Lizards

We’ve had Western Fence Lizards in our yard for years. 

Summer Solstice Girl

We’ll see them running across the sidewalks or hear rustling in the bushes when we walk by (one of these days it’s going to be a snake . . . )

Can you see him?

But they seem to be *much* more active lately - out in the open, chasing each other, putting on ‘pushup’ displays - and not even a little afraid of us bipeds. 

Pretty boy

So I looked them up and, sure enough, it’s mating season, with the eggs due to hatch in July. 

Watering the lizards

Yesterday, while we were in the back yard, 3 or 4 lizards came racing towards us out of the undergrowth, stopped on a block wall a few feet away and very aggressively started doing push-ups. You could almost hear them yelling  “walk away, human!” (It’d be more impressive if they were bigger . . .)

Today, Jac and Donovan were slapping wet towels against the river rocks (to “water them down”) and an angry lizard ran down the front wall (red arrows), came to a halt almost on Donovan’s foot, and started the push-up routine. Another one sat on the wall (blue arrows) while the littles sprayed the ledge with ‘lizard water’ less than a foot away. Jac and I think they’re cute but Donovan isn’t so sure. Please, don’t anyone tell Donovan that lizards do bite. Jac and I have him convinced they don’t . . . “Only the  Africa lizards bite” says Jac. 😳 Love all the activity and can’t wait to see the babies soon!