A Couple Of Portraits

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We are having an unusually warm autumn — even by Southern Arizona standards.  Daytime highs at the end of October should be in the upper 70s or low 80s but we’re still getting temperatures in the 90s, even in the mid-90s.  Wildlife that normally would have become scarce is still active as a result of this unusually warm weather and that is especially the case with reptiles.

I took a long walk in Sabino Canyon this morning and saw many lizards scurrying around.  Among them was this Ornate Tree Lizard, who peered at me suspiciously from atop a brick exterior wall at one of the canyon’s restrooms.

This little lizard is about 6 inches long from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail (I’m pretty sure this one’s a male; that patch of green under his neck is the gender identifier).

Most lizard species flee when I approach them.  Tree lizards, by contrast, often freeze in place, which makes them much easier to photograph than other species.

They generally rely on their superb camouflage to protect them.  These lizards, unlike many other species, can lighten or darken their coloration to match their backgrounds, and, in the right circumstances, they can render themselves nearly invisible.  Fortunately for me, this little guy stood out rather clearly against the bricks.

Photos made with a Canon 5Diii, 180 f3.5L Macro Lens, assisted by Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite, ISO 100, f13 @ 1/160.