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ARIZONA
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April 2001
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Click on any
photo to see a larger version
1 of 3 
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When my brother Ron and I
went out to California
in March we volunteered to get bumped from our flight and scored some free
airline tickets. A month later we headed back to the west, this time for a
weekend in Arizona
near Phoenix.
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Most
satisfying find: our first. A Mojave Rattlesnake
on the side of the road . . . being shot at
repeatedly by a man with a pistol. We
jumped out of the car and tactfully asked "Mind if we have it?", appealing to his generosity rather than yelling
"Stop it, you idiot!" (not a recommended
salutation for guys firing guns).
Grateful for his willingness to share and for his poor aim, we
rescued the snake from the hazards of both the road and armed civilians. We even used it as an opportunity to
educate. As the snake kept trying to
escape without attempting to strike, we pointed out that all they want is to
be left alone, and will not hurt anyone if left alone in return, a sentiment
our back-country individualist seemed to relate to. He returned the gun to
his car and brought out a camera instead and joined us in taking
pictures. In the end everyone got away
unharmed.
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Mojave
Rattlesnake
Crotalus scutulatus
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We proceeded down the dirt road till we came to an abandoned
mine. Flipped a piece of tar paper at
the entrance and got really startled when something big exploded from
underneath and practically ran up Ron’s leg, making it’s
way for the nearest crack (in the rocks).
Grabbed it before it went in too deeply, and after a few minutes of
gentle insistence we emerged with our first-ever Chuckwalla. These lizards usually bask on boulder piles
and dive immediately into the rocks as soon as danger approaches. Notice how this guy inflates when being
held. Such defensive behavior makes
Chuckwallas practically unremovable when wedged into tight crevices. Also
note the red back rather than the more typical color phase of an all black
body and dull yellow tail.
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Chuckwalla
Sauromalus obesus
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The desert was in bloom so we wandered about
admiring the flowers and searching
for snakes. We were told by more than one
person to look for Rattlesnakes at the base of bushes or rock ledges. “Don’t
expect to be walking along and suddenly hear a rattle,” they said. “You’ll
have to look long and hard if you expect to find anything.” So, naturally, as I’m walking along I hear
from behind me a single Chh-Chh
from a nearby bush. At first I didn’t pay it much attention. It was quiet, almost unnoticeable, and
sounded like some insect or the momentary rustle of dry leaves. Then I heard it again, so I turned around
to investigate. Got real close, leaned
over the bush, and there hidden beneath the branches was a young Western
Diamondback Rattlesnake.
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Arrow
pointing to bush where it was found
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Western
Diamondback Rattlesnake
Crotalus atrox
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Another one who found us. I was walking along the edge of a wash when
suddenly I hear a really loud Chh-Chh-Chh-Chh!!! from below and
to the right, and there's this adult WDB backing up into a bush.
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That’s
Ron on the right
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Most unusual find: Ron was checking out a ridge where talus
meets outcropping, when suddenly he hears a slight thud next to him, followed by a tiny little buzzz. He
looks down and sees a juvey Speckled rattler has just dropped from a palo
verde tree and landed at his feet! It
crawls beneath a ledge but Ron manages to coax him out and carry him down for
some photos.
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Speckled
Rattlesnake
Crotalus mitchellii
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