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Mississippi Green Water Snake

Nerodia cyclopion

Photo by AshleyT
Published on Project Noah
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29.7015, -94.4144

Field Notes

Description:

A thick-bodied water snake with slight, granite-like patterning on its back. The belly is yellowish and heavily mottled. He was a lifer for me, and the most exciting one I have gotten in a long time!

Habitat:

Found on the road just after dusk. There were flooded ditches on each side, and he was released into the ditch after the photo shoot.

Notes:

While we were photographing this guy on the side of the road, a car passed us. Obviously wondering what the heck we were doing in the dark with lights all over the road, they pulled over and came up to us. They saw we had a snake, and started telling us how snakes freaked them out. We just talked to them for awhile, saying how awesome of a snake this was and they are less commonly seen. After getting the snake calm, I asked the wife if she wanted to hold him. I let her touch the back end first, then showed her how to gently hold him to where he is unlikely to bite. She did finally hold him, and got her husband to take a few pictures, then gave him back. They thanked us and went on their way, and it was great to help someone have a positive experience with a snake, especially one that was special to me. I never pass up the opportunity to help people learn about snakes, even though we were literally being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Totally worth it though :)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (7)

These are terrific! He looks like the type to eat a moth so he likes Moth week too. HA! Very cool!
Spectacular spotting, Ashley! Congratulations on the lifer!
Lovely story. I like to hear this especially after my neighbor killed a snake recently. We live in a neighborhood surrounded by hills. Sometimes snakes take refuge in the porches from the scorching sun or simply slide around looking for a sip of water. It was equally distressing for the neighbor and us . No body likes to kill or be killed. If I had seeen him doing it , I would have stopped him and requested him to work something out. animal control relocates them whereas police I heard shoots them.
haha wasn't the mosquitoes that bugged me but the horse flies biting my hands! Really good job with the summery of the story though, and these came out well for your first time working with multi-flash set ups!
Lifer snake!!! Great story about the couple that came along... well done!!!! : D

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