Yesterday was a two reptile day for me. Even though, I did not really see the rattlesnake in the grass, I am counting it. 😉
So here is the snake that I actually did see. Jim spotted it as Gracie walked right over it.
And it was an exciting new snake for me! It was about three feet long.
Creeping closer, I kept snapping shots of it before it slipped away.
It just posed for me with out blinking. LOL snakes don’t blink, no eye lids. Instead of eyelids, they have what is know as brilles. Brilles are a transparent, non-moving skin that protects the eye. Source: Do snakes blink?
Top view. I wanted all the angles I could get. Never know what detail will be important!
Close up of the scales. Each scale had a cream colored spot and no keels.
Finally, it said it was time to move on leaving me with a tale/tail to tell you. Though it usually said that a snake shakes it tail to mimic a rattlesnake, maybe this one was just waving bye 😉
Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki) was its name! So exciting to meet one!
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know.
12 Comments
Wonderful! I love speckled kingsnakes. I kept a captive-bred one as a teaching animal for several years at the Nature Center. Fantastic to see one in the wild.
It certainly is a thrill to see a snake in the wild. I read that this species only occasionally ventures from wetter areas. So this made this even more neato since our place is more upland.
Wonderful! I love speckled kingsnakes. I kept a captive-bred one as a teaching animal for several years at the Nature Center. Fantastic to see one in the wild.
It certainly is a thrill to see a snake in the wild. I read that this species only occasionally ventures from wetter areas. So this made this even more neato since our place is more upland.
I have never seen one before! It’s beautiful!!
It is a wonder that Gracie didn’t drag her feet across it. Very special snake for us.
Beautiful kingsnake!
Certainly was! How often do you see this species?
Wow that is wonderful!
What a gorgeous snake, and one I’ve never seen in the wild.
Dont remember if ive seen that snake before but i love king snakes. That one is gorgeous.
Hmmm, I would have thought living near the creek like you did, you might have seen one.
Probably did. Too long ago to remember. I do know there was much more wildlife then but of course that was long ago.
Wildlife has changed from long ago…less now.