stayed still with head raised for a few minutes and then bolted off.
Var. rubellus — found on north facing slope in oak/madrone woodland along road.
assuming because it swam into the water and caught a juvenile oncorhynchus sp.? in a deeper area of canyon creek
This is the third of this undescribed species I've seen. Another yesterday https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/140220099 and then the first one a year ago. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/91369989 Yay that they do seem to be established. Hopefully will be described soon. @chilipossum was with me today and got to see it too.
Removed from the road.
The location is obscured to protect this northernmost known Crotalus site west of the Cascade Mountains. These two specimens were photo-vouchered in 2008 and are the last rattlesnakes seen there. This observation is posted as a record of a population that possibly no longer exists in the Willamette Valley.
Officially the 3rd record for Del Norte County, but seems to be regular on the Terwer Creek levee
What would chew one of these up? I see Bobcats here regularly.
Around 5pm today in the middle of the road. Large 3ft or more snake. Hisisng, loud, almost like a rattle noise. But no tail rattle. Defensive while I kept distance. Aggressive. Never took its eyes off me. Opened mouth often. No teeth. Black eyes. Black tongue. Large center. Moments prior a large barred owl flew past my windshield and watched me as I approached snake. An epic moment in my day. I was going to pick up my son who was with a native medicine woman.
:D