Tag: McDowell Sonoran Preserve

So Many Questions

An adult Harris’ hawk perches on a boulder on the Bootlegger Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona

As Bear and I approached the end of our hike, perched high on boulders beside the trail were several volunteers greeting visitors to the park. They patiently answered questions they must get asked over and over and over, like “What trails are good for beginners?”, “Are there really rattlesnakes here?”, and “Why didn’t the eagles fly Sam & Frodo to Mordor?”

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm+1.4X
🗓️: November 9, 2025

How’s About a Little Kiss?

A ground level view of a western diamondback rattlesnake in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 10, 2025. Original: _A679181.ARW

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

A close-up view of a western diamondback rattlesnake in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 10, 2025. Original: _A679257.ARW

Good Old Rock, Nothing Beats That

A common side-blotched lizard perches on a boulder in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona. Original: _A672027.ARW

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