Tag: gila monster

Stages of a Young Monster’s Development

A young Gila monster climbs a boulder in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 25, 2024. Original: _A672816.ARW

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.

A very young Gila monster climbs a boulder in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 28, 2024. Original: _A671559.ARW

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: May 25, 2024 (top image)
🗓️: April 28, 2024 (bottom image)

Some Days Fill Your Soul

A young Gila monster flicks out its tongue as it descends a nearly vertical rock face in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 28, 2024. Original: _A671251.ARW

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.

25 Minutes Later

A Gila monster flicks out its tongue while moving in the sand in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona. Original: _A677662.ARW

After Bear and I saw a Gila monster this year I couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be until I saw another as it was only my 4th in 6 years. The answer, it turns out, was 25 minutes, which is how long it took for us to continue up the trail and find this beauty. Two in one day!

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: April 14, 2024

Down With the Thickness

A Gila monster explores the rocky edge of a trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 14, 2024. Original: A677539.ARW

That the Gila monster is the largest native lizard in the US only tells part of the story, to me their almost ridiculous girth is more impressive than their length. I half expect the earth to tremble beneath my feet after each of their deliberate steps. This was the first one Bear and I saw this year, having crossed in front of us it explored the edge of the trail before trundling off into the brush.

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: April 14, 2024

Backlit

A Gila monster walks across the trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 14, 2024. Original: _A677479.ARW

There are magical experiences on the trails you never forget and I’ve had several this spring. The first was when I was walking Bear and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw one of my favorite creatures ever sauntering across the trail. We had each seen Gila monsters before but this was our first together and only my fourth overall. Thankfully I had my telephoto lens with me that day, not the best picture but I love every moment with these stunning lizards, such a rare treat.

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: April 14, 2024

It Rains in Heaven

It Rains in Heaven

Moving to Arizona I hoped to see a Gila monster though I knew they are rarely seen in the desert. Moving from Oregon I was sad to leave behind the rain for it is also rarely seen in the desert. Sometimes you get lucky. Up before sunrise I drove to the preserve as rain fell from darkened skies. I wondered if the trails would be crowded with people just as excited about hiking in the wet (they weren’t), even as I feared I wouldn’t see many reptiles (I didn’t, I only saw two all morning). But what two!

After getting to watch a rattlesnake in the rain at my leisure, after circling Cholla Mountain I approached the spot I had seen a Gila monster before and thought it would be funny if there was a glitch in the matrix and I saw one there again.

I didn’t. I had to take a few steps further.

As I scanned the rocks above me as the rain pounded down, there it was, my monster. Unlike with the snake my time with the Gila monster was altogether too brief. I had to move quickly but I was able to get some pictures of two of my loves together, this magnificent lizard and this glorious rain.

Morning Glory

A Gila monster wanders into the brush beside the Cholla Mountain Loop Trail in the Brown's Ranch section of McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona

I hesitate to post this as not only is it not a good picture but you’re only seeing the tail end (ahem) of a brief encounter Saturday morning. But this brief encounter already joins my pantheon of favorite hiking moments, as the one creature I wanted to see in Arizona above all others, but the one I knew was rare to see, was the Gila monster. I arrived at Brown’s Ranch before sunrise Saturday morning as I have many times the past couple of months, this section of McDowell Sonoran Preserve has been the place I’ve visited most frequently. I hoped to photograph Gambel’s quail up on the saguaros in the lovely morning light but I found something unexpected when I arrived at the trailhead: clouds.

I’m used to clouds. I’m from Oregon. But I’ve gotten so used to blue skies here in the desert that I’ve only been checking temperatures before I hike, not cloud cover. The clouds were thick (for Arizona, not for Oregon), thick enough to snuff out the morning light, and that meant a change of plans. Instead of looking for wildlife along familiar trails, I immediately headed out eastward on the Chuckwagon Trail. I had hiked it the week before with the sun in my eyes so I took advantage of the cloud cover to shoot patterns in the plants and rocks along the trail and had a grand time.

I wasn’t seeing much wildlife, not even a lizard, and jokingly thought to myself that I hadn’t been in Arizona long enough to know who to complain to about that. I hiked further on the trails this time, up to Cathedral Rock, and turned around to try some different trails on the route back. I packed up my telephoto lens as the sun was getting a bit bright, swapped my tripod for my hiking poles, and set off to explore.

I didn’t make it very far. There it was crossing the trail in front of me, one of the most beautiful creatures I’ve ever seen, this Gila monster. As slowly as it walked – walked? waddled would be a better term – and as colorful as it was, it soon disappeared into the desert brush. I grabbed my little Sony out of my camera bag and got a quick picture before it was gone from sight, but there was no time to set the focus on its head. Then it was gone.

We only shared a few seconds together but I’ll remember those seconds for a lifetime. I returned to Brown’s Ranch this morning but the clouds did not. I found my quail on a saguaro, and more besides. The desert is full of wonders, but this wonder, this monster, I hope to meet again.