Here are some more notes from wandering along the river. I have been seeing many small Western Fence Lizards. I see them basking on the rocks, leaping between rocks, and looking around and underneath rocks. They are curiously exploring their world. I imagine their bodies find it thrilling to feel all of the different textures of the rocks—gritty, smooth, bumpy, etc. They must be acutely tuned into all the different temperatures of the rock’s surfaces from the hot tops in the sun to the cool bottoms next to the damp ground and every thermal reading in between.
Another animal that is keenly tuned into its surroundings is the gopher snake. It was quietly moving in and out of the rocks and through the willows. I imagine it was aware of all the scurrying lizards and was looking for a meal. Its diet includes insects, lizards, rodents, birds, and bird eggs. Gopher snakes are constrictors. I watched it for a little while hoping to witness it capturing its prey but didn’t have any luck.
