Nature and Photography

The Sun sets on another Nevada side Gold Basin hunt. Photo Larry Atkins
The Sun sets on another Nevada side Gold Basin hunt. Photo Larry Atkins

Meteorite hunting in the USA can take place in many different environments. A new fall may take you to the dairy land of Wisconsin, the wine country of California, or the rugged mountains of northern Nevada, Pennsylvania or anywhere else. Looking for a cold find will likely take one to the arid deserts of the Southwest. Wherever one finds him or herself, there is sure to be plenty of natural wonders to take in! I’ve always been a lover of the wild things and meteorite hunting often times puts me in the middle of it all.

I have a particular interest in precariously perched boulders, in case you wonder what’s up with all the pictures of balancing rocks. If you think about it, it’s not a coincidence that I encounter them so frequently. One of the tricks to finding meteorites is to hunt in areas that are in a state of deflation. This same deflationary process is what produces most of these perched rocks.

Please be advised that some of the images on this page might not be suitable for everyone. I encounter a lot of dead things out in the field, it’s just part of the deal. Some of these carcasses, skulls and antlers hold a certain beauty and or disgust, and are interesting enough for me to photograph. On this page you will find the unsavory side of Nature. There are dead animals, like a coyote with burro feces on it, a mountain lion skeleton, dead cows, snakes, and other images that some might find in poor taste. I don’t apologize, it’s part of the big picture. The aesthetic side is here too.There are pictures of flowers, plants, animals and sunsets, something for everyone I hope. Please enjoy!

My canine companion of 14 years, Phoebe Stardust, looks out over the Bullhead City Strewn Field.

My canine companion of 14 years, Phoebe Stardust, looks out over the Bullhead City Strewn Field.
Photo Larry Atkins
Spider, maybe a wasp? Cool trap door! Photo Larry Atkins
Spider, maybe a wasp? Cool trap door! Photo Larry Atkins
My house lion, Pumpkin, out on Diamond Valley dry lake bed. Photo Larry Atkins
My house lion, Pumpkin, out on Diamond Valley dry lake bed. Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Wicked design, don't trip and fall on this! Photo Larry Atkins
Wicked design, don't trip and fall on this! Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

Pack rats have quite an interesting strategy when it comes to home building. Just pile up a bunch of cholla and assorted thorny vegetation!

Pack rats have quite an interesting strategy when it comes to home building. Just pile up a bunch of cholla and assorted thorny vegetation!
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Yes, that's a rattle snake. Photo Larry Atkins
Yes, that's a rattle snake. Photo Larry Atkins
Nice profile! From the Franconia area. Photo Larry Atkins
Nice profile! From the Franconia area. Photo Larry Atkins
This little guy was running around the Whetstone Mt area. Photo Larry Atkins
This little guy was running around the Whetstone Mt area. Photo Larry Atkins
North of Fountain Hills area Az. Photo Larry Atkins
North of Fountain Hills area Az. Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Desert Tortoise shell. If you encounter a live one in the desert do not pick it up. It will urinate, releasing it's stored water, and will likely perish, from what I understand. Photo Larry Atkins
Desert Tortoise shell. If you encounter a live one in the desert do not pick it up. It will urinate, releasing it's stored water, and will likely perish, from what I understand. Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
A Golden Eagle. Northern Nevada. Photo Larry Atkins
A Golden Eagle. Northern Nevada. Photo Larry Atkins
Hungry Baby! Northern Nevada. Photo Larry Atkins
Hungry Baby! Northern Nevada. Photo Larry Atkins
Red Dry Lake Photo Larry Atkins
Red Dry Lake Photo Larry Atkins
Metate. Native American Grinder. North of Phoenix Az. Photo Larry Atkins
Metate. Native American Grinder. North of Phoenix Az. Photo Larry Atkins
Native American Artifact in-situ Red Dry Lake. Photo Larry Atkins
Native American Artifact in-situ Red Dry Lake. Photo Larry Atkins
Battle Mountain Nv. Photo Larry Atkins
Battle Mountain Nv. Photo Larry Atkins
Bullhead City Az. Photo Larry Atkins
Bullhead City Az. Photo Larry Atkins
Barrel Cactus Photo Larry Atkins
Barrel Cactus Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

This vehicle was abandoned quite a while ago I’d guess! Battle Mountain.

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

Mountain Lion tracks in camp, 2 feet from my tent. The cat was only 150 yards away when I got out of my tent. The next night it had Robert Ward pinned on top of his Humvee. 

