I didn't get a better photo before he noticed us. He slithered away so fast I could hardly believe it.
I am really, really glad that venomous snakes don't tend to move that fast, or at least, not that fast towards you. (I have seen Copperheads move fairly quickly, but away.)
Anyway, this is a Water Snake, I think the Brown Water Snake (Nerodia taxispilota).
They supposedly have poor dispositions (they'll bite if you pick them up), but if you ask me, any snake that runs away from me has a disposition that I enjoy.
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Submitted to the Friday Ark.
I've seen the venomous snakes in the garden but not recently...I am thankful for that! Glad it slithered away quickly but not before you caught the photo! gail
ReplyDeleteooooooohhhhhhhh! Makes my skin crawl!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty!
ReplyDeleteSnakes are rather attractive things, aren't they? But I really don't want to be touching them in my garden.
ReplyDeleteYou sure that's not a water moccasin? Sure looks like a diamond shaped head to me...
ReplyDeleteCareful,
Craig Glenn
Oh lord, that would be giving me a stroke! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Craig Glenn on this one...take care, is right!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think they can strike quickly, tho. We only have rattlesnakes in our area. I've only seen four or five when I've been out walking or camping. Hearing a rattle really gives me the willies.
ReplyDeletePretty photo by the way
Gail, it scared the crap out of me when it left so quickly!
ReplyDeleteDP, it was fine when it was being still...
CH, yes I agree. :)
K & V, this one was down by the creek - I only mind them when they're trying to get inside!
CG, yeah, you can see the eyes from above, so that means it's not a Moc. They do resemble them, though, and their heads are more triangle-ish than most non-venomous snakes.
Phillip, all I could think was, if rattlers moved that fast *towards* me, I'd be dead!
Anon, I do, I promise. :)
Pamela, I've only heard that rattle once, and it was at our old house in the suburbs. It was a lot louder than I would have expected.
Gladly he did run away, cuz' my experiences with water snakes has always been contentious to say the least. They bite readily, emit very foul-smelling pee (or something :(, and even chase you down to be aggressive! Sure, the fangs aren't very big, but that doesn't really help, y'know?
ReplyDeleteThank goodness you saw him/her. I would have sworn by the shape of its head it was a poisonous snake.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for the shameless plug, but I recently posted a blog about how to tell the difference between a cottonmouth and non-venomous water snakes.
ReplyDeletehttp://davidasteen.blogspot.com/2009/04/case-of-mistaken-identity-part-i.html
Lisa, I guess I'm lucky that this one wanted nothing to do with me!
ReplyDeleteKF, I thought so too at first. I haven't actually seen Cottonmouths here, but people tell me that they are in the area.
David, thanks, no problem! I wish I could comment on your blog, but it just won't let me.