Oh man, I’m way behind! I have so many photos to get through from 2011 I have no hope of getting them on here anytime soon, and it looks like my ‘pre-cooked’ posts have run out. Until I get some sit down time, this first blacktailed rattlesnake of my 2012 season will have to make due. A young female, large but still growing, she never rattled one bit despite my deserving it.
On the way to a good blacktail spot, I saw this little mud turtle and decided to try for some photos. He wasn’t having it, and stayed in the shell until I decided I’ve spent enough time waiting. You win dude.
Sitting out in the cold, wet Spring air. Of the 59 timber rattlesnakes we saw in those few days, this was the smallest, but don’t tell him that.
This is an older photo, from one of my first trips to the extreme South Eastern part of Arizona. We found this very dark Mojave rattlesnake … dark enough in fact that I really had no idea what it was, and wasn’t experienced enough to not rule out that something I wasn’t aware of had crossed the Mexican border, which sat maybe a mile to the South. It’s a silly thought now, but it was pretty exciting at the time. Regardless, it’s still one of the coolest mojave’s I’ve seen.
Most of the Specks from the area around Phoenix are a pretty drab brown color (other than South Mountain, where they are a blue/white color). Not the prettiest speckled rattlesnake I’ve seen, but certainly more colorful than most I tend to see around my house.
This rock hid at least three Timber rattlesnakes, keeping out of sight on a rather cold, wet morning. The yellow one takes the cake, in my opinion. Sorry, other guys in the photo.
I scooted him away this time, but I doubt he’ll change his ways.
One of the ways that I’ve decided to take my hobby is to start speaking at events as a local snake ‘expert’. I have a pretty decent collection of native rattlesnakes at home, but it was finally time to go try and pick up a great specimen of my absolute favorite of Arizona rattlesnakes, the Northern Blacktailed Rattlesnake, Crotalus molossus molossus. When it comes to blacktails, there aren’t any more beautiful than as can be found in the Sky Islands region of South East Arizona. I set aside 3 days to head to my favorite range and find my prize.
Success came on the first night, finding two absolutely knockout animals. After careful comparison, I decided that the larger, and higher contrast, of the two would come home with me. Before leaving the area, however, I took this photo of him in the rocks near where he was found, stretched out in the cold rain.
For comparison, here is another blacktail, found in the McDowell mountains earlier in the year. You can clearly see why I looked to find mine in the range that I chose.
This was found on a front porch in Anthem, Arizona (where I live, just North of Phoenix). They’re typically grey in this, or maybe a little bit of blue tint. This old guy looked purple. Really a pretty snake to see in person, and I was happy to relocate it so it can continue living.
This is the East coast’s version of our own Coluber species, the fast, rather intelligent snakes such as coachwhips and whipsnakes … probably responsible for more bites on my hands than any other species. Our target this day was Timber rattlesnakes, but I was equally happy to see this guy. We got to get good close shots after what can only be described as a heroic dive into the rocks by an extremely knowledgeable member of our party by the name of Rex.
Two of many seen in Spring of 2011.
These beautiful lizards are common sights on rocks on route to one of my favorite blacktail and Arizona black rattlesnake spots. They’re a bit hard to photograph with the 28-135 I had handy, but I manage to get one from time to time. If nothing else, getting out every mile or so to chase lizards is a nice diversion during the 2 hour drive in to this location.
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