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

A big pentagram out in the desert near Indian Butte. If I had to guess, I’d say it was made by a local to scare away the illegals coming across the border and passing through their neighborhood. But who knows!

Desert Pentagram - Photo Larry Atkins
Desert Pentagram - Photo Larry Atkins

A big female snapper down the street from my house in Michigan. I moved her to the other side of the road after taking her picture.  I help 20+ turtles cross the roads around my house every spring as they make their way to sandy, south facing slopes to deposit their eggs.

Photo Larry Atkins - Female Snapping Turtle
Photo Larry Atkins
Up on Battle Mountain, Nevada. Photo Larry Atkins
Up on Battle Mountain, Nevada. Photo Larry Atkins

Snakes have been a lifetime fascination as well. In all the time spent in rattlesnake country I’ve only had to kill 2 of them. One was on order from the landowner in Sutters Mill that told me to “Kill it! The shovel’s in the barn! That thing has already bitten one of my horses and my dog!” So I dispatched it. When I hit it with the shovel it wheeled around and sank its fangs into its own body! It bit down on itself and didn’t let go. When I pulled the body free from the mouth, venom dripped off the fangs! Yikes! Did I mention this was the bad type of rattle snake, it wouldn’t rattle at all, giving no warning to any passerby. That snake had to go.

Photo Larry Atkins
The unlucky rattlesnake at Sutters Mill mentioned above. Photo Larry Atkins

A stream in Sutter’s Mill California looks inviting, but wait! That green leafy stuff is poison oak!

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
The American River Sutter's Mill California. Photo Larry Atkins
The American River Sutter's Mill California. Photo Larry Atkins
Sutter's Mill Photo Larry Atkins
Sutter's Mill Photo Larry Atkins
Sutter's Mill Lupines Photo Larry Atkins
Sutter's Mill Lupines - Photo Larry Atkins
Mountain Lion Skeleton Sutter's Mill Ca. - Photo Larry Atkins
Mountain Lion Skeleton Sutter's Mill Ca. - Photo Larry Atkins
That's a big cat claw! - Photo Larry Atkins
That's a big cat claw! - Photo Larry Atkins
Sutter's Mill CA. - Photo Larry Atkins
Sutter's Mill CA. - Photo Larry Atkins
Easy now. - Photo Larry Atkins
Easy now. - Photo Larry Atkins
Nevada Side Gold Basin. - Photo Larry Atkins
Nevada Side Gold Basin. - Photo Larry Atkins
Nevada Side Gold Basin. - Photo Larry Atkins
Nevada Side Gold Basin. - Photo Larry Atkins

At ~6500 ft elevation the Cacti grow very low, often times flush to the ground. Battle Mountain Nevada.

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Mountain Lion tracks are a fairly common site in Arizona. - Photo Larry Atkins
Mountain Lion tracks are a fairly common site in Arizona. - Photo Larry Atkins

Phoebe Stardust, a purebred  Weimaraner. The best dog I ever had. She gave me 14 years I will never forget. We miss you Phoebe!!!

Phoebe Stardust -Photo Larry Atkins
Phoebe Stardust -Photo Larry Atkins
A large Raptor nest. Indian Butte, Az. - Photo Larry Atkins
A large Raptor nest. Indian Butte, Az. - Photo Larry Atkins

The next two images need some explaining. I left my camp in Bullhead City for a couple days. When I returned, I found that the ever clever Burro’s had come in and ransacked my camp,  disturbing and defecating in my fire pit. These beasts are very interesting! 

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Burro feces in the fire pit. - Photo Larry Atkins
Burro feces in the fire pit. - Photo Larry Atkins

Is it possible that the burros killed this coyote? They sure have disgraced it after death, defecating on it and pawing the ground all around it. I wonder if any other prey type animals practice this behavior?

Coyote Carcass - Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

Burro droppings all over it, I’m completely amazed at this apparent grudge the burros hold. Maybe it’s a message for the other dogs, look out!

Burro droppings on Coyotee Carcass - Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

Wild Burros in Bullhead City desecrate a Coyote skull. They seemed to gather around it, pawing at it and defecating on it.

Wild Burros in Bullhead City desecrate a Coyote skull. - Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

Another View. Note the disturbed ground all around. These Burro’s do not like even dead white coyote skulls.

Another View. Note the disturbed ground all around. - Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Cholla and Saguaro. - Photo Larry Atkins
Cholla and Saguaro. - Photo Larry Atkins

A ghastly grin.

