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Photo of the Day #557: Find the garter snake
A garter snake (Thamnophis sp.) getting away through the undergrowth. It was sunning itself on the middle of the trail but my camera battery was too low for me to take a picture. By the time I changed it the snake was getting away.
I saw one on a bike ride this past weekend. I was taking a break and walking along a weeded path when it slithered away from me. It hid its head under pile a leaves with its plumb backside sticking way out for the world to see, and seemed perfectly content that it was completely hidden from my view.
I named it after our cat Coco, who also has a plumb back end and isn't terribly bright about how to hide from humans either.
When the weather turned about two weeks ago, I went to a local creek/watershed with paved hiking trails. I was having to be careful not to run over the garter snakes. They were crossing the trail in groups of four to six en masse, some pausing to warm on the pavement.
I have taken some incredible pics of them on my walks and biking excursions there.