Thank Heaven for Leetle Snakes. 10-15-2017

Sorry to paraphrase that creepy Maurice Chevalier song for a title but I really have run out of ideas. Anyway, Sunday was supposed to be warm and sunny and we chose a spot in Bristol County to see some late-year snakes. Of course, being 2017, there was no sun, but it was plenty warm when we arrived at our spot late in the morning.

The place was bustling thanks to the powers that be making it more human friendly. Still, animals could be found because we know where to look. Under logs and stuff. That's where our first Redback was.


The garden was still in the shade but good for a beautiful, reddish Garter.


Heading along the trail, Andrea found this shy Leadback.


Looking out at the river, we hoped for some turtles but being as overcast as it was, we didn't... wait! That's one intrepid Painted Turtle! Full yoga pose, too.


Another part of the river... I love October turtles. They're as die-hard as we are.


This wee Pickerel Frog was a charming fellow.


The car graveyard is usually a great place for snakes but with the nights dipping into the 40s, it seems that most of them have moved closer to their winter sites. This massive part of a Garter shed made us wonder just how huge the gal that left it is.


A few hundred yards down the path from that skin, this snoozing beauty never even knew we were there, tipping the railroad tie over it, snapping a picture, putting the tie back and moving on.

A close-up of nature's perfection...


A few more Painted Turtles trying to sun bathe.


This pretty Pickerel had its amazing colors revealed by my camera's flash.


A large car hood in the middle of a field. We've seen ten snakes under it on one flip. This time, nothing. Oh wait... Andrea spotted something! Little Garter nipper.


We were heading back to the parking lot, retracing our steps, hoping to hit a few more spots in the county after some lunch. In the three or four hours since we'd last hit the garden, a few things had changed. This (very) blue Garter was up sunning itself.


A couple of neonate Garters were in and on the stone wall, too. Peekaboo.

Another bluie.


We departed and grabbed some lunch, then headed over to a turtle spot in hopes of some hatchlings. It was very windy and raw there and we saw nothing. It was feeling like the end of the season. We hopped back into the car and headed home. OK... one last spot before the highway. Not too far out of our way...

It paid off with a small Green Frog...


and a big Bullfrog.


Yeah, we know the easy days are over for 2017. This whole year has been a tough one. Still, we don't want to let it go and we'll continue viewing animals until we can't anymore. We are quite dumb.