Arizona 2014 pics review...

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Rothdigga
Posts: 405
Joined: November 25th, 2010, 2:00 pm
Location: Long Beach, CA
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Arizona 2014 pics review...

Post by Rothdigga »

Doesn't look like I'll be making any more trips out to AZ the rest of this year, and if I do, I doubt I'll be finding much so I might as well do a quick picture dump.

Early in the year I did some hiking in/around the Bullhead City/Kingman Area and found a good population of Chucks...
ImageChuckwalla (sauromalus ater) by jrothdog, on Flickr
These juveniles have cool colors, there were 4 on one rock. 2 adult and 2 juvies
Imagejuvenile Chuckwalla (sauromalus ater) by jrothdog, on Flickr
This was the first time I had seen a Sonoran Lyre right around the Kingman area. It had just barely got clipped by a car I think cause it's eye was a little bloody.
ImageSonoran Lyre Snake by jrothdog, on Flickr

A quick Phoenix road trip yielded some commonly seen road snakes in the area I was in...
ImageSidewinder Rattlesnake (crotalus cerastes) by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageMojave Rattlesnake (crotalus scutulatus) by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageLongnosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei) by jrothdog, on Flickr

And an early April trip to Tucson yielded this Atrox that I helped get out of the way of sure danger.
ImageWestern Diamondback Rattlesnake (crotalus atrox) by jrothdog, on Flickr

Other than a couple of horned lizards in June, I didn't have a ton of success seeing anything in the heat of that month, but I did get 2 Sky Island trips done during the monsoons. It wasn't the most ecologically friendly trip as we had 4 people and 4 cars. Everyone was coming from different directions and schedules but I got to hang out with them for 3 days to hit it with them.
I didn't really expect to find one of these Vine Snakes when we went looking for one, so it was a pleasant surprise.
ImageBrown Vine Snake (Oxybelis aeneus) by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageBrown Vine Snake (Oxybelis aeneus) by jrothdog, on Flickr
Never tired of seeing these Tiger Rattlesnakes
ImageTiger Rattlesnake (crotalus tigris) by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageTiger Rattlesnake (crotalus tigris) by jrothdog, on Flickr
This guy was wandering on the side of the road that same night as well
ImageReticulate Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum) by jrothdog, on Flickr
as well as the first baby Gila I have ever witnessed.
ImageReticulate Gila Monster hatchling (Heloderma suspectum) by jrothdog, on Flickr
Sometimes even the most common things make good poses for you.
ImageElegant Earless Lizard (Holbrookia elegans) by jrothdog, on Flickr
Nicely patterned Mojave
ImageMojave Rattlesnake (crotalus scutulatus) by jrothdog, on Flickr
We walked right up on this Banded Rock sitting at the base of a tree. It stuck out like a sore thumb which was nice.
ImageBanded Rock Rattlesnake (crotalus lepidus) by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageRidge-nosed Rattlesnake (crotalus willardi) by jrothdog, on Flickr
This Whipsnake shot through the grass and bailed up a tree. So a quick walk up a hill yielded a good vantage point to shoot it
ImageSonoran Whipsnake (Coluber bilineatus) by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageBanded Rock Rattlesnake (crotalus lepidus) by jrothdog, on Flickr

Back to the Kingman area I visited a mountain range I had never really herped before but found a few gems.
Only can see these guys once they move
ImageJuvenile Greater Short Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi) by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageBlack-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) in the Hualapai Mountains by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageBlack-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) in the Hualapai Mountains by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageJuvenile Greater Short Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi) by jrothdog, on Flickr

Another Tucson area trip yielded me my first ever baby tort that I've hiked upon. My wife was so stoked to see it.
ImageHatchling Sonoran Desert Tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) by jrothdog, on Flickr
This Badger skull would have been better if it was attached to a live Badger
ImageBadger skull? by jrothdog, on Flickr
I cruised all night finding absolutely nothing...only to see this Atrox on the freeway onramp. So I backed up (carefully) and moved it off the road.
ImageJuvenile Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (crotalus atrox) by jrothdog, on Flickr
One of the cooler finds of the year for me was finding a large population of Sonoran Mud Turtles. I first saw this adult as we were crossing a stream and a "rock" moved just in front of my car.
ImageSonoran Mud Turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense) by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageSonoran Mud Turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense) by jrothdog, on Flickr
Then just down the road I saw something else move before I crossed a very small stream. We ended up seeing 15 hatchlings up and down the creek after hiking around.
ImageSonoran Mud Turtle hatchling (Kinosternon sonoriense) by jrothdog, on Flickr
There are 3 in this photo. 2 in the water and 1 on the far left against the rocks.
ImageSonoran Mud Turtle hatchling (Kinosternon sonoriense) by jrothdog, on Flickr
ImageSanta Rita Mountains Lightning by jrothdog, on Flickr
Next year I'm actually going to try to get good lightning pics other than just pulling over for 10 minutes and then keeping cruising.
ImageSanta Rita Mountains Lightning by jrothdog, on Flickr
I had one more group of meetings to do in Phoenix in October and did some quick road cruising there and back. Only live snakes I found were sidewinders (2 DOR atrox and Mojave's also).
I like it when they're flattened out like this.
ImageSonoran Sidewinder (crotalus cerastes) by jrothdog, on Flickr
Next year I've got a few more new spots to try out. So much land to explore out there and never enough time.
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ratsnakehaven
Posts: 2272
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 9:08 am
Location: Southern Arizona

Re: Arizona 2014 pics review...

Post by ratsnakehaven »

Dang, that's an awesome post. Love the lizard pics in there. Best to ya.....

Terry :beer:
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JEDDLV
Posts: 69
Joined: April 28th, 2013, 1:54 pm
Location: Las Vegas, Nv.

Re: Arizona 2014 pics review...

Post by JEDDLV »

Nice post, great pics
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