First snake of 2010 (Lifer)

[muddoc]

We got a shot of my first snake seen on my property this year. My Dacschund was running around in the front yard, and I saw her sniffing something in the bushes by one of my flower gardens. Then she jumped back, and I saw some leaves moving. What a beautiful snake I found. At first glance, I thought it was a Copperhead, and I immediately checked Shotsie for a bite wound. She was good, so I proceeded to dig the snake out of the bushes.

What emerged was what I later ID'd as a Midland Water snake (Nerodia sipedon pleuralis). This was a lifer for me, so I was very excited, needless to say. In my haste of taking pics, and worrying about the dog, I failed to notice that it had round pupils and not vertically eliptical pupils, and thus was still thinking it was a dark phase copperhead. This snake flattens its head, and inhales to look more like an Akistrodon, so I still thought I was messing with a hot. After looking at the pics closer, in an attempt to ID it, I realized the pupils were round, and made a positive ID.

Enough of my babble, here is the pic.

[mr. s]

Beautiful find.

[garweft]

Best way to start the year is adding one to the life list.

He definitely looks like a copper.

[sheffernan13]

Thats the first time I have ever heard of that species.

Nice find

[mainbutter]

Those guys really do look like copperheads. Is it convergent evolution, or evolution through imitation? Gotta wonder.

[daniel1983]

Great find Tim. I can never manage to get decent watersnake pictures....they are quick to go in water

[West Coast Jungle]

Great shot Tim, thanks for sharing.

[GenePirate]

Nice pic, Tim! We have Nerodia fasciata, the banded water snake, here in SC. When I get called to remove snakes from private property, this is the snake I mostly encounter and oftentimes I hear of them being killed because people mistake them for cottonmouths. --Heavy bodied, keeled scales, dark coloration, and the banding pattern. It's a shame people don't take time to learn the difference. Hey, aside from the round pupils, another way of distinguishing them is to look at the anal scale. Nerodia has a divided anal scale, and copperheads and cottonmouths have singular, undivided scales....if you care to get that close. LOL

That's a beautiful Nerodia, though!

[joepythons]

Nice pics Tim

[muddoc]

Great find Tim. I can never manage to get decent watersnake pictures....they are quick to go in water

Thanks Bro. This one was actually at least 15 feet from any water (and that was my gold fish pond). So, he was pretty easy to shoot. Also, he was slithering very slowly when I cam back out with the camera. All I did was step in front of him, and he stopped. He didn't really start striking me until I started moving him to the bass pond.

Nice pic, Tim! We have Nerodia fasciata, the banded water snake, here in SC. When I get called to remove snakes from private property, this is the snake I mostly encounter and oftentimes I hear of them being killed because people mistake them for cottonmouths. --Heavy bodied, keeled scales, dark coloration, and the banding pattern. It's a shame people don't take time to learn the difference. Hey, aside from the round pupils, another way of distinguishing them is to look at the anal scale. Nerodia has a divided anal scale, and copperheads and cottonmouths have singular, undivided scales....if you care to get that close. LOL

That's a beautiful Nerodia, though!

Thanks Lisa. I did not know about the anal scale, but I don't think I'll be checking that when I am in doubt. LOL.