A pretty orange Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake from Yavapai County, Arizona. The oxidation in the surrounding rock shows why this snake is the color that it is. I got some photos and watched it crawl off in the direction it was headed.
A large adult Tiger Rattlesnake from southeastern Arizona. These secretive snakes are common where they are found, but even people who live next to them for a lifetime may never see one. Interestingly, speckled rattlesnakes are often misidentified as tigers … I think it may be as simple as that “tiger rattlesnake” sounds cooler than “speckled”. But, you if you see here, you can see one of the things that make a tiger a tiger: a tiny head, that looks about half as big as it should be for a snake with this body.
A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake letting me know that it’s not a smart idea to come closer. This defensive behavior is often mischaracterized as aggression. While there are some cognitive gymnastics that could be done to force word choice, the misinterpretation of what these snakes are doing when in a pose like this often leads to the injury of both the animal and the person. Once a rattlesnake is seen, the danger is over unless the person chooses go approach it, ignoring these very clear signs.
A young Grand Canyon Rattlesnake found in the rocks alongside the Colorado River. This young male’s will fade considerably as it ages, but will likely not become the nearly unicolor look of mature females.
One of several baby Arizona Black Rattlesnakes laying around outside a winter den earlier in the year. As this snake matures, it will likely darken to mute the contrast shown here and be nearly entirely black, like the other females present in the rocks behind it.
This Regal Horned Lizard decided that basking right in the middle of a busy road was a good idea. It wasn’t. But from the look on its face, my moving it to an anthill a short distance away was not appreciated.
A Great Basin Gophersnake cruising around the rocks that it shares the winter with dozens of Great Basin Rattlesnakes. These important areas where hibernation and subsequent hunting and drinking are better than the surrounding rock piles can be home to multiple species of snakes.
A female Western Diamondback Rattlesnake pausing on a bit near a large bush where she likely lives. These are the most common rattlesnake, if not snake, seen by hikers and homeowners in the Phoenix area.
This Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake was resting on a small rise just below its aestivation den in Phoenix. She’s pregnant, and will stayed in the area most of the summer before moving up the hill to a rocky slope to give birth.
A Grand Canyon Rattlesnake found near its namesake a few years ago. This one is still pretty sharply patterned for a snake of this age.
