Search This Blog

Followers

Friday, August 26, 2022

Getting Rattled

First 4:  young Western Diamondback (about 3' long)
The first images in this blog post are of the young Western Diamondback Rattlesnake that rattled us as we descended the LDR-A arroyo.  Willow, Frio and I were a few feet from the serpent when I noticed it.  I warned Dr. K that it was there, and she made a detour around it.

The rattler never rattled, and after I parked the Heelers with Dr. K I went back to photograph the snake.  It noticed me, but never got agitated enough to rattle.

We spent the rest of the hike in a heightened sense of alertness because of the encounter, but we also very much appreciated the green desert with its multitude of wildlife and wildflowers.




This & next 2:  Golden Crownbeard (Verbesina encelioides)



Frio and Willow

Clouds over the Organs

This & next 2:  Fringed Amaranth (Amaranthus fimbriatus)



This & next 2:  Chinchweed



Desert Spiny Lizard

Last 2:  green desert


 

1 comment:

Dr. K said...

Beautiful photos of the Fringed Amaranth, especially the last one.

Snakes always give me the creeps.

Rim Trail Trek

Just starting off on Rim Trail 105 this morning We decided to drive to Sunspot and hike the Rim Trail which starts near the Apache Point tur...