cogartist's Favorites

predation of a desert iguana by a sidewinder. The first photo has two desert iguanas in it, both males, one in the shade of the shrub. The lizard in the shrub had been bitten (the other eventually wandered off), and the sidewinder ate the one in the shrub. This sequence is also posted as a sidewinder (iNaturalist observation #11405925)

A raccoon digging through the trash can. Not sure what subspecies it is. It didn't seem to have a strong fear of humans since it was digging in the trash can next to a busy building entrance, 2-3 feet away from passing students.

Herpetologist contacted thinks it is most likely a Northern Alligator Lizard that was either a released or escaped pet. This was the smaller of two seen in backyard of house. While we often have many lizards this was a first for this kind.

This ~2' rattlesnake was between the trail and the creek very near the start of the Millard Falls trail. It didn't seem bothered by our large group at all, except that it seemed to decide that perhaps it should take its food elsewhere to eat, so it picked up a dead mouse from under the leaves, and started to move. It was only then that it rattled at us, I am guessing because we were blocking its path, so we left.