Being out in the wildnerness looking for snakes puts a person in a lot of attractive surrounding, and every trip comes with a story. Here are a few HDR (and non HDR) pictures taken in-between snakes.

HDR Picture in S.E. Arizona

HDR Picture of Santa Cruz County

HDR Picture in Arizona

Praying Mantis

This one is (we believe) an impromptu grave. It was found just 3 or 4 miles North of the Mexican border in a very high-activity area. Someone not making the trip is something that happens from time to time. The picture does not show it well, but it’s a rectangular pile about 6 feet long and 3 feet across, and the only pile of rocks in the area.

grave

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Last weekend was supposed to be the weekend where I don’t go herping. My brother is in town and I planned on wasting the entire time drinking and eating horrible things. Friday night went well, but by Saturday morning at 8 a.m. I was halfway up a mountain North of Phoenix.

The place kind of sucked. There was automatic gunfire from pretty much every direction. I realize they were most likely shooting at targets placed up against hillsides, but that’s a lot of trust to place in people. The other established trails were equally occupied with the most redneckingest redneckmobiles and douchy mountain bikers with their silly little hats and “I’m so much better than you” neon spandex.

I only found two things that I felt like taking pictures of.

First was a nice tarantula crawling across a wash; the first I’ve found this year. I’ve since seen two more, and will see hundreds more by years end. I wish I knew how to differentiate species.

Tarantula

The next thing was this Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister) that I was able to sneak up to within a foot or two of before he woke up and bolted.

Desert Spiny Lizard

I also saw a lot of Tiger Whiptails, though I didn’t stop to photograph them. I like them. They don’t seem as good as the other lizards at disappearing into the brush. Usually when I’ve disturbed one, it crashes loudly through the grass and makes no attempt to hide its location.

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Taken today in Yavapai Co., Arizona.

hdr-cent-sculpturatus-041208

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