Tag: Sonoran Desert

Life & Death, Intertwined

A snake (possibly a western patch-nosed snake) is wrapped around a common side-blotched lizard on the Balanced Rock Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on November 9, 2025. Original: _A670891.ARW

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

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

It’s Time to Leave the Capsule If You Dare

A young tarantula starts to climb out of her burrow in our backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona on October 5, 2025. Original: _Z726641.NEF

The adult tarantula that was living in our backyard hasn’t been seen since the spring so I was delighted when a tiny one dug an equally tiny burrow beside our patio. I thought she wasn’t staying long as the hole was covered after a few days but she may have been molting as within a week or so she came back out and was a regular fixture each night. With the cooler weather the burrow is covered again, hope to see her in the spring.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 105mm macro
🗓️: October 5, 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