Side-blotched lizard on the rocks

Easy to overlook next to the island’s bison and shorebirds, but side-blotched lizards are everywhere on Antelope Island’s sun-warmed rock outcrops in May, doing push-ups and basking to get their body temperature up before the day’s foraging.

Why it matters

Despite the name, the dark “side blotch” just behind the front leg isn’t always obvious — this one shows the mottled, sand-and-lichen camouflage that makes the species one of the most common and widespread lizards in the western United States.

Getting the shot

Got low and close with the long lens rather than a dedicated macro setup, letting the rock’s texture and lichen patches fill the frame around the lizard rather than isolating it against a blurred background.