Scratcher of heads, rubber of bellies
Bear and I came across this snake wrapped around a lizard, one life ending so another can continue. The lizard is a common side-blotched lizard, one of many we saw that day and one of my favorite desert residents. We didn’t have a good vantage point to identify the snake but my best guess is a western patch-nosed snake, though a young one as it was much smaller than the others I’ve seen.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm+1.4X
🗓️: November 9, 2025
My first snake of the year was this small diamondback sitting beside a narrow trail leading back to the car park. If Bear had been with me I would have backtracked and taken a longer way but it was just hot enough that I didn’t bring him. I was able to get by without bothering the snake but not before sitting down in the trail for a portrait. After passing by I was able to get a shot showing off the lovely pattern of its scales and how well camouflaged it is for this environment. I didn’t set up the tripod as I was afraid the legs would push it out of its comfort zone and at this high magnification most of the shots were blurry from camera shake.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm+1.4X
🗓️: May 10, 2025
The mating strategy of common side-blotched lizards is referred to as rock-paper-scissors as, like the childhood game, each of the three strategies tends to win over one but is often defeated by the other. This one has chosen rock, which is good as rock always wins.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm+1.4X
🗓️: May 11, 2024
I finally saw my first desert tortoise! I love seeing how Bear reacts to new species but he wasn’t remotely interested in the blinking boulder, soaking up the warmth before the sun dipped behind the McDowells. They join bobcats and (initially) rattlesnakes on Bear’s list of “yeah, whatever”. Apart from The Elephant, it’s the only animal I’ve met in the desert who might be older than me.
📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-70 f/4
🗓️: April 6, 2025
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: May 25, 2024
A month after seeing a young Gila monster Bear and I came across another one climbing up a boulder next to the trail, our fourth (!) and final monster of the year. Further along in time and development, this one has entered the semi-chonk phase. The younger one pictured below in a similar pose is still in its non-chonk phase, with a thinner torso and deflated tail.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: May 25, 2024 (top image)
🗓️: April 28, 2024 (bottom image)
Bear and I stopped in a lovely spot for a water break on a warm spring afternoon. We had the trail to ourselves so I lingered, not ready to let the moment pass, I had been back at work a couple of months and missed hiking with him each day. As we finally gathered up to leave I noticed someone left a colorful shirt on a boulder, I didn’t have a trash bag but if it wasn’t too disgusting I was going to pack it out.
Except the shirt turned into a Gila monster, only if someone let all the air out. We had a great view as it tentatively explored its surroundings, climbing up and down nearly vertical rock faces. I had my telephoto with me and we spent half an hour watching it until I filled up my memory card and besides, we needed to get back before closing.
Given its thinness I thought it very young or old or sick, my impression was its slow movements were from uncertainty rather than infirmity. I found it hard to believe even a young monster could be that big but I consulted my big lizard book when I got home and it said hatchlings average over 6 inches long.
There are days on the trails that fill your soul, moments you remember all your life, a joy and a blessing just to witness.
The other evening as I enjoyed the gentle rain I noticed a quiet coil in the green space below. We’re on a slope so it’s a bit awkward trying to balance the telephoto while standing on the fence, this was the only picture that came out but I’ll take it as a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us. It’s so calming to watch a rattlesnake enjoying the rare bounty that falls from above, I’ve only had the opportunity once before.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: August 4, 2024
We were in the backyard with Bear when my wife noticed this gophersnake in the green space below us. It was patiently waiting to introduce itself to its neighbor living in the hole and was still there much later when I went out to say hi to the tarantulas. The sun had already set when we first saw it, I leaned the lens on the fence but still not the sharpest of pictures.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: June 30, 2024
Ensconced behind a palo verde with plenty of crevices to retreat to, a chuckwalla watches the sun set from a safe vantage point.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: May 27, 2024
Boolie 