Early Spring with Reptiles

While many of my friends are posting Instagram pictures of snow hikes and skiing, I am here in the jungle. Well, not really, although when I moved here from Utah, I certainly felt like I was in a Tarzan movie when I went hiking!

The day began with a thick fog that settled into bleak cloud cover over the swamp.

 

It was a warm though, and the reptiles were out. This is one I spotted. The first snake of the day, a black rat snake.

Here's another, kind of kinked up and cold. It was a big day for rat snakes. We saw 7. (This is a very common snake.) 

Gradually, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day to be in the woods. We moved upland, away from the water, sometimes following established trails, but most of the time not.

This kind of off-trail crashing around is really only doable in winter and early spring. In a few weeks, the vegetation will be too thick and the insects will be unbearable.

We saw two copperheads. This beautifully patterned snake blends in with the leaf litter and makes you really watch your step. A bite from this guy sends you to the hospital pronto.

We saw some other species of snakes as well, although I didn't take photos of them all. (Some were camera shy and slid out of sight too fast).

I was happy to be out in the world with my son and his fellow reptile enthusiasts. It's always a pleasure to be invited along.