Today, I came across two Diamondback Rattlesnakes. The first snake was a difficult snake to spot. The photographs are taken at the spot I was first able to see it. See if you can spot the snake. Each photo reduces the image size until it is impossible to miss it. The last picture of this first Rattler was taken with the long lens and an excellent camera body which produces the better image.
The second Diamondback I met at a location where I remove my backpack and cameras. The snake was in a relaxed coiled position. It did not rattle or move the whole time I was there. The first Rattler did not move or rattle either. The lesson here is that you can’t depend on a warning. I apologized before removing my gear and setting them down next to it. Poor thing probably felt like Rodney Dangerfield whose great line was, “I get NO RESPECT!” While photographing this second snake a Desert Spiny Lizard appeared. The lizard came towards me as I stood over the Rattler. I took some photographs as it approached and stopped above the Rattler. I’ve seen this behavior before with a Desert Spiny Lizard scurrying to get close to a Desert Tortoise that was walking near the lizard. It almost looked like it 
wanted to play. I thought that was interesting with the tortoise and is just as interesting with the snake. I put my gear back on and left the lizard staring down at the snake which was oblivious to the lizard. I do not know how the dried sprig of Creosote came to be placed next to the snake. I know the snake did not carry it. One possibility is that a Pack Rat was bringing it home and dropped it there. I couldn’t tell if the snake had a large bulge moving down its length. So I can’t say as to the health of the Pack Rat which lives nearby!
