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Rattlesnake


Rattlesnake
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Smith (lovenature) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 837 W: 62 N: 1284] (4578)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-06-22
Categories: Reptiles
Camera: Canon 30D, Canon EFS 17-85 IS USM
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/125 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2008-06-24 8:18
Viewed: 493
Points: 16
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Western or Prairie Rattlesnake
(Crotalus viridis)

Location: Writing On Stone Provincial Park, Alberta Canada

We just returned from our annual Canoe Trip. This year we canoed the Milk River in southeastern Alberta.

I went out for a walk one evening and right on the path in front of me was a baby Rattlesnake. This young rattlesnake coiled up was about 4 inches across. Thank goodness I was watching the path in front of me otherwise I could have been bitten. I found out a few interesting fact about the Rattlesnake.

Unfortunately the Rattlesnake is on the endangered list here in Canada. In the U.S. there are 16 species of Rattlesnakes and 7 are listed as endangered. I won't go into the gory details of what humans do to exploit the Rattlesnake.

Rattlesnakes can not hear but do have the ability to feel vibrations through the ground. Rattlesnakes can get a lot of information from the air around them from the use of their olfactory cues in their nostrils and their forked tongue which can transfer tastes.

Another interesting ability is that they can see heat by the use of facial pits between their eyes and nostrils. They can actually see a thermal picture of an animal or human.

In Canada Rattlesnakes will congregate in the fall to hibernate for the winter. (only because our winters are long and cold)

Helpful, Rattlesnakes help to control rodents which can damage crops and spread disease if their numbers are not kept down.

In Alberta the Rattlesnake is found in open grasslands on the SE side of the province. Females become reproductive at four of five years of age and will breed twice a year.

Hand held....from a distance
Shoot_Score, zulfu, xTauruSx, alikox, Jamesp, bahadir, Luis52, Adanac, oscarromulus has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Luis52: Rattlesnakelovenature 1 06-24 19:16
To alikox: rattlesnakeslovenature 1 06-24 13:51
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 474 W: 3 N: 474] (1475)
  • [2008-06-24 8:21]

Hi Janice,
Beautiful capture.Well seen and composed.Details,POV and framing are excellent.

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 600 W: 0 N: 117] (669)
  • [2008-06-24 8:47]

Hello Janice
Excellent close-up of a juvenile rattle snake. TFS.
Regards,
Mehmet

Hi Janice
Wonderful shot of a rattlesnake with fine details. TFS. Regards,
Deniz

Hi Janice,
Nice capture, I would like a lower POV, but considering this is taken in natural environment, it would be asking too much.
By the way, juvenile rattlesnakes are more dangerous than adult ones, since they can not control their venom injection as effectively as adult. Thanks
Ali

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1305 W: 0 N: 5107] (15234)
  • [2008-06-24 15:14]

Hi Janice

A great shot - but one - I am not ashamed to admit - I didn't take!! :)

Lovely POV and great detail.

James

Hello Janice, perfect shot of a snake. TFS. Regards,
Bahadır

Hi Janice.
I wonder how did You take this photo. You are almost over the snake, but it is a great angle.
Take care Janice. we have a lot of them around here, and I use a special boots to walk when I working in the ranch.
Great image Janice.
Luis52.

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
  • [2008-06-26 19:24]

Hi Janice,
I love baby Rattlers, their markings are so prominent, and they are usually very fiesty. My problem is I can't here them if they rattle a warning when they are this small. Your image is fantatsic with great details and colors, thanks Janice.
Rick

Howdy Janice! I am GREEN with envy that U captured this rattler... Great stuff!
AND lucky for U it was a "baby"... Lucky for US too! For U are still with us!

I have done a workshop which will likely show what changes I would recommend on this otherwise very special shot!

The main thing I suggest is reducing the clutter, by doing a ZOOM... Hope U like!


PS JUST NOW < 11:35pm > on channel two < Global News > they are showing some guys who are researching the Prairie Rattler...
AND they mentioned the benificial role they play < the rattlers, not the researchers! > !!! How weird!

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