Back from Vacation!!

[ArpeggioAngel]

Joe and I got back from our Arizona vacation on Tuesday and let me tell ya - I did not want to come back. I love Arizona - it is such a beautiful state with so much to see and do. We fit in as much as we could in a week and as I edit my photos (I took over 800 during the week) - I thought I would post a few of the better ones here as long as nobody minds?

I love to share my photos not just of my snakes, but of the world as I see it. Photography is a true passion of mine and I continually strive to get that next "best" shot no matter where I am.

So last night I made it through the photos of the zoo we visited. It is called the Wildlife World Zoo and it is in Litchfield Park - kind of northwest of Phoenix. It is not a large zoo, but of all the zoos I have visited in my lifetime, it definately ranks as one of my favorites. Most of my better shots ended up being birds - probably because I spend a lot of time here in Florida photographing them I have sort of developed a knack for bird photos!Wildlife World Zoo Link

Abdim's Stork:

African Crowned Crane:

Andean Condor:

Australian Black Swan

Grey Hornbill:

Hooded Marganzer:

I will add a few more in a reply....

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

A pair of Parrots:

Meerkat:

White Tiger Cub (taken through chain link fence):

Pair of Zebras:

I will work on some more photos tonight and probably post the next stop on our journey tomorrow or Sunday....I will just keep adding to this existing thread. Hope you enjoy the pics as much as I enjoyed taking them!!

 

[diamondlil]

Thanks for sharing, great shots and looking forward to the rest

 

[Roy Munson]

Welcome back, Katie. :cheers: Glad you guys had a good time. Cool photos. I really like the black swan.

 

[Tula_Montage]

The black swan and the tiger photographs are excellent. Glad you had a great time!

 

[Cflaguy]

Good to have ya back...

Katie. Glad ya had a good time.

Did ya bring me anything? :grin01:

 

[Nanci]

Great pics. I love photographing birds. Was the Condor the most amazing thing ever? I think I'd have the same reaction to a Condor as Chris does to The King.

Nanci

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments....
I managed to get some more shots done tonight so here they are...all taken at Organ Pipe Cactus National Park.

Joe with our rental - A JEEP!! I totally fell in love with driving it.

Close up of a Jumping Cholla cactus:

Don't remember what type of cactus this one is:

Cactus skeleton:

Arch viewed through Saguaro Cactus:

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

I did this next one in black and white and in color - opinions on which you like best?
Found someone had balanced a rock on top of a cactus:

Same with this one - color and black and white:

Ocotillo Flower:

Random landscape photo:

Thanks again for checking them out.

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Continuing with the photo tour...
These shots are from a touristy little set-up ghost town/gold mine called Goldfield near the Superstition Mountains. It is a cute little place and they have a fantastic reptile exhibit. Unfortunately the reptile exhibits are going to have to wait - I took a ton of photos in there and it is going to take me a while to get through the best ones.
So for tonight you are going to have to make do with my photos of the town itself. Again I have a few of these that I did in color and black and white - opinions on which way you like them better are welcomed....

Train:

Water Tower in color:

Water Tower in black and white:

Assay Office:

Bordello:

 

[Cflaguy]

Bordello!

Is it still in use?
Great photography as usual Katie.

 

[Nanci]

I like the nature shots, especially the balancing rock, better in color, but the man-made structures better in B&W. Excellent! Love the rock and the Ocotillo flower.

Nanci

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Craig - it is in use, but as a store, not a real bordello. The whole town from what I understand wasn't a real town way back when. All the structures were built strictly as a tourist stop. I still thought it was really cute and offered some good photo ops.

Now for the part I am sure everyone is waiting for - the reptile exhibit. Joe and I didn't manage to see any snakes in the wild, so these are the best I have from this trip.

Some I remember what they are called - others not so much. Joe wrote down all the names and between that and our Audobon Snake book I tried to match them up - but still can't get them all so if anyone knows my "unknowns" or if I labeled any incorrectly - let me know.

First up - a tarantula. Don't know what kind. I am terrified of spiders so I got one shot and walked the other way:

Ridgenose Rattlesnake:

Red Coachwhip:

Red Coachwhip:

Albino Western Diamondback:

Albino Western Diamondback:

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Banded Rattlesnake?:

Western Diamondback:

Western Diamondback:

Mojave Rattlesnake:

Mojave Rattlesnake:

Mojave Rattlesnake:

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Unknown Rattlesnake:

Unknown Rattlesnake:

Unknown Rattlesnake:

And my favorite - the Speckled Rattlesnake:

Speckled Rattlesnake:

 

[Merlinator]

Great pictures, really enjoyed looking at them. I notice you have gray banded kingsnakes, how do you like them, how do they behave and where did you get them?

 

[Cflaguy]

Hey Katie, I love the rattler pics...

If I may take a stab here at the unknowns-
10:38- Southern Pacific, Canebrake, Western Pygmy.
10:35- The Westerns appear to be young Black Tail Rattlesnakes. The Mojave looks like a Prairie Rattler.
Great Red Coachwhips! The Ridge Nose is one of my favorites Katie, thanks for that pic. Can I keep it for an avatar down the road?

 

[Brizzle]

The Albino Western Diamondback is like Wow!

 

[Emanon]

Great pics... I love photography too!

balancing rock... color... shows the growth on the rock as a cool contrast

 

[Nanci]

Oooh, I love the Red Coachwhip! I want one!! I didn't know they came in red! I was going to guess nearly the same on unknown #2 as Craig, only I was going to say Timber because he's so dark. I love the Speckled, too. Didn't they have those at Reptile World?

Nanci