The Nature Photography Thread

[kibakiba]

We have bunnies like that. They're fun to watch in the morning. They bounce really high, kick their legs up and look like they're playing leap frog all the time. Our cat brings them in often, a lot of the time they're so torn up we have to put them down, but when they have no scratches they really put up a fight! Some of them are smaller than my hands, and I have pretty small hands.

[ConcinusMan]

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) nest. Washoe County, NV.

[ConcinusMan]

Some pictures taken on the road (I-5 Southbound) in Oregon:

[ConcinusMan]

Northern California:

Klamath River


Black Butte


Mt. Shasta


Lassen National Forest


Close to the Nevada border in Lassen County

[ConcinusMan]

Washoe County, Nevada:

[ConcinusMan]

And finally, the first reptile I spotted while I was in Reno/Sparks. Crotaphytus bicinctores. Couldn't believe the luck in finding this collared lizard just as it was eating a mouse!



These guys are so easy to photograph. They let you get really close, and when you get too close, they only move a few feet and stop, making an attempt to blend in by flattening themselves against a rock or the ground.

They're very easy to catch. This male continued to eat the mouse after I caught him, then he proceeded to have my thumb for dessert. Ouch! These guys sure can bite too. Didn't break the skin but it scratched my thumbnail and the next day, my thumb was sore as if I slammed it in a door. This was a big lizard. Just slightly smaller than an adult bearded dragon. He hissed quite loudly too, when he didn't have my fingers in his vise grip mouth, that is.






Later I found another species. Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii) but this one was found right in the backyard of the house I was staying in. This one was also quite cooperative and tolerant of my presence, letting me get very close. Also easy to catch.

[ConcinusMan]

Didn't find any rattlesnakes like I had hoped for but these aren't a bad consolation prize.

[drache]

I love the lizards, Richard - thanks for the great photos

[CelestiHel]

Wow, those are great! We don't have any lizards in Vermont...the closest is type of skink, so it's fun to see what you all get in your "backyard"

[Spankenstyne]

Nice shots and amazing find with that collared mid-meal! Mind if I re-post those eating pics elsewhere? (with full credit to you of course)