My camera shoots fascistsApr 25, 2023

There's a nice 15 mile R/T bike ride on a low-traffic well-paved county road here that is also a good place to look for snakes at dusk.

Yesterday evening: a western diamondback rattlesnake (alas, turns out it was dying after being run over), a king snake and my first sidewinder rattlesnake!

I shooed the sidewinder off with a stick and picked up the king snake and carried it off the pavement. I dragged the diamondback off with a stick, but it was barely moving.

Alas, I have to be back in California soon, but we've got snakes there.

#snake #herpetology #RattleSnake #sidewinder #KingSnake #snek #NoStepOnSnek #SonoranDesert #Arizona

Show threadMy camera shoots fascistsApr 25, 2023
Here's the sidewinder video as I shooed it off the road yesterday. The first one I've ever seen. This and the previous post's pics are just phone snaps, but there are enough snakes that I might bring my big camera next time.
Show threadMy camera shoots fascistsApr 27, 2023

Is #BicycleHerpetology or #BikeHerping a thing? It's a great way to find snakes, much easier than in a car because you can easily hop off and investigate. You get to ride a bike and find snakes, how fun is that?

Went out the same road tonight, but all I found is the most adorbs baby sidewinder rattlesnake. It was so smol. I wanted to hold it, but I would be in the hospital now. It was about 8" stretched out. Video shows me shooing off the road with a stick.

(By the way, no, baby rattlers aren't more venomous/dangerous. That's another bad snake myth.)

#snake #herps #sidewinder #snek

Show threadMy camera shoots fascists

Here are a couple phone pics of the same snake. Tonight I brought a better light.

This one was so tiny that I may have missed it if I were in my truck. Easy to spot from a bicycle.

#SmolSnek

Apr 27, 2023 at 5:04amWeb
Show threadMy camera shoots fascistsApr 28, 2023
Heading out on my #bike for more #herping
#BikeHerping should be a thing!
Gonna start before dark tonight. More snakes are out later, but I want to get back to photograph bats at the hummingbird feeder later.
Show threadMy camera shoots fascistsApr 28, 2023

The only snake on tonight's #BikeHerping ride: another wee sidewinder rattlesnake.

In the glare of my LED light, it's obvious, but I nearly ran it over with my bicycle. It's only about 6" tip to tail in this position and was nearly invisible with my bike light.

Two nights ago I found three species of snake, but the last two night, just the sidewinders.