Saturday Critters - Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)
Snakes are beginning to come out of their dens as the sun heats up the ground. This large snake was photographed winding around the exposed roots of trees on the banks of the Chesapeake. The Northern Water Snake is sometimes mis-identified as the venomous Cottonmouth or Copperhead. They will bite if threatened.
The Northern Water Snake is part of Viewing Nature with Eileen - Saturday Critters.
I don't like snakes but we have them here in Florida and have to be careful and aware!
ReplyDeleteI don't seek them out, but sometimes they suddenly are there...looking at me, and if I have a camera...I always click. They are definitely in my creepy critter category though.
DeleteIt's beautiful! Thanks for the heads-up about Northern Water Snakes looking like venomous ones!
ReplyDeleteIt is a rather threatening stare, but the snake is rather beautiful at the same time. It amazes me that I would easily capture and hold area snakes when I was a child. I wouldn't really think of picking one up now.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteIt is almost hidden there, great find. I will be on the lookout for snakes on our trails.
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It was wrapped around the exposed roots on the banks of the Chesapeake. Just a mile or so in the other direction the Elk Neck Campground is bordered by the Elk Neck River. Around those roots we saw more black racers than we had ever encountered in our lives. They all hissed when we drew near to study them. They are very aggressive, good thing they are not venomous. This one did not bother us at all, nor hiss, it just watched and stayed very still.
DeleteWhat a gorgeous face :-D I have only seen them in zoos or at animal events. Snakes are really cool :-D
ReplyDeleteThis was rather large. I see plenty of small garter/garden snakes, but this girl or guy was a lot larger than I usually see. It was very still. I'm surprised I saw it at all.
Deletegood photo!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'm glad it didn't wind its way toward us, just carefully watched us as we passed by. .
DeleteWhat a well done photo. I used to see some type of small constrictor snake in my garden (forgot the type), but not for a few years now. Of course they are not easy to spot. Thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a lovely comment.
ReplyDeleteThank you in return for your lovely comment on my blog.
DeleteGorgeous photo! There aren't many snakes where I live so I've rarely seen one.
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot in my area, but happily, only a few are venomous, and they are not in our nearby woods, more to the north of us. My favorite I ever saw was a small, slender, bright green snake. It was so pretty I wanted to bring it home with me.
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