Out and About with Anita

Wildlife, desert light, and everyday wonders — spotted around the Roost.

A Walk Around the Park

One of the quiet joys of life at RoVer's Roost is how much there is to notice, if you slow down enough to look. Resident Anita walks the park regularly with her camera in hand, and has a knack for catching the desert at its best — a hawk overhead, a jackrabbit at dusk, wildflowers after a rare rain, a sky doing something spectacular over the mountains.

This page is where we'll share what she finds — a photo, and a bit about what she saw and where. Check back often; we'll be adding new sightings as Anita shares them.

Meet Anita

Anita Allen is a retired wildlife biologist with 40 years of experience in habitat restoration, environmental compliance, and environmental education. She currently volunteers as a seasonal park ranger in national parks throughout the country when she's not at RoVer's Roost.

Her dog Charlie assists as a bark ranger and as an expert finder of snakes and tortoises.

Recent Sightings

A rattlesnake camouflaged in the dirt near the oleanders

Rattlesnakes in the Oleanders

Spotted September 22, 2026

On a walk with her two dogs, Anita spotted at least two three-foot rattlesnakes in the oleanders. A friendly reminder to keep dogs — and yourself — clear of the oleander beds this time of year.

A tarantula near the back gate of the park

A Tarantula and a Kingsnake by the Back Gate

Spotted September 22, 2026

Out by the back gate, Anita found this tarantula making its way along the wall — and a California kingsnake in the bushes nearby. Kingsnakes are harmless and even help keep the rattlesnake population down, so this one's a good neighbor to have around.

A regal horned lizard under a prickly pear, and a western diamondback rattlesnake crossing the open desert

A Horned Lizard and a Diamondback

Spotted September 13, 2026

A regal horned lizard tucked under a prickly pear, and a three-foot western diamondback crossing the open desert — both spotted on the same morning walk. Anita says there were plenty of side-blotched and sagebrush lizards out too, though they weren't in the mood for photos.

A male tarantula on Lot 4 at RoVer's Roost

Male Tarantula on Lot 4

Spotted September 10, 2026

A male tarantula was spotted out and about on Lot 4 one evening — a reminder that early fall is tarantula mating season here in the desert, when males wander in search of a mate.

Have a great shot from around the park?

Whether it's wildlife, a sunset, or something that made you smile on a walk — let us know and we may feature it here.

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