any naturalists (no, not naturists) especially herpetologists around tonight?

[Kali]

:wtf: SE Arizona, Chihuahuan semi desert grassland, elevation 4500 feet. COLD nights the last two weeks, below freezing for the last 4, two inches of snow on Tuesday night, 18 degrees F last night and today, this!!!



Is it the wonder of all desert children, the Great Southwestern Christmas Rattlesnake???:rofl:

really, :wtf:

believe it or not, about a half mile south of this my son heard another one buzzing at him (and the dog) under a rock pile about 30 minutes later! I have NEVER seen a snake out in December. I repeat: :wtf:

[Sal Minella]

1. Beautiful photo, beautiful snake.

[InkAddict]

2. I'm thinkin' bout good vibrations...

They're giving me great sensations...


or

I feel the earth move under my feet?
I feel the sky tumbling down
I feel my heart start to trembling
Whenever you're around.

[TriMera]

3. I'm not claiming to be an expert...

However, I did grow up in the Mojave Desert. That snake should not be there. Freaky! Hmmmm...

[JohnnyLib2]

4. Move away, move slowly away.

Great photo, though. :scared:

[rug]

5. Crap, that looks like it's about to stand up, walk over and smack you with the camera.

What a thing to run into.

[Kali]

12. we had so many this summer

it was crazy - for a couple weeks in August it seemed like somebody found one every time they went out the door.

[G_j]

6. with temps that cold

that is really strange

[mike_c]

7. damn, that's a handsome specimen....

No ideas about the apparent change in phenology, though. I do insects, I'm afraid.

[izquierdista]

8. Tasted like chicken?

An interesting change from the usual turkey or ham.

[Kali]

14. ...

:spray:

[havocmom]

9. Kali, what have your daytime temps been like?

It might make a difference re snake activity, I think, even with cold nights.

Used to see rattlers well into December and even January half way up Mt Lemmon and that would be at about 5000-6000 feet where I would see a bunch of them active. At 8000-9000 no snakes sighted past early December, but I might just not been in the right place at the right time to see them, as I stick to shade a lot.

[Kali]

13. hasn't been above 50 in a while (didn't make it to 40 on Wed or Thurs)

and that is only for an hour or two in the afternoon

I have a recollection of seeing one in early November about ten years ago and that was unusual (as was the green Lehman's Lovegrass that so late that year) but never in December. They start showing up angry and hungry in April, usually.

[havocmom]

15. Suggestion: Come Monday, call the Desert Museum and see if someone in the know can call ya back

They were most helpful to me with questions or referring me to various experts over the years.

Damn, now I want to spend the day there. Happens every time I think of that wonderful place. Used to be a member which came with access to their library.

[KittyWampus]

10. Scary, I'm not used to snakes except your cute little garter snake. Maybe it was a Guardian Spirit

[Kali]

11. bwahahahahha my son did a little touch up on the photo

[rucky]

16. I thought this was going to be about cold sores. n/t

[annabanana]

17. Possibly a Western diamondback rattler

(At least according to my non-herpetologist Mom who works as a docent at the Sonoran Desert Museum, just to the West & South of the Chihuahuan Desert.)

But she said it is DEFINITELY poisonous, as you can tell by the venom filled pouches on either side of it's neck..

So don't adopt it as a pet...

[Kali]

18. oh yeah, Western Diamondback for sure

but what in the hell is it doing out in late December after several freezing nights and plenty of cold weather for weeks now? :wow: :shrug:

[DCKit]

19. It's the heat of the sun, not the air temp that's got them out.

We had issues with flies well into the beginning of December this year in the mountains of western VA. They just need to warm up in the morning sun and it's "zoom, zoom, zoom" all day long.

As for identification, the tracks say it's the proverbial sidewinder.

[Kali]

20. well, the sun got us out for a couple hours too but I sure haven't ever seen on in December before

not a sidewinder, despite his kind of odd pose, those tracks are from a truck - he was crossing them perpendicular, not traveling along in that direction

I'm sure he is a Western Diamondback.

[DCKit]

21. He was driving a TRUCK????? Western Redneck Diamondback, to you. n/t

[LWolf]

22. More sun than usual?

I'm stumped.

I'm a lot further north than you, and we've had some really unseasonably warm days. First a snowstorm in October, then milder than usual temps all the way to December, then a week of sub-zero temps, then a return to almost spring-like temperatures, and now, finally, hoarfrost and snow.

No snakes or flies out longer here, though.

Who made that snake angry? Perhaps a little testier than usual since he's not in his winter den?