Rather than herping, on the one morning I had decided to try to find an elegant trogon, I found not one, not two, but three beautiful northern black-tailed rattlesnakes, Crotalus molossus molossus.



I also finally saw the trogon. It sat low in a trailside tree that itself sat behind a number of grass-rimmed boulders. I slowed, tried to focus on the bird, but having only a 100 mm macro lens with me was dissatisfied with the image.

I slowed and edged between the rocks while watching the bird intently. Just one more step -- just one more was all it would take. I lifted the camera to my eye, prepared to take that final step, and a rattler buzzed from almost beneath my feet. I jumped, the camera dropped, and the trogon flew.

Whoever it was that coined the phrase "birding and herping don't mix" was sure on target that day. But after carefully retrieving my camera and determining all was well with it, I at least got pix of the black-tail.

The bird? Unbeknown, but it's probably still in panicked flight!

More photos under the jump...