Favoritos de gregpauly

Really big ring neck! Was calm, showed no signs of high distress before throwing up a large sharp-tailed snake. I put it back under the cover it was flipped under. Very thin, and in need of a meal now. I feel bad, hopefully it finds something to eat…

This is pretty horrible but... interesting. A King Snake (the second one we saw) returned to the pond area and somehow grabbed a lizard, and ate it. I was lucky to be there with my camera but felt sorry for the little herp - I like lizards
Strangely, the wild birds were coming VERY close to the snake, even hovering over it as though they were going to strike it and these were small birds of varying types. I don't know if they're curious or threatened but they aren't very smart! That King Snake is fast." - Virginia Tucker

Observation and photos by Virginia Tucker, sent to rascals@nhm.org.

Second day's efforts resulted in 3 adults and 4 neonates captured and sent to Bob Hansen. Nearby business owners shared videos and photos of other exotics, including agamas, beaded lizards, a crocodile monitor, and chameleons . @chrisdellith @gregpauly @jqrichmond

I came across this unusual scene while hiking back to my car this afternoon. What I think is happening here is that the racer probably tried to predate the alligator lizard, only to have the alligator lizard clamp down on the snake's head. When I came upon them, the snake wasn't moving much. I sat and watched for a bit, but then noticed a mountain biker coming down the trail. When I stood up so he could see me, I must have startled the lizard, because all of a sudden the snake got free, and zipped off into the tall grass on the side of the trail. After a second or two, the alligator lizard also dashed off, albeit in the other direction. I felt a little badly about disturbing the situation, but really there was a good chance one or both animals would have been run over by the biker, who was demonstrating his species' usual level of spatial awareness. (ie none whatsoever. I'm still not sure he ever saw me.) All in all, it was quite a surprising encounter.
(@gregpauly, I thought you might be interested in this one, since it shows the jaw strength of a Northern Alligator lizard from a different angle than the one we know from mating lizards.)

Eating Western fence lizard. Dropped lizard when tried to get closer picture of snake head. Didn’t even realize had lizard til dropped it. Lizard was still breathing, came by a bit latter and lizard gone as well as snake. Temp 61

Not sure on the snake ID. Took this photo from my car and the snake moved it’s head behind the rabbit in a protective way, and though I was not in danger I didn’t want to disturb nature from taking course.

In the grasp of, then wriggling free from, the jaws of a southern alligator lizard. Then free, with bite marks on back.
(See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/112078323 for the alligator lizard.)

The consensus among people I've talked to so far is that this is most likely a hybrid or the offspring of a hybrid between Masticophis flagellum ruddocki and Masticophis lateralis lateralis. That being said, I'm interested to see if anyone thinks otherwise. Anyone know of other Masticophis hybrid records besides taeniatus x lateralis?

@meandthealiens and I found this snake in treeless desert habitat (more suitable for M. f. ruddocki).