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

Looking South from the Nevada side you can see the original, Arizona side of the Gold Basin Strewn Field! It’s the distant valley at the top of the image.

Photo Larry Atkins gold basin meteor field
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
A Bobcat north of Phoenix Az. Photo Larry Atkins
A Bobcat north of Phoenix Az. Photo Larry Atkins

This multi ton boulder appears to defy gravity! Bullhead City Az.

This multi ton boulder appears to defy gravity! Bullhead City Az.
Photo Larry Atkins

A predatory animal has defecated on the carcass of what I think is a a Turkey Vulture.

A predatory animal has defecated on the carcass of what I think is a a Turkey Vulture.
Photo Larry Atkins
Bullhead City. Photo Larry Atkins
Bullhead City. Photo Larry Atkins

Another balancing act. Bullhead City Az.  

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

Deflation at it’s best! Bullhead City Az.

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

I’m not sure what this is.

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins

Bullhead City Residents. Descendants from the old days.

Bullhead City Residents. Descendants from the old days.
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
The California Countryside. - Photo Larry Atkins
The California Countryside. - Photo Larry Atkins
Baby Tarantula. - Photo Larry Atkins
Baby Tarantula. - Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Nearly perfect artifact. - Photo Larry Atkins
Nearly perfect artifact. - Photo Larry Atkins
Opposite side. Photo Larry Atkins
Opposite side. - Photo Larry Atkins

Jumpin’ Cholla. As lobes fall off some will take root. This image shows a good example of reproduction in action, very, very slow action.

Jumpin' Cholla - Photo Larry Atkins
Jumpin' Cholla - Photo Larry Atkins
Looking across Lake Mohave to the Nevada side. Photo Larry Atkins
Looking across Lake Mohave to the Nevada side. - Photo Larry Atkins
Red Dry Lake Sunset. Photo Larry Atkins
Red Dry Lake Sunset. - Photo Larry Atkins
Native American Artifacts with Moon. Photo Larry Atkins
Native American Artifacts with Moon. - Photo Larry Atkins
Somewhere in Colorado. Photo Larry Atkins
Somewhere in Colorado. - Photo Larry Atkins
What remains of the Hotel at the Silver Bell Mine, Az. - Photo Larry Atkins
What remains of the Hotel at the Silver Bell Mine, Az. - Photo Larry Atkins
A geode in the Bullhead City Strewn Field. Photo Larry Atkins
A geode in the Bullhead City Strewn Field. - Photo Larry Atkins

I think this is the skull of a juvenile Big Horn Sheep but I’m not sure. Bullhead City Az.

Possible Big Horn Sheep Skull - Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Closer view. Photo Larry Atkins
Closer view. - Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
Maybe the child of Beelzebub, I don't know. ; ) Photo Larry Atkins
Maybe the child of Beelzebub, I don't know. ; ) Photo Larry Atkins

Dead birds in a mine claim marker. Whenever I see the PVC pipes sticking up in the distance I go straight to them and pull them down. I don’t care if it’s legal or not, it’s not right. I urge all to do the same. Birds are rare enough in the desert. They need all the help they can get.

Photo Larry Atkins
Photo Larry Atkins
More dead birds. Skulls and assorted bones. Disgusting and a shame. - Photo Larry Atkins
More dead birds. Skulls and assorted bones. Disgusting and a shame. - Photo Larry Atkins
Holding back a river of rocks. - Photo Larry Atkins
Holding back a river of rocks. - Photo Larry Atkins
Home, Sweet Home. - Photo Larry Atkins
Home, Sweet Home. - Photo Larry Atkins
Magnetite on a magnet. Photo Larry Atkins
Magnetite on a magnet. - Photo Larry Atkins
A worked stone. Photo Larry Atkins
A worked stone. - Photo Larry Atkins
These Horned Lizards are so cool! Photo Larry Atkins
These Horned Lizards are so cool! Photo Larry Atkins
An adolescent Javelina head. I find the strangest things! Photo Larry Atkins
An adolescent Javelina head. I find the strangest things! Photo Larry Atkins
Sutters' Mill Ca. Photo - Larry Atkins
Sutters' Mill Ca. Photo - Larry Atkins
Sutters' Mill Ca. Photo - Larry Atkins
Sutters' Mill Ca. Photo - Larry Atkins
Buck and Doe Mule Deer Nevada Side Gold Basin. - Photo Larry Atkins
Buck and Doe Mule Deer Nevada Side Gold Basin. - Photo Larry Atkins
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