Lizard. The blue patch at its throat indicates that this is probably a male.