Arizona: SE

Brian, Carl and I were now a few days into our Arizona trip.  We had been doing pretty well, but we had missed out on a few targets.  Morale was a little low from a tough couple of days near Sedona.  We orchestrated our exodus from Phoenix and the north well though and were in location to cruise about 30 minutes before dusk near Tuscon.  We met up with an old buddy of mine who moved out to Tuscon this year, Mike R, enjoyed a quick car sandwich and hit the road.  I had been a little worried about running into masses of other herpers because the Biology of Rattlesnakes Symposium was currently underway in Tuscon.  We chose a less traveled location hoping traffic would be low...

A couple of passes were not fruitful, and we couldn't help but worry about plummeting temperatures and blustery winds.  Finally, a snake was spotted...

Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer

We also noticed 2 or 3 other cars joining us on the road.

I spotted a stick-looking snake and called out to stop and check it out.  I wasn't too confident, and as we were backing up, I couldn't find what caught my eye.  Luckily, Mike saw it and yelled out "It's moving!"  Game on!

Tiger Rattlesnake Crotalus tigris

We kept at it and noticed another car pulled over on the road.  They were photographing a tiger rattlesnake of their own.

A little bit later we quickly photographed a WBD moving across the road.  One of the other cars pulled up and we told them what we were photographing.  A few of the cars inhabitants had never seen a WBD before so they filed out to get some pictures.  We were anxious to move on so Carl and I hopped in the car and started it up.  Brian and Mike stayed back...  I was being abnoxious, saying things like "Time to go!" and "Snakes are moving!".  Turns out none of the 4 people from the car (1 guy driving and 3 girls) had a flashlight.  They were all stupidly holding their phones out to try and light the snake with their "light apps".  It would have been funny if it wasn't so stupid.  Who in their right mind cruises at night in Arizona, basically for rattlesnakes, without a flashlight?  Mike and Brian are luckily nice guys and ignored me long enough to assist them with pictures. 

A bit later another group was photographing a young gila on the side of the road.  It was content to just sit on the side of the road and cooperate for pictures.

"beaded" lizard

The road was producing nicely, but it was getting late and we had some other targets on our mind.  Later, we hit pay dirt and got to see some very awesome amphibians.  Numerous border patrol interruptions later...

Sonoran Desert Toad Bufo alvarius

Kiss it.  I double dog dare you.

Great Plains Toad Bufo cognatus

Sonoran Green Toad Bufo retiformis

My favorite toad of the trip.

Lowland Burrowing Treefrog  Smilisca fodiens

Brian was pretty darn happy to see this!

On the way back a few more snakes were moving.

Our first Mohave Rattlesnake since Carl joined us, Crotalus scutulatus.  Unfortunately, we called this an atrox for some silly reason and Carl never got out of the car to look at it.

Long-nosed Snake Rhinocheilus lecontei

Carl and I saw a DOR long-nose, (we won't mention that Mike and Brian drove over it twice...) and an atrox.  We were all dozing off at the wheel, and decided to call it a night.  Many thanks to Mike for everything, and letting us crash on his floor.  I wish we could have spent more time hiking together.

The next morning we set out for a nice long mountain hike.  The weather looked sketchy, but we were ready for anything.  This would be a very memorable day for me...

We saw quite a few Canyon Treefrogs Hyla arenicolor

It started to rain, and true to form, Carl found his specialty crossing the trail.

Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake or Willard's Rattlesnake Crotalus willardi

We got poured on for the couple of hours and my camera gear and flashes started to act a little funky.  Carl came through again though, with another willardi out in the rain.

The rain finally let up and I decided to hike some talus.  Talus, or scree, is fractured, loose rock that has been worn off of a cliff face and can form fields of bare rock.  It is probably not the safest of materials to walk on dry, but soaking wet was just stupid.  I quickly realized my mistake, and was trying to get off the rock when I slip and fell on a large rock with an upward facing pointy edge.  I jumped up immediately to prove to myself I was ok to watch blood spray out of my shin.  Luckily, it didn't bleed that much after or really hurt too much.

Gore Warning:  If you don't like blood, scroll ahead quickly.

War wound

Many thanks to Carl for taking these shots!

I cleaned it out on the mountain and tried to stop the bleeding with a sweaty bandana.  This of course did not work.  The rain picked back up again and darkness was creeping so we started the long walk back to the car.  It was cold and rainy and Brian and Carl decided to call it a night.  I took this wonderful opportunity to get stitched up.  A bunch of stitches later it still looked like crap.

Might as well have done it myself...

And just for good measure, after a course of antibiotics and then a week or so of wet to dry dressings, here it is, now a little more than a month later.

We were feeling refreshed and ready to go the next morning after a good nights sleep, a warm shower and some tasty breakfast.  We got to our site early and quickly started finding stuff.  I was having some major camera problems from the rain and condensation, but after removing all my gear and leaving it in direct sunlight for 30 minutes or so things started to dry out for pictures.

We noticed a lizard rustling through the grass and we were able to use the 3 person corral method to capture it.  

Madrean Alligator Lizard  Elgaria kingii

As I went back to get my backpack from the car, I heard the tell-tale sound of a slither through leaves.  Again, trapping the snake from all angles was useful.

Sonoran Whipsnake  Coluber bilineatus

While looking hard for Arizona Black Rattlesnakes, Brian noticed a turtle a little way from his pond.

Sonoran Mud Turtle Kinosternon sonoriense

We would see a few of the sonoran whipsnakes today.

As well as a couple Black-necked Garter snakes Thamnophis cyrtopsis

Carl was checking out some boulders when we all heard him get buzzed.  Finally another one of my Arizona curses was broken.  Of course, when it rains... it would pour.

Black-tailed Rattlesnake Crotalus molossus

We hiked around a bit more and I went back for my backpack that I had set down to see our molossus had crawled into a hole.  I noticed an obviously dead rat laying for his consuption.  Carl must have spooked him on his way to finish his meal.

I tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to photograph lizards on the way out.  We enjoyed an early dinner with grilled brats, beans and a beer or two waiting for the hour or two before dusk.  It cooled off quickly, but we did see a gopher crossing the road.

Red-spotted Toads Bufo punctatus were numerous and a new species for the trip.

We tried crusing a few other roads as well and just saw more atrox.  It was still one of our better days and we added a bunch of new species to our totals for the trip.

We finished out the night by finding a nice campsite.  Thunderstorms could be heard in all directions and Carl and I were up for doing a motel (remember we didn't think to bring tents?!!?).  Brian assured us the rain wouldn't come for a few hours, if it was going to come at all.  About 10 minutes after we all were tucked into our sleeping bags it started to rain.  I wanted nothing to do with a cold, wet, mildewy bag so I quickly bailed.  They followed a little bit later and we rolled into a motel pretty late this night, tired and cranky...

Stay tuned for more from Arizona soon!

Click here for Part I, Part II, Part III and Part IV.