Apr
22nd
2014
Yarrow’s Spiny Lizard
These Yarrow’s spiny lizards are the most common lizards you’ll see in the mountain ranges of South Eastern Arizona, and also one of the most beautiful. Their metallic scales can have such a high contrast between the blues and pinks and black base color that they look like pixels. They’re usually the first reptile I see when I’m starting a trip down there, and I usually photograph the first one. In this case, it was the last of the trip.
Apr
15th
2014
Blacktails in Yavapai County
This is the first blacktail I found at one of my favorite spots in Yavapai county – a place that I didn’t even visit in 2013. This young molossus hiding under a rock was a bit difficult to photograph, but it was done.
There’s a big female in the area that I have seen a lot. I wonder if she’s mom? She has a route that she takes every morning in August, moving between the bushes coming from wherever she was all night. It’s become so regular that one morning, rather than go looking for her, I just sat on a rock and waited for her to come along. She did of course.
Apr
8th
2014
Tiger and Lichen
This shot of a baby tiger rattlesnake ended up much more colorful than I had anticipated, with the typical pink coloration of the snake to match the surrounding rock and neon lichen. This is one of only a handful of tiger rattlesnakes I’ve seen in this area, and the only snake of the morning on the way home from a 9 day field trip. I drove home after this, content with the last of hundreds of snakes seen on this one.
Mar
25th
2014
Banded Rock Rattlesnake Not Coiling, As Usual
I never really put it together until now, probably since I’ve been keeping one of these for about a month now for education work (yes, licensed and legal) – I have never seen a banded rock rattlesnake in the tight coil that’s usually characteristic for rattlesnakes. Lot’s of these S shapes, or loosely spread across the rocks, but that’s it. The one I keep at home does the same; many poses, none of which circular. Has anyone else noticed this?
Mar
18th
2014
Arizona Black Rattlesnake Habitat
Here’s one of my favorite canyons in Yavapai county to look for Arizona Black Rattlesnakes and Blacktailed Rattlesnakes.
You can see how this guy would be hard to spot in the middle of the day, even sitting right out in the open. (this one is from a different location)
Mar
11th
2014
Baby White Specks!
The only snakes that I breed are the white speckleds that were gifted to me several years ago. Here’s a shot that makes even snake haters think twice, mom with a 2 day old neonate.
Mar
4th
2014
Landscape Photography, or What You Do When Snakes Aren’t Moving
Just barely into New Mexico, before a long night full of Prairie Rattlesnakes and large reddish Diamondbacks:
A quick one on the way to check a timber rattlesnake den:
On the way to Idaho to hang out at Great Basin Rattlesnake dens for a week:
While searching for a desert massasauga:
Feb
25th
2014
One More Ringneck
While I’m at it, here’s another one. I got this one to pose nicely, showing it’s colorful warning and grey topside at the same time. This may be my favorite picture of one that I’ve taken.
