NATURE CLICKS #529 - GARTER SNAKE

In past blog posts I have always complaint that our sightings of snakes have declined during the last ten years in this area. However, last Sunday in the Green Island Wetlands I had three encounters, two Northern Water Snakes and this beautiful Garter Snake. Some enforcement work at the dikes that cross the wetlands is going on and as a result much of the top vegetation is gone at the moment. Maybe that was the reason that I saw three snakes within a very short time.

I don’t really want commit on the exact name for this garter snake. The colors of the critter are not 100% what I found in any online guide or my books. It is probably a Common Garter Snake but I’m not sure. Any advice by an expert is highly appreciated.

I jumped out of the car to make this and a number of other pictures. The snake was aware of my presence the whole time. By slowly walking around it the sun was finally in my back for better light and less reflections. After five minutes it had enough of watching me, turned around and moved slowly away towards the water on the other side of the dike.

IT’S ABOUT GESTURE

Northern Water Snake, Mississippi River, Deere Dyke, Dubuque, Iowa ---------    

Wildlife photography was not on the priority list during the last two days. Joan and I had Anthony and Teegan, our twin grandsons, at our house this weekend and that was a lot of fun. Today we went on a walk to the Deere dyke at the Mississippi River. The weather doesn’t get any better than today here in the Upper Mississippi Valley. I debated with myself about taking camera and long lens with me, but the only way not making any pictures is leaving the gear at home or in the car… Sure, the bright light of a Sunday afternoon without any clouds is not a favorite, but for the first time I had a Sora and several Lesser Yellowlegs in front of the lens at this location.

I got very excited while watching the Lesser Yellowlegs, a sandpiper that I have photographed at the Green Island Wetlands before during spring migration. When this Northern Water Snake, resting on a sun flooded log in the shallow backwaters of the Mississippi, lifted its head, my attention shifted immediately. It’s mediocre light but it is the gesture of the critter that makes the difference between a documentary shot and a photo that is worth to be shown.

DISTURBING FACTS

Everybody likes to see pictures of new born or young animals and nobody wants to hear really about the death of a critter. This is quite normal. If you are in the great outdoors all the time you will develop a pretty good understanding about the cycles of life. And sometimes you come across a story that makes you more than wonder, shake your head, and leaves a feeling of sadness.

Yesterday in the Green Island Wetlands I saw a large Northern Water Snake lay on the gravel road that goes across the area. I stopped the car and walked up to it with the camera in my hands. These snakes are harmless, non-venomous, and usually flee rapidly when approached. The road has water on both sides and so the presence of a water snake isn’t a surprise. The size and dark color told me that this was a beautiful full grown adult. This one was not moving much, just looked like it would take a sun bath. I made a few clicks from different angles while slowly approaching the snake. Suddenly the snake turned on its side, curled up, opened its mouth, and acted like it was under extreme pain. Four minutes later the snake was dead. Some snakes feign death if attacked but the Northern Water Snake isn’t one of them. I moved the body off the road and checked it two hours later. It was definitely dead.

I understand that some people do not like snakes, for whatever reason, but I really hate the thought that someone drove over it on purpose. I couldn’t see any external injuries but assume that the critter died from internal damage, caused by a car that drove over